There are 42 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
LOUD SOUND WHEN VEHICLE IS IN IDLE. TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY ARE SAYING IT NEEDS A TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT SKIPS.
TL* THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED THE STATE INSPECTION DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SYSTEM REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. *BF *AS
The check engine light and oil pressure light appeared on my dash screen as I was driving home from work. I pulled over to the nearest repair shop to have the vehicle diagnosed. Upon arriving, the mechanic noticed my oil was low and filled the car with oil. Once that was completed, the car would not start. I noticed it made unusual noises after several more failed attempts. I had the vehicle towed to an authorized dealership to further troubleshoot and they were able to confirm that the engine jumped time due to a failed timing chain tensioner, which requires a new engine since mine is an interference engine. Due to the timing chain tensioner failing, there was catastrophic damage done to the engine leaving the vehicle inoperable.
TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILURE. ENGINE REQUIRES MAJOR REPAIRS
STOPPED RUNNING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT- TOWED TO DEALERSHIP -TIMING CHAIN/TENSIONER ISSUE
BAD TENSIONER BELT LED TO BLOWN ENGINE.
SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2017 I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PASSAT STALLING, AND OR LOOSING POOWER WHEN I AM DRIVING, LAST SEPTEMBER 2017 I WAS TOLD THAT A RECALL (20AE) WAS COMING OUT THAT WAS RELATED TO MY FAILURES. AROUND OCTOBER 15, 2017 I FOUND OUT THAT THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGON GARAGE THAT PARTS FOR THE RECALL ARE NOT AVAILABLE. MY CASE# FROM VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA IS #519607. AT ONE POINT I WAS TOLD BY VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA THAT I SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH MY LOCAL DEALER (VOLKSWAGEN OF MARIETTA) AND HAVE IT EXPECTED. ON FEBRUARY 27, 2018 (CASE NUMBER 180145272) I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT MY COMPLAINT WOULD AGAIN BE REGISTERED. I WILL NOW BE UP TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER TO LOOK AT HIS CASE LOAD AND RESPOND. I DO NOT RECALL HIM EVER RESPONDING TO ME. THE LOCAL DEALER AT THAT TIME SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING ONLY IF THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND THE FOUND WAS FOUND. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY DETECTABLE IF THE PROBLEM OCCURED WHE THEY WERE TESTING THE CAR. IF THEY DID NOT DETECT THE FAILURE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE INSPECTION. IT IS THEREFORE OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS A NON-STARTER AND I WILL HAVE TOPAY FOR AN INSPECTION AND NEVER GET A REPAIR FOR MY PROBLEM UNLESS I PAY CLOSE TO $2,000. I AM A MARRIED SENIOR CITIZEN (80 YEARS OLD) , ADISABLED VETERAN AND WIFE WHO IS 77 YEARS OLD AND WE RELY ON THIS CAR. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND OTHER LIES BY VW THE VALUE OF MY CAR IS LESS THAN WHAT I OWE ON THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SELL THE CAN AND BUY ANOTHER. THE CAR'S ENGINE FAILED AFTER A VIOLENT SHAKE THIS LAST FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2018. IT HAS BEEN OK OVER THE WEEKEND. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. ANY SUGGESTIONS? THIS MORNING I AGAIN CALLED VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA, AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD GET A RETURN CALL WHICH HAS YET TO HAPPEN. MY PHONE # IS [XXX] REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *CC
BEGAN TO DRIVE VEHICLE YESTERDAY TO FUEL UP. "OIL CONSUMPTION: STOP ENGINE" WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON. WENT OFF AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND THEN CAME BACK ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. DROVE 6 BLOCKS BACK HOME. DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE CAR ANY FURTHER. VW DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHY THAT WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHAT TO FIX. THEY SAID FUEL PUMP RECALL MAY FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT RECALL IS NOW 10 MONTHS OLD WITH NO SIGN OF PARTS BEING READY.
MY SON DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING. AS HE NEARED THE SCHOOL DRIVEWAY GOING ABOUT 25 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON "STOP ENGINE IMMEDIATELY." HE DROVE THE VEHICLE 1 CITY BLOCK TO PARK IN THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT. THE ENGINE DID NOT JOLT WHEN THE WARNING CAME ON BUT IT CAME ON NONE-THE-LESS.
DRIVING CAR WHEN SUDDENLY A WARNING MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED "STOP ENGINE IMMEDIATELY." THE CAR WAS IN FORWARD MOTION AS I WAS DRIVING ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. NOT TURNING, NOT BRAKING, NOT BACKING UP. WE DISCUSSED IT WITH A VW DEALER. THEY SAID THE CAR HAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP 10 MONTHS AGO BUT AS OF YET, NO PARTS AND NO ETA. ONLINE REPORTS SUGGEST THE ENGINE MAY OVERHEAT AND SEIZE OR CAUSE ENGINE FIRE.
