2015 Volkswagen Passat Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat.

20142016
Complaints
388
per 10K Sold
49.6
US Sales
78,207
Crashes
19
Fires
4
Injuries
16
Fatalities
Recalls
7

Worst 2015 Volkswagen Passat Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#186 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:54,789 mi
Crash-related:8
#253 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:49,410 mi
Fires:1
#344 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:50,471 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat.

Airbags
86
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
54,789
Engine Problems
53
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
49,410
Electrical Faults
44
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
50,471
Brakes
26
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
22,080
Steering Defects
26
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
49,638
Fuel System
20
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
44,294
Suspension Failures
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
41,957
Transmission / Drivetrain
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
44,408
Unintended Acceleration
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
27,079
Headlight/Taillight Failures
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
16,671
Wipers & Visibility
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
81,660
Body Structure
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
57,771
Electronic Stability Control
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Horn
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Sunroof/Moonroof
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2015 Volkswagen Passat

7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~918,785 vehicles.

19V862000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~226 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

19V389000Exterior Lighting:headlights
~662,185 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

19V014000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~119,394 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

15V705000Engine And Engine Cooling:engine · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
~91,867 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.

15V373000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
~62 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Passat vehicles manufactured May 18, 2015, to May 21, 2015. The affected vehicles have a brake line at the left rear wheel area that may not have been properly tightened.

15V028000Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail
~44,658 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles manufactured March 31, 2014, to November 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment.

14V670000Seats
~393 affected

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Jetta and Passat vehicles manufactured September 23, 2014, to October 9, 2014, and equipped with manual front seatback recliners. In the affected vehicles, the seatback recliner retaining bracket may not engage correctly, resulting in unexpected movement of the seatback.

Other Volkswagen Passat Years

2015 Volkswagen Passat — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2015 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2015 Volkswagen Passat has 388 NHTSA complaints, 19 crash-related, and 7 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 86 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
Top reported problems: Airbags (86 complaints, avg 54,789 mi); Engine Problems (53 complaints, avg 49,410 mi); Electrical Faults (44 complaints, avg 50,471 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 47,359 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA complaints for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat include 19 crash-related reports, 4 fire reports, 16 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2015 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 918,785 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Volkswagen Passat reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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