Your vehicle report
2004 Volkswagen Passat
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 279
- Received Jan 2004 to Aug 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Heated seat overheats and burns occupants31 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline28 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips19 complaints · 6.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #08V156000Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5TH generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8T engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4MOTION/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
- Recall #07V063000On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 9 crashes, 25 fires, 23 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 33 |
| 2005 | 19 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 29 |
| 2008 | 32 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 279 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heated seat overheats and burns occupants | 31 | 11% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 28 | 10% | – | NHTSA recall #04V586000, #08V156000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 19 | 6.8% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 14 | 5.0% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 13 | 4.7% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 11 | 3.9% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 8 | 2.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 6 | 2.1% | – | NHTSA recall #07V063000 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 5 | 1.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 1.8% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 4 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #08V156000April 7, 2008412,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery
Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 Passat (5TH generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that Can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8T engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4MOTION/all wheel drive only) that Can leak due to fracture.
A heat shield that may contact the exhaust system Can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, Can lead to a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8T engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8T vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4MOTION/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA recall #07V063000February 20, 20071,002,000 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06V-183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the VIN number of the vehicle. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA recall #04V586000December 15, 200419,284 vehicles affected
fuel system, diesel
On certain passenger vehicles, the high pressure diesel pumps were produced with an improper fastener, which could allow diesel fuel to escape from the pump.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on february 8, 2005. Owners should contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2004 Volkswagen Passat.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN