2013 Volkswagen Passat
The Verdict
The 2013 Volkswagen Passat has 729 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (424 complaints) and engine (160 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 12/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Volkswagen Passat, consider the 2022 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2022 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2022 Volkswagen Passat dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 104 | 199 | 55 | 145 | 20 |
| 2001 | 114 | 58 | 101 | 141 | 33 |
| 2002 | 113 | 67 | 225 | 219 | 24 |
| 2003 | 155 | 34 | 106 | 318 | 28 |
| 2004 | 66 | 14 | 36 | 131 | 36 |
| 2005 | 37 | 4 | 14 | 84 | 9 |
| 2006 | 138 | 33 | 184 | 176 | 32 |
| 2007 | 33 | 12 | 117 | 97 | 11 |
| 2008 | 22 | 4 | 38 | 104 | 6 |
| 2009 | 23 | 4 | 15 | 107 | 3 |
| 2010 | 16 | 0 | 50 | 71 | 26 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 2012 | 43 | 10 | 331 | 77 | 11 |
| 2013 | 124 | 7 | 424 | 160 | 14 |
| 2014 | 74 | 7 | 363 | 114 | 25 |
| 2015 | 54 | 17 | 97 | 67 | 7 |
| 2016 | 21 | 15 | 34 | 35 | 1 |
| 2017 | 40 | 17 | 34 | 13 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2020 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts availability. The contact had not experienced a failure.
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.
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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. 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.
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light was unexpectedly illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,770.
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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. 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.
Drivers airbag is not operational because of defective clock spring
My 2013 VW Passat SE did have a recall on the airbag in the past. I brought it to the VW dealership & had it fixed. Now it suddenly came on again. Maybe they never fixed it properly.
Recall still not complete and no date from Volkswagen on when the repairs will be done. I have been working with VW for 3 weeks to arrange getting a loaner car (no date of when this will be available either).
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 unavailable. 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.
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 not made aware of the issue. The contact called the manufacturer but received no response. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
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 manufacturer informed the contact that to order the part for the recall repair, the contact needed to get a loaner vehicle; however, if the contact refused, he would wait longer for the recall part to be ordered. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2013 Volkswagen Passat [XXX] I received a recall notice for the Takata driver airbag inflator in 2016, and as of July 2025, I am still being told by Volkswagen that the repair is “Not Yet Available” and will not be until September 2025. This means I will have waited over 9 years for a critical safety repair. I live in Texas, a region identified by NHTSA as high-risk for airbag explosion due to heat and humidity. I’m requesting NHTSA’s assistance in holding Volkswagen accountable for this delay and in compelling the manufacturer to provide a safe alternative or transportation accommodation immediately. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Timing chain issues, motor oil circulation problems, that Volkswagen has recalls out for 2.0 cc turbo 2013.
729 total