2008 Volkswagen Passat: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 240 complaints
240
Total Complaints
92,000mi
Median Mileage
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Top Issue
3
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

64,500 25th Percentile
92,000 Median Mileage
120,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
44
ENGINE
43
AIR BAGS
32
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
20
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
17
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
13
STEERING
12
POWER TRAIN
10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
4

Severity Assessment

3
Crashes
9
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"DRIVING HOME WITH IN FREEZING WEATHER AFTER A SNOW STORM, EVERY FEW MINUTES CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD WITH WASHER FLUID, WHERE AFTER STOPPING THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE WIPERS REFUSED TO FUNCTION WHILE DRIVING (ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE ROAD SALT). HAD TO CAREFULLY PULL OVER,..."
"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE. IT TOOK GREAT EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE EXITED THE FREEWAY AND THE FAILURE RECURRED AT THE VERY NEXT STOP. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE DEALE..."
"SEVERE DISTORTION IN WINDSHIELD. VW REPLACED ORIGINAL WITH TWO MORE. THAN SAFELIGHT REPLACED TWO MORE WINDSHIELDS AND LAST WAS REPLACED BE BLUE RIDGE AUTO GLASS. DRIVING WITH THIS DISTORTION CAUSES HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. *TR"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28