Safety Score
68
Average
Recalls
1
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (1)
| Date | NHTSA ID | Component | Units | Completion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-09-18 | 02V256000 |
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 10,450 | — | Details |
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-12-05 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES FAILED TO OP… |
| 2011-07-04 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 1996 VW PASSAT AT 65 MPH AND THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED WITH WATER AND… |
| 2010-11-12 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | No | 0 | HEATER CORE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, BLOWING HOT STEAM OUT OF THE VENTS, DUMPING HOT COOLANT ONTO MY FEET AND FOGGING UP T… |
| 2008-06-02 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR HEADLAMPS FAILED. THE DEALE… |
| 2008-05-10 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING L… |
| 2007-12-13 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 0 | HEATERCORE FAILED FOGED UP ALL MY WINDOWS,SOAKED CARPET AND FILLED CABIN WITH TOXIC ANTIFREEZE VAPOR ON MY WAY HOME FRO… |
| 2007-01-26 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1996 VW PASSAT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, WHICH SHUT DOWN THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS EXACT… |
| 2006-10-22 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 0 | HEATER CORE FAILURE. VENTING OF NOXIOUS FUMES INTO PASSANGER COMPARTMENT. *NM |
| 2006-10-01 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE I… |
| 2006-08-11 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START SOMETIMES AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEH… |
| 2006-06-23 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I HAVE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH ELECTRONIC AND EMISSIONS SENSORS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND RECENTLY SPENT $756.54 TO (AGAIN!)… |
| 2006-03-16 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE… |
| 2005-12-06 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 0 | HEATER CORE IS LEAKING, AND MAKES DRIVING IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO DECREASED VISIBILITY, AND THE FUMES COMING OFF THE HEATER C… |
| 2005-08-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS LOST ITS ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, VERY UNSAFE WITH NO BACKING FROM VW. *JB |
| 2005-04-24 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 1 | REAR DOOR LATCH FAILED AND DOOR FLEW OPEN AND 10 YEAR OLD CHILD FELL OUT OF THE CAR. THE DOOR APPEARS TO CLOSE NORMALLY… |
| 2005-04-01 | POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | No | 0 | 1996 CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED ON THE 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED.… |
| 2004-12-06 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | No | 0 | THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TEND NOT TO OPERATE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING… |
| 2004-10-18 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 0 | OWNER OF 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLX. DRIVING LOW SPEED WHEN I HEARD A POP & HISS SOUND. TONS OF STEAM CAME THROUGH TH… |
| 2004-09-20 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 02V256000. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, … |
| 2004-09-01 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS NOISY WHEN CLOSING, NOW HAS FAILED SUCH THAT WINDOW DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY, SLIDES DOWN ALLOW… |
| 2004-08-24 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED IN A 1996 PASSAT VR6. WAS A RECALL ON SWITCH. I WOULD LIKE A REFUND ON PARTS AND LABOR. *JB |
| 2004-08-08 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS AN IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY. MY FIRST TIME WAS AT NIGHT AND MY LIGHTS WENT OUT. I PULLED OF TH… |
| 2004-06-30 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | CONSUMER HAD 1996 VW PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TS THE … |
| 2004-06-24 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A DOOR LOCK PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, THREE OF THE FOUR DOOR LOCKS BROKE. DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FRO… |
| 2004-01-07 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 1 | IN JANUARY 2004 I DROVE BACK TO SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA AFTER SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH MY FAMILY. ON THE WAY BACK WHILE I WA… |
| 2003-10-03 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | DOOR HANDLES WORE OUT WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TWO VEHICLES THAT HAD DEFECTIVE DOO… |
| 2003-09-01 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | THE PASSENGER DOOR POWER WINDOW DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME - TRUNK WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH KEY, CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WO… |
| 2003-08-12 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS BLEW OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ABRUPTLY PULL OVER. *JB |
| 2003-07-10 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE CAME ON AND WENT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK WINDSHIELD WI… |
| 2003-07-10 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | No | 0 | WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK |
| 2003-06-17 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | No | 0 | TRANSMISSION BROKEN AT 60,000 MILES, ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIS UNABLE TO FIX PROPERLY, THEY HAD TO REPLACE IT UNDER THERI … |
| 2003-05-12 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | No | 1 | NO EVENT LEADING TO THE FAILURE... I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH WHEN MY HEATER CORE FAILED.. CAUSING SOLDI… |
| 2003-04-21 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | HEADLIGHTS CONTINUALLY GO OUT. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP SUPPOSEDLY DID ELECTRICAL PART OF IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT, BU… |
| 2002-11-12 | FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY | No | 0 | CONSUMER STATES THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL. SPEEDOMETER IS NOT SHOW ACCURATE SPEED, NEITHER THE GA… |
| 2002-11-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING THE HEADLIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND TURN SIGNALS WILL GO OUT. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.… |
| 2002-11-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | No | 0 | 1. MY CAR HAD IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THERE IS A RECALL ON IGNITION SWITCH FAILURES FOR THE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL OF MY CA… |
| 2002-11-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | No | 0 | THE DASHBOARD AND ELECTRICAL WIRES HAVE BURNT. CONSUMER STATES' NONE OF THE GAUGES ARE WORKING AND BRAKES ARE NOT WORK… |
| 2002-10-30 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | NHTSA# 15255-02-V-256-000 IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHT, WIDSHIELD AND WIPERS TO BECOME INOP… |
| 2002-10-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | THE IGNITION SWITCH CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTENTLY. ENGINE STILL RUNS BUT NO LIGHTS, WIPERS, ABS BRAKING, AND OTHER SAFETY … |
| 2002-10-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN IN PROGRESS FOR PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V256000. I WOULD LIK… |
| 2002-09-16 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ALL VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FAIL W/O WARNING. TS |
| 2002-08-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE WITH FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER, HEADLIGHTS, TURNING SIGNALS AND AC/HEAT FAN. ALL EXCEPT FOR T… |
| 2002-08-01 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | HEADLIGHT BULB IS YELLOW ON THE OUTSIDE OF LENSE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO SEE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK |
| 2002-06-29 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | PASSENGERS COULD NOT GET IN OR OUT OF VEHICLE BECAUSE DOOR WAS BOLTED SHUT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK |
| 2002-05-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | RE: NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V256000 STATES THAT "ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IG… |
| 2001-12-24 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | THERE IS A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH OF THE 1996 AUDI A4. THIS IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS THE VW PASSAT. WHEN THIS PA… |
| 2001-11-06 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | No | 0 | COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND LIMITED C… |
| 2001-05-11 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | No | 0 | LOST POWER ASSIST AND HAD TO USE HAND BRAKE TO STOP. VACUUM LINE WAS REPLACED AND FAILED AGAIN AT 79363 MILES. |
| 2001-03-28 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | No | 0 | CAR BEGAN FAILING TO START. BATTERY REPLACED. SYMPTOMS REAPPEARED IN 2 WEEKS. CAR RUNNING ROUGH, DIFFICULT TO START. ST… |
| 2001-01-15 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER. DOOR OPENS BUT UNABLE TO CLOSE. DOOR MUST BE HELD CLOSED … |