2015 Volkswagen Passat
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Airbags & Restraints
Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 90 of 243 complaints (37%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 594 in 2014 to 243 in 2015.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | vs. 2015 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,400–3,350 | 2,250–3,350 | 2,250–3,350 | 2,150–2,700 | 2,300–2,700 | |
| Combined MPG | 23–34 | 23–34 | 23–34 | 23–29 | 23–27 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 20–30 / 28–40 | 20–30 / 28–40 | 20–30 / 28–42 | 20–25 / 28–36 | 20–23 / 28–34 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 290–390 | 290–390 | 299–390 | 306–390 | 329–390 | |
| Complaints filed | 748 | 594 | 243 | 106 | 110 | |
| Recalls issued | 9 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 29 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 9 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 24 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 3 | |
| Deaths reported | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2015 Volkswagen Passat have?
7 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
Airbags & Restraints: 90 of 243 NHTSA complaints (37%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2015 Volkswagen Passat get?
EPA rates it 23–34 MPG combined across 5 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
EPA estimates $2,250–$3,350 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 20 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | $3,350 (high) | 390 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Manual 5-spd | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 24 mpg | 34 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,250 (low) | 318 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Midsize Cars | 29 mpg | 40 mpg | 33 mpg | $2,700 | 305 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 24 mpg | 35 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,250 (low) | 315 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Manual 6-spd | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Midsize Cars | 30 mpg (high) | 42 mpg (high) | 34 mpg (high) | $2,650 | 299 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 54 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 48 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 32 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 90 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 40 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (7)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · Campaign 19V862000 · Dec 5, 2019
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS · Campaign 19V389000 · May 24, 2019
Defect: 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."
Consequence: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · Campaign 19V014000 · Jan 31, 2019
Defect: 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.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298; Audi owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69S8 (Audi) and 69Y5 (Volkswagen).
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · Campaign 15V705000 · Oct 26, 2015
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS · Campaign 15V373000 · Jun 15, 2015
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the brake line was not properly tightened, it may leak brake fluid, causing a reduction in braking performance, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will tighten the brake line fitting, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47M3.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL · Campaign 15V028000 · Jan 23, 2015
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BL. Note: This recall expands and supersedes recall 14V-809 (Volkswagen recall number 24Bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.
SEATS · Campaign 14V670000 · Oct 24, 2014
Defect: 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.
Consequence: Unexpected movement of the driver's seatback may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the assembly of the seatback recliner retaining bracket, correcting it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72F1.