There are 12 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2010 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My 2010 Volkswagen CC became completely inoperable because of the active fuel pump control module recall (NHTSA 17V509). The vehicle stalled and nearly caused an accident. The check engine light came on just before I noticed a burning smell coming from the backseat of my car immediately after smelling that the car suddenly stalled out in the middle of a busy intersection and the engine would not start back up. I had to push it to a gas station parking lot across 3 lanes of traffic. I lifted up the backseat and found that the fuel control module was overheated and melting on top of the fuel pump so I carefully and properly disconnected it from the vehicle. The next day I had the vehicle towed to Lokey Volkswagen in Clearwater, FL. Today 3/14/2026 They did the recall repair and told me my vehicle is safe to drive. Today 3/14/2026 I drove the car 1 mile from the dealership when the exact same thing happened again the car stalled out, and I had to carefully maneuver to the shoulder of hwy us 19 s narrowly missing vehicles in the other lanes. The vehicle was then towed back to lokey Volkswagen. It is pretty clear that the issue was not resolved, and that this fuel control module failing may have affected other parts of the fuel system/wiring and or the fuel control module failed again. I have pictures of the fuel control module, and I gave the initial melted/failed fuel control module to the service department and they took it. The dealership service department is stating that this may be to do something other than the recall repair and that I may be liable for the diagnostic and towing charges. This is a very serious safety issue that almost cost me to get in accidents on the highway twice. I feel that they (Volkswagen) needs to be held responsible for rectification and to find out if there is a connection between this recall and the continuing failure of the vehicle to operate safely.
As the trunk hatch opens and closes, the wiring to the hatch wears down, frays, and then shorts or breaks. This killed our rear view camera, which is a safety issue. This also can cut off light to the license plate. The rear hatch also cannot then be opened from the rear of the car, as the handle is electrical and gets disconnected, possible causing another safety issue.
Replaced cracked fuel pump 3 times. Electrical problem to fuel pump ; also all were cracked from pressure. Thx !! Dr.
There is a short in the wiring for the tail lights the short in the wires also effects the trunk wiring. The design of the wiring in the trunk bends the tail light wires and wears them out so now there is a short in the tail light, reverse light , fog light and the trunk release. It is very unsafe to have these lights not work and to have a faulty wiring.
THERE IS A GAS LEAK BY REAR TIRE. THE MECHANICS THAT CHANGED MY TIRES SAID IT WAS WATER. WENT FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S A GAS LEAK. THEY CAN'T TELL WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
I got all types of misfires and fuel pump and electrical problems the car almost has me in car wrecks every time I drive it the speed thermometer jumps up and down causing me to have no push in the gas I have to turn the car on and off on the highway
BROUGHT THE CAR FOR AIRBAG SIGN-ON ON 07-14-2018. PEABODY MA VW DEALER SAID THAT CLOCK SPRING NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR $731. HORN, BUTTON ON THE HANDLE NOT FUNCTIONING. IT LOOKS LIKE VW TRYING DODGE THE REAL ISSUE ON RECALL.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AFTER OWNING IT FOR 4 YEARS. IT STARTED WITH THE TAIL LIGHT BULB ALWAYS BURNING OUT. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE WINDOWS BEFORE AND HAD IT REPLACED. LAST YEAR I PAID ALMOST $2200 FOR WINDOW WHICH WON'T ROLL DOWN AND THE DOOR WHICH WON'T LOCK, WATER PUMP, OIL LEAK AND OTHER MINOR ISSUES. THE KEYPAD WILL LOCK 3 DOORS ONLY AND THE LIGHTS WON'T COME ON WHEN LOCKED BUT WHEN UNLOCKED IT'LL COME ON. I HAVE PURCHASED 3 BATTERIES THUS FAR BECAUSE THE CAR CONSTANTLY DRAINS THE BATTERY. I'VE HAD THIS CAR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ON MAJOR STREETS AND ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. MY PASSENGER RIGHT REAR DOOR DOES NOT LOCK AND WINDOW DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THAT SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUE MIGHT CAUSE MY CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE TAIL LIGHT WILL WORK IF I TAP THE OUTSIDE COVER TO THE LIGHT. I HAVE GOTTEN PULLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS AND ONCE I SHOW THE COP THAT IF I TAP IT IT'LL COME ON, THEN THEY UNDERSTAND. AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT I CAN NOT OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THAT WILL COST OVER $1000 TO REPAIR. I PURCHASED MY CAR IN AUGUST 2009 AND I HAVE 62,043 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT MISTREAT THE CAR BUT IT'S REALLY NOT WORTH IT AND VW DOES NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A POORLY BUILT VEHICLE. IT FEELS AS IF THIS IS WAS A TRIAL AN ERROR MODEL CAR. I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF THIS CAR WASN'T AS OLD AS IT IS NOW IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW. I AM SURE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY VW CC OWNER EXPERIENCING THESE HEADACHES BUT IF I AM AT LEAST I AM MAKING IT KNOWN OF SOME OF THE ISSUES I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WHILE BEING A FIRST TIME AND LAST TIME VW OWNER.
FUEL MANIFOLD UNDER THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRACKED DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS PLACEMENT AND PRESSURE FROM OCCUPANTS IN THE BACK SEAT CAUSED THE MANIFOLD TO CRACK AND SPEW FUEL ALL OVER THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. POOR PLACEMENT OF THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS FOR THE FUEL PUMP OR POOR ENGINEERING CAUSED THIS MANIFOLD TO CRACK. VERY DANGEROUS HAVING FUEL LEAKING OUT AT A HIGH VOLUME ONTO THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE FUEL PUMP. FIRE AND OR EXPLOSION DANGER!!!!
IGNITION COIL GOING BAD. DEALER TOLD ME VW WAS ON ITS 4TH REVISION OF THESE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CENTER CONSOLE RADIO HEAD-UNIT STOPPED WORKING. THE SPEAKERS STOPPED PLAYING MUSIC, THE DISPLAY ON THE HEAD-UNIT BLACKED OUT, THE BACK-LIGHTING FOR THE UNIT WENT OUT, AND MY BLUE TOOTH CAPABILITIES CUT OUT AS WELL. MY RADIO HAS NOT WORKED FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND I AM UNABLE TO USE HANDS-FREE BLUE TOOTH WITH MY PHONE. I NOW HAVE TO USE MY PHONE BY HAND IF I WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WHILE DRIVING. I'VE BEEN NOTICING INCREASED DRAIN ON MY BATTERY (EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF) WHICH WAS CONFIRMED TO BE COMING FROM MY DEAD RADIO ACCORDING TO DIAGNOSTICS RUN AT AN AUTO SHOP. I HAVE HAD TO JUMP AND REPLACE MY BATTERY TWICE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY BATTERY WILL DRAIN AGAIN FROM THE DEFECTIVE RADIO UNIT. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE VW DEALERSHIP, THE ONLY OPTION THEY OFFERED TO ME WAS TO PAY $125 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THEN ANOTHER $800 TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT UNIT OF THE SAME BRAND. I REFUSE TO PAY $800 FOR A REPLACEMENT PART THAT I AND MANY OTHERS BELIEVE IS A DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
DRIVING ON 267 EAST VIRGINIA IN MORNING PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME THEN CAR IMMEDIATELY WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING NEAR LIFE ENDING ACCIDENT, NAVIGATED TO SIDE OF TOLL ROAD BASED ON FORWARD MOTION IN CAR AT WHICH TIME CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND WAS UNABLE TO