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NHTSA vehicle safety data

1998 Volkswagen Passat Recalls & Complaints

The 1998 Volkswagen Passat has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 330 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Volkswagen dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

1998 Volkswagen Passat owner complaints

Owners have filed 330 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Volkswagen Passat, describing incidents dated October 23, 1997 to October 4, 2017.

Most-cited components

  • Suspension 90 complaints
  • Service Brakes 85 complaints
  • Steering 47 complaints
  • Engine 40 complaints
  • Electrical System 25 complaints
  • Visibility/Wiper 25 complaints

Of the 330 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 330 complaints, owners report 12 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11033311 · Filed

    THE TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND THEY KNOW IT. WHY DIDN'T THEY INFORM ME OF THIS.MAYBE BECAUSE THEY HAVE HANDS FULL WITH THE EMISSION CHEATING SCANDAL. OR IF THEY DID THEM THEY WOULD BE LIABLE FOR ALL THE COMPLAINTS BEFORE. PLEASE PUTVOUTCA RECALL. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS !!!!!

  • ODI #11030747 · Filed

    DRIVING BACK HOME FROM STORE AND CAR JUST DIED OUT THAN SMELT LIKE GAS.

  • ODI #10615211 · Filed

    CABIN SMELLS LIKE FUMES FOR STARTERS AN GAS GAUGE IS OFF CAR SAYS IT HAS QUARTER OF A TANK AN THAN I RUN OUT OF GAS ALMOST HAD A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ! ALSO CAR HAS TONS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IF IT SITS FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS BATTERY DIES BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS MY FUEL GAUGE. *TR

Read all 330 complaints

Owner-reported

1998 Volkswagen Passat mileage at failure

123 of the 330 complaints on file for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Service BrakesMedian 80,000 milesMiddle half 65,000–100,000 milesBased on 61 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Complaints received before December 15, 2002 rarely give a mileage, so they aren't counted here.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998 Volkswagen Passat in 6 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

1 more NHTSA investigation
Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR

NHTSA #09E025000 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights · NHTSA notice

Reported May 11, 2009 · DOPE, INC.

Potentially affected: 42,540 vehicles

Owners notified July 28, 2009

Defect description

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY DOPE, INC.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

VW/FILLER NECK/TIRE ABRASION

NHTSA #02V026000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Tank Assembly — Filler Pipe and Cap · NHTSA notice

Reported January 25, 2002 · VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Potentially affected: 487,284 vehicles

Volkswagen campaign WK · Owners notified June 13, 2003 · Vehicles built April 1, 1997 – August 31, 2002 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK CAN SUFFER ABRASION DAMAGE IF THE REAR TIRE GOES FLAT AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNTIL THE TIRE DISINTEGRATES.

Safety consequence

FUEL LEAKAGE CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL FIT PASSAT VEHICLES WITH A NEW WHEEL HOUSE LINER THAT WILL BETTER PROTECT THE CAR'S FILLER NECK. JETTA VEHICLES WILL BE FITTED WITH A DIFFERENT METAL SHIELD DESIGNED TO ENHANCE ABRASION PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF TIRE DISINTEGRATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 13, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Notes

ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

VW/TIE RODS

NHTSA #99V248000 · Steering — Linkages — Rod — Relay — Connecting · NHTSA notice

Reported September 13, 1999 · VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Potentially affected: 51,900 vehicles

Volkswagen campaign UL/KW · Owners notified October 5, 1999 · Vehicles built January 2, 1998 – July 31, 1998 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY.

Safety consequence

IF MOISTURE AND/OR DUST PARTICLES ENTER THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM, THE SWIVEL BEARING COULD WEAR OVER TIME DIMINISHING THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS.

Notes

VW RECALL NO. UL/AUDI RECALL NO. KW. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

VW/BRAKE BOOSTER

NHTSA #99V131001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Power Assist — Vacuum — Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings · NHTSA notice

Reported May 21, 1999 · VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Potentially affected: 88,121 vehicles

Volkswagen campaign UH/KU · Owners notified October 9, 1999 · Vehicles built October 1, 1997 – February 28, 1999 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A CONTROL VALVE IN THE VACUUM HOSE CONNECTING THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MAY NOT OPEN OR CLOSE FULLY AT TEMPERATURES BELOW -4 F UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Safety consequence

THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE INSUFFICIENT VACUUM TO BE PROVIDED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A VACUUM BY-PASS SYSTEM INTO VEHICLES OPERATED IN THESE STATES WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT VACUUM FOR FULL BRAKE ASSIST UNDER ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 9, 1999.OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

VW/INTAKE AIR SCREEN

NHTSA #98V134000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System · NHTSA notice

Reported June 22, 1998 · VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

Potentially affected: 19,800 vehicles

Owners notified August 25, 1998 · Vehicles built February 1, 1997 – February 28, 1998 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE BACKFIRES DURING A COLD-START, AN AIR SCREEN WHICH IS LOOSELY SEATED IN THE AIR FLOW METER CAN BECOME DAMAGED.

Safety consequence

SCREEN PIECES COULD ENTER THE INTAKE AIR FLOW SYSTEM AND PREVENT THE THROTTLE PLATE FROM RETURNING TO ITS FULL IDLE POSITION.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RETAINING RING TO HOLD THE AIR SCREEN IN PLACE.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DURING AUGUST 1998.OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987 OR AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Volkswagen Passat model years

Check your 1998 Volkswagen Passat VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Volkswagen Passat at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Volkswagen VIN