REAR MAIN OIL SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS COMPROMISED BY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IN CRANKCASE BECAUSE PCV BREATHER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE CONDITION PRIOR TO THE REAR SEAL BEING COMPROMISED. REAR MAIN SEAL REPLACEMENT COSTS $1146, PARTS AND LABOR. PCV VALVE WAS ALSO REPLACED. I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK ON GARAGE FLOOR, WHICH LED ME TO BRING IT INTO SERVICE FOR A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT. I WOULD LIKE VW TO COMPENSATE FOR SOME OF THE COSTS FOR THIS REPAIR.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights started flashing on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who attempted to start the vehicle; however, the engine skipped, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the timing chain had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact learned of the Volkswagen Timing Chain Settlement, ID Number: 16/2765 for the timing chain; however, the campaign ended in 2019. The VIN was not under recall, and the vehicle was not included in the Volkswagen Timing Chain Settlement. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,322.
DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER IN 2.0 TSI ENGINE DAMAGE THE CAR AND ENGINE NOT GETTING STARTED. MECHANIC ASKED FOR $3500 APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR WHICH IS KNOWN DEFECT OF VW 2.0 TSI ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN MALL PARKING AREA.
MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND SUDDENLY IT STARTED SHAKING WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN I BRAKED, IT SHAKED EVEN MORE VIGOROUSLY. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ADVISED AGAINST DRIVING IT. I TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER TWO DAYS THE DEALERSHIP CALLS ME STATING THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAS JUMPED AND THERE IS NO COMPRESSION. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE DEARLSHIP TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL VW VEHICLES BROUGHT IN WITH SIMILAR ISSUES BUT VW HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL OR TAKE ANY ACTION TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETLY HAZARD. IF I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND THIS HAPPENED, I COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A BIG ACCIDENT BECAUSE I LITERALLY HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE CAR AND WHAT IT WAS DOING. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR'S MANUFACTURING AND VW NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING URGENTLY TO FIX THE ISSUE. THERE ARE OTHER CARS AND OWNERS OUT THERE UNAWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND NHTSA NEEDS TO BRING THIS TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION. THANK YOU.
FOUND OUT THERE WAS A TIMING CHAIN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE WHERE IT JUMPED 22 DEGREES. AFTER RESEARCH HAVE FOUND ON A NUMBER OF FORUMS THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE IN BOTH VW AND AUDI VEHICLES. VW WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL, THE CLAIM IS, DUE TO IT BEING TOO WIDESPREAD AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. UNDER MOST CIRCUMSTANCES FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, IT CAUSES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. LUCKILY, MINE DID NOT JUMP THAT FAR, BUT IT STILL WAS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO HAPPEN. WELL NOW I HAVE HAD $4200 IN REPAIRS MADE TO MY ENGINE DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND I THINK VW SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT.
SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE OIL CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE
CAR WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT START. HAD TOWED TO MECHANIC--CASTASTROPIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO BROKEN TIMING BELT TENSIONER. 105K MILES--MAINTENANCE UPKEPT. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LATENT DEFECT IN THE TENSIONER SYSTEM OF THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAN CAUSE THE CHAIN TO “JUMP A TOOTH” IN THE VEHICLE’S CAMSHAFT, WHICH CAUSES SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. UNFORTUNATELY THE DEFECT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CAR OWNERS TO DISCOVER, BUT AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN KNEW OF THE TENSIONER SYSTEM PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST JUNE 2010. NORMALLY, THE TIMING CHAIN IS MEANT TO FUNCTION PERFECTLY FOR AT LEAST 120,000 MILES. BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS NOT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURERS. HOWEVER, WITH THE DEFECTIVE TENSIONER, THE TIMING CHAIN FREQUENTLY FAILS WELL BEFORE THAT MARK, BUT OFTEN AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS ISSUE CAUSED MY ENGINE TO HAVE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. WHY HAS THE VW OWNERS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND WHY HASN'T THE NTSB DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. 7K+ TO GET A NEW ENGINE. THIS IS AN INTERNAL PART AND NOT A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ISSUE.VW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. PEOPLE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PURCHASE A CAR AND HAVE THE ENGINE FAIL BEFORE CAR IS PAID FOR.
MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN STOPED STARTING, SO I HAD IT TOWED INTO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY RAN A FEW TESTS AND DETERMINED THAT MY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF MY ENGINE. AS A RESULT, I NEEDED TO PAY AROUND $7000-$8000 IN ORDER TO REPLACE. GIVEN I COULD NOT AFFORD, IVE BEEN MAKING MY MONTHLY PAYMENT AS I AM FINANCIALLY OBLIGATED TO DO SO. THE CAR ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES, THEREFORE I AM SURPRISED THAT THE ENGINE ALREADY WENT AND FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING VW SHOULD REPLACE.
CAM CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE. DRIVING DOWN ROAD ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH THEN STOPPED GOT CAR BACK TO HOUSE (75 YARDS) HAD CAR TOWED TO VW DEALER PAID $140.00 FOR DIAG.L MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE FROM CAM CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE VALVES AND PISTON DAMAGED COULD HAVE BEEN MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM IF ON MAJOR ROAD ( DANGEROUS UNSAFE )
VEHICLE STARTED ROUGH AND WAS VIBRATING. SHUT OFF AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED THAT AN INTERNAL FAILURE OCCURRED CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT, "THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN SOMETIMES". HOWEVER, AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING AND REPEATED ISSUED FOR MANY VW AND AUDIT OWNERS AND THAT THERE ARE THREE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS FILED FOR TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER PROBLEMS. VW OF AMERICA WAS NOT HELPFUL. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER BE OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A KNOWN DEFECT. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 105,000 MILES.
Showing 1–20 of 42 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026