Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Passat, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine60
- Fuel/propulsion system46
- Steering20
- Electrical system18
- Air bags12
- Power train10
- Unknown or other9
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Electronic stability control (esc)7
- Suspension4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 9 2009 Passat vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2009 Volkswagen Passat failed the safety check 2.75% of the time — 9% more often than the average 2009 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 117,437 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2009 Volkswagen Passat cars on Dutch roads are the 1.4 petrol (90 kW, 121 hp), 1.8 petrol (118 kW, 158 hp) and 2.0 diesel (103 kW, 138 hp), out of 7 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4 petrol | 90 kW 121 hp | 805 |
| 1.8 petrol | 118 kW 158 hp | 767 |
| 2.0 diesel | 103 kW 138 hp | 154 |
| 2.0 petrol | 147 kW 197 hp | 133 |
| 2.0 diesel | 81 kW 109 hp | 116 |
| 3.6 petrol | 220 kW 295 hp | 76 |
| 2.0 diesel | 125 kW 168 hp | 49 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,196 first registered in 2009 are on Dutch roads; 21% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €37,262.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,167
- Band onvoldoende profiel947
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen791
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld558
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm499
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd497
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af338
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse328
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
9,051 cars built in 2009 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2,334 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
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 13,133 of these cars first registered in 2009 took their annual MOT test. 63% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2009 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 16.6% | 16.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.0% | 18.7% |
| Tyres | 10.7% | 7.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.6% | 5.4% |
| Brakes | 6.6% | 10.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 6.1% | 5.8% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
1,511 of these cars first registered in 2009 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 314,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
411 2009 cars are on the New Zealand register; 64% arrived as used imports, 35% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.8–10.5 L/100 km (about 22–24 mpg US), CO₂ 225–242 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passat · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 11.4 | 7.9 | 9.8 |
| Passat · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 8.5 | 10.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen Passat.
| 2018111 6 Mar 2018 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2017398 16 Aug 2017 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, there could be an interruption in electrical power to the fuel pump control module. This could result in the fuel pump running continuously… |
| 2016064 9 Feb 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inf… |
| 2009087 19 Mar 2009 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the right front seatbelt buckle wiring harness may have been incorrectly routed during vehicle assembly. As such, the wires could become d… |
| 2008398 3 Nov 2008 | Steering On certain Passat, Passat CC and Passat wagon, an electromechanical steering control unit may have a malfunction due to a damaged capacitor. If this malfunctio… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
VW IS RECALLING 130 MY 2009 PASSAT, PASSAT WAGON, AND PASSAT CC VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN ELECTROMECHANICAL STEERING GEAR CONTROL UNIT THAT CAN MALFUNCTION DUE TO A DAMAGED CAPACITOR. IF THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS, THE DRIVER'S STEERING INPUT IS NOT PROPERLY PROCESSED BY THE SYSTEM AND THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RESPOND AS THE DRIVER INTENDS. THIS DEFECT CAN ONLY OCCUR IMMEDIATELY AFTER VEHICLE START-UP WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 5 MPH.
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 2009 Volkswagen Passat: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 11002875 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001508 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 10253483 | Engine Exhaust Flap Limited Warranty Extension |
| 10253439 | Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance Program ? Gasoline Engines (Except Routan) - REVISED |
| 10253262 | VW Engine oil quality standards |
| 10253215 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10253214 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
TRANSMISSION FLUID HOSE CHAFE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation