Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1995 Volkswagen Passat, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Visibility20
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Electrical system15
- Service brakes, hydraulic11
- Power train10
- Latches/locks/linkages9
- Structure6
- Exterior lighting5
- Suspension5
- Vehicle speed control5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
64 first registered in 1995 are on Dutch roads; 25% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen15
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde14
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af10
- Slijtage/beschadiging wiellager hoorbaar of voelbaar5
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont5
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm4
- Band onvoldoende profiel4
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
26 cars built in 1995 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 211 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
34 of these cars first registered in 1995 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 275,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 8.0–12.7 L/100 km (about 19–29 mpg US), CO₂ 216–292 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passat Diesel · Mid-size · Diesel | 8.8 | 7.1 | 8.0 |
| Passat Diesel Wagon · Mid-size · Diesel | 9.1 | 7.1 | 8.2 |
| Passat GLX · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 10.2 | 12.5 |
| Passat GLX Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 10.2 | 12.5 |
| Passat GLX · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.7 | 10.3 | 12.7 |
| Passat GLX Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.7 | 10.3 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1995 Volkswagen Passat.
| 2002239 13 Dec 2002 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles equipped with seat heating units, the front seat back heaters may supply concentrated heat in a localized area of the seat back or produce e… |
| 1995221 11 Dec 1995 | Engine NOTE: INCLUDES PASSAT, GOLF AND JETTA TURBO DIESEL. ON 1993-94 MODELS, THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR SHAFT COULD SEIZE AND RENDER THE FAN MOTOR INOPERATIVE. 1994-95 M… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
IMPROPER MATERIAL WAS USED IN MANUFACTURING THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR SHAFT CAUSING THE SHAFT TO WEAR AND BECOME NOISY.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 1995 Volkswagen Passat: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 621613 | SUBJECT REGARDING LATCH SYSTEM LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN, INSTALLING / RETROFITTING. *TT |
| 603353 | SUBJECT ON ADDITIONAL OBD II DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES ( DTCS ). *YC |
| 603351 | SUBJECT ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID ( ATF ), CHECKING 01 TRANSMISSION. *YC |
| 601872 | SUBJECT ON MAINTENANCE INTERVALS. *YC |
| 53616 | TOOTHED BELT RUNS TOWARDS OUTSIDE, WEARS OUT/ JUMPS OFF, AND CRACKS. *AK |
| 53610 | SUBJECT ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE CAN ADDITIONALLY RECOGNIZE TWO DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) NOT CURRENTLY SHOWN IN THE REPAIR MANUAL. *YC |
| 53604 | CONDITIONS WITH ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. *YC |
| 42010 | R-134A EXPANSION VALVE NOISY. *TW |
| 42009 | REVISED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DUE TO LOSS OF MEMORY IN THE MULTI FUNCTION INDICATOR (MFI). *TW |
| 10241266 | Squeaks, Rattles, Noise, Repair Materials |
| 10241265 | Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults |
| 10239789 | To detect which line(s) is inoperative, utilize a volt meter to check for 0 V, which will be present after the open in the grid line. The check must be performed with the engine running and heated rear window switched on. Switch OFF the ignition and visually locate the damage. Proceed with checking any other lines as necessary. Once the damaged line is identified, repair utilizing the Repair kit by Permatex ITEM 09117. |
| 10238568 | For long crank/ difficulty starting with the engine hot: Before replacing any components for this complaint, drain the fuel from the vehicle and replace with known good diesel fuel from a reputable source. If the complaint still exists, check fuel pressure and injector timing. |
| 10213836 | Airbag Issues. |
| 10159010 | The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided. |
| 10157383 | VAS 6154 Replacement Part Setup Guide |
| 10155644 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the document and order the superseded part numbers going forward. |
| 10128105 | This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates, technical bulletins, pending service solutions, tech tips, campaigns, updates, and suggestions. |
| 10128104 | This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates, ElsaPro infomedia icons grayed out, workshop equipment tool storage application, technical bulletins, pending service solutions, tech tips, campaigns, updates, and suggestions. |
| 10128055 | This communication is to update our ProFi dealers of the current status of the latest inbound and outbound ProFi requests. |
| 10126785 | Update model year applicability to include 2017. |
| 10125848 | Passat Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI) - Technician and Detailer Inspections: A checklist to insure a customer receives a wonderful delivery of a vehicle that looks, feels, and meets the expectations of a new vehicle that he/she has purchased |
| 10125762 | Passat Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI) - Technician and Detailer Inspections: A checklist to insure a customer receives a wonderful delivery of a vehicle that looks, feels, and meets the expectations of a new vehicle that he/she has purchased |
| 10124454 | Assembly Instructions: Installation of original remote start feature accessory, Volkswagen Passat. |
| 10124348 | Technical Bulletin (Squeaks, Rattles, Noise, Repair Materials): This doucment contains a list of components and applications developed to repair concerns of squeaks, rattles, noise and trim fit conditions. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FUEL TANK PUNCTURE
FUEL TANK PUNCTURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation