Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Passat, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine6
- Air bags5
- Electrical system4
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Steering2
- Unknown or other2
- Suspension1
- Power train1
- Wheels1
- Exterior lighting1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 11 2011 Passat vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 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)
Registered new in Europe in 2011
220,942 new Volkswagen Passat cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2011; the largest markets were Germany (89,507), the United Kingdom (28,670), Sweden (15,132).
- Average mass
- 1,580 kg
- Average power
- 108 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 86% · Petrol 11% · Natural gas 2.5%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2011 Volkswagen Passat cars on Dutch roads are the 1.4 petrol (90 kW, 121 hp), 1.8 petrol (118 kW, 158 hp) and 1.6 diesel (77 kW, 103 hp), out of 8 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4 petrol | 90 kW 121 hp | 2,262 |
| 1.8 petrol | 118 kW 158 hp | 641 |
| 1.6 diesel | 77 kW 103 hp | 598 |
| 2.0 diesel | 103 kW 138 hp | 459 |
| 2.0 petrol | 155 kW 208 hp | 150 |
| 2.0 diesel | 125 kW 168 hp | 112 |
| 2.0 diesel | 100 kW 134 hp | 41 |
| 3.6 petrol | 220 kW 295 hp | 36 |
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
4,323 first registered in 2011 are on Dutch roads; 27% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €38,370.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde2,325
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,784
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd1,040
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld1,039
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm935
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen725
- Roestschade as, wielgeleidingselement of reactiestang699
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage485
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
15,557 cars built in 2011 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2,148 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, 17,730 of these cars first registered in 2011 took their annual MOT test. 66% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2011 the figure was 63%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 17.0% | 14.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.3% | 16.0% |
| Tyres | 9.3% | 7.3% |
| Brakes | 5.6% | 8.6% |
| Visibility | 3.0% | 5.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.8% | 3.6% |
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
3,300 of these cars first registered in 2011 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 282,000 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
457 2011 cars are on the New Zealand register; 24% arrived as used imports, 74% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat.
| 2015344 31 Jul 2015 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the steering wheel clock spring could become contaminated with long hair or long fibers which may cause a displacement of the internal guid… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2011 Volkswagen Passat.
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 2011 Volkswagen Passat: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10253204 | Customer States Windshield Wipers Streak or Smear |
| 10253179 | RNS 315 Hardware Failure |
| 10253178 | After switching ON the RNS 315 radio-navigation system, the message "Please insert software CD" appears and the unit will not operate. |
| 10252942 | Damage to Data Link Connector (DLC) from Aftermarket Devices (Cannot Communicate with Vehicle OBD System) |
| 10252941 | Washer Level Sensor |
| 10252937 | Vehicles equipped with Immobilizer 4 (Download) ? Adapting Keys after Vehicle Lock Set Replacement |
| 10252922 | Washer Level Sensor |
| 10252916 | Coding Information for Replacing ?AC? Suffix Radios with ?AF? Suffix Replacement Unit |
| 10252915 | MDI Functions with iPhone 5 Variants (5, 5c, 5s and iPad fourth generation, iPod Nano seventh generation) |
| 10252909 | Equipped with RCD-510 Premium 8 Radio ? Radio Switches to Bluetooth Audio without Input |
| 10252907 | Radio Navigation Unit Security Label |
| 10252906 | RNS 510 ? Radio Preset Display |
| 10252905 | MDI Control of Apple Devices with Lightning Connector (iPhone 5, iPad fourth generation, iPod Nano seventh generation) |
| 10252900 | GPS Antenna Concerns |
| 10252227 | Replacement Radio/Navigation Unit has no Sound |
| 10252226 | Replacement Radio/Navigation Unit has no Sound |
| 10252225 | Vehicles Equipped with Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone ? Pairing of Android Phones |
| 10252221 | All Navigation Radios-All Models |
| 10252220 | All Vehicles with Bluetooth Phone Kit Installed ? Streaming Audio from Phone to Radio |
| 10252217 | Resetting Inspection Service and Interval Service |
| 10252208 | AC Compressor Replacement, Refrigerant Circuit Flushing Requirement |
| 10250695 | Carefree Maintenance Coverage for Interim Oil Changes for Certain 2009 ? 2015 MY Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel Engine Vehicles Registered in the State of Minnesota Only (US Dealers |
| 10244072 | Rattling Noises from Engine Compartment Area or Exhaust System |
| 10244045 | Volkswagen Elsa Newsletter |
| 10243066 | VW Elsa Newsletter |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation