2013 Volkswagen Passat Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 15, 2026 · Filed: October 19, 2026

The vehicle was brought to Bill Jacobs Volkswagen in Naperville, IL to have three open, mandatory federal campaigns and emissions modifications completed. The dealership is actively practicing illegal 'recall steering' by holding the vehicle hostage. The service department refuses to perform the free federal campaigns unless the owner first authorizes between $2,500 and $3,000 in unrelated diagnostic and repair fees out of pocket. The dealership falsely claims that the vehicle must be 'brough to specification' at the owners expense before a federal safety or emissions campaign can be completed, which directly violates federal regulations prohibiting dealerships from conditioning or delaying mandatory factory campaign work based on customer-paid services. Furthermore, dealership staff ignored explicit, repeated verbal warnings regarding an active Adblue countdown, shut the vehicle off, bricked the car via a 'No-Start' lockout inside their active service lane, and are now refusing to release the vehicle or keys without unapproved fees. The active check engine lights on the vehicle are directly tied to the faulty emissions and NOx sensor components that the open campaigns are legally mandated to replace. Addition customer-pay repairs have been explicitly declined, and the dealer is refusing to execute the safety and emissions campaigns.

Incident: June 1, 2026 · Filed: August 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags). The contact called the three closest dealers but no assistance with transporting the vehicle or offering an alternative option for repair was provided. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and refused to help. While requesting to speak with a manager, the contact was informed that a supervisor would provide the same response. The contact feared for her safety while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired.

Incident: May 3, 2026 · Filed: May 8, 2026

Passenger side headlight went out. The problem was not the bulb or fuse. This issue seems to perfectly match Safety Recall 94G8, but for some reason my car is not covered in that recall notice, even though safety recall 94G8 is for "some" 2012-2013 VW Passats, which is what I drive.

Incident: October 13, 2025 · Filed: October 13, 2025

My airbag light is on, steering wheel controls don’t work, and my horn doesn’t work. Safety is put at risk because the airbag won’t deploy if needed, won’t be able to think in case someone can’t see me.

Incident: October 9, 2025 · Filed: October 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted several times. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Incident: September 7, 2025 · Filed: October 3, 2025

My vehicle has an open Takata airbag recall with recall number 69E6. I have been placed on a waiting list at nearby dealerships for over 6 months. Each time I contact the dealerships, I am told to wait and call back in another month. No proactive communication has been provided and no remedy has been scheduled despite repeated follow-ups. The vehicle continues to display an airbag error light indicating an active safety hazard. The manufacturer has not provided a repair appointment, loaner vehicle, or any timeline for when the safety recall remedy will be available. This extended delay poses a serious risk given the known dangers of defective Takata airbags.

Incident: June 30, 2025 · Filed: October 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while at a red light ,the vehicle intermittently stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Incident: December 27, 2024 · Filed: September 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased in 2024 from a Used Car Dealer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated after the vehicle was driven off the dealer lot. The contact drove to the destination and restarted the vehicle and the message "Distressed Vehicle Start" was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle back to the dealer and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was advised that there was an issue with the engine. The dealer advised the contact that parts had been ordered and she would be contacted to bring the vehicle in for the repair. The contact was not contacted, and calls were not returned. The contact contacted the warranty company for assistance with the repair. The contact stated that the timing belt was replaced, the vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle had developed other failures. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and was shaking abnormally while shifting gear. The contact stated that the failure recurred with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The warranty company was contacted, and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer; however, a full diagnostic test was not completed, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

Incident: September 19, 2025 · Filed: September 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000(Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Incident: September 18, 2025 · Filed: September 18, 2025

I've been waiting almost a year for an airbag recall replacement and still can't get an appointment anywhere because it's out of stock. I'm driving around with a air bag that can kill me. How long do I need to wait until something happens.