CarRecallWatchThe 2018 Volkswagen Passat has 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA, including 5 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries.
The most-reported problem area is Service Brakes (12 reports).
2018 Volkswagen Passat recalls
Vehicles May Not Meet Federal Safety Standards
Volkswagen is recalling certain 2016-2018 Passat, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf, 2018 Golf R and Atlas vehicles.
Headlights May Be Misaimed, Reducing Night Visibility
Some Volkswagen Passat and Atlas vehicles may have been built without the blocking cap that prevents the headlight's horizontal aim from being adjusted.
Loose Brake Caliper Bolts Can Reduce Braking
Some brake caliper bracket mounting bolts may not have been tightened enough.
Brake caliper pistons may have weak coating, reducing braking
Some 2018 Audi and Volkswagen models have brake caliper pistons that may have insufficient coating.
Most common 2018 Volkswagen Passat problems
Problem areas named in the 46 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 12 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 |
| Steering | 2 |
What owners report
I was driving my 2018 Volkswagen Passat when suddenly I felt the car started to lose acceleration even though my foot was still on the acceleration paddle. The car started to slow down, not knowing what was going on, I started to pull to the shoulder. I came to a complete halt and was trying to figure out what might have happened. In few seconds I saw black smoke and a lady from the other side of the road was shouting run run. I immediately ran out of the car and noted fire under the front of the car. I called 911 and police came to the scene in few minutes followed by the fire truck. In next few minutes the whole car was burnt. By God's grace I was safe but my car was lost.
A major engineering and material design failure occurred involving internal fluid containment seals, resulting in a severe electrical safety hazard. Pressurized engine coolant breached an internal component seal and began migrating internally directly through the vehicle's engine wiring harness via capillary/siphoning action. The fluid used the sealed wiring loom as a literal pipeline, traveling inside the wire insulation to bypass all outer weather seals and completely flood the Engine Control Module (ECM) pin connectors. The vehicle's dealership service department documented extensive galvanic corrosion and shorting inside the primary vehicle computer pins due to this blue-green fluid po
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the infotainment screen failed to respond to touch commands, preventing the contact from viewing the GPS feature. The contact performed a hard reset on the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with battery failure. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then towed to a different dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
I initially brought my vehicle in for service due to a strong gasoline odor and the vehicle failing to start. At that time, I was informed that no gasoline smell was detected and that the issue was instead a faulty starter, which I authorized for repair. Approximately two weeks later, my vehicle again would not start. I was then informed that the issue was a lower fuel injector, which required additional repairs. Just three days after that service, the vehicle once again failed to start, and I was told this time that the upper fuel injector was the cause. As a result of these events, I incurred a total of $3,946.96 in repair costs across two service visits and was forced to have my vehicle t
2018 Volkswagen Passat questions
Does the 2018 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls for the 2018 Volkswagen Passat: Vehicles May Not Meet Federal Safety Standards; Headlights May Be Misaimed, Reducing Night Visibility; Loose Brake Caliper Bolts Can Reduce Braking; Brake caliper pistons may have weak coating, reducing braking. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Volkswagen Passat?
Based on 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Service Brakes (12), Engine (11), Electrical System (10).
How do I check if a recall on my 2018 Volkswagen Passat has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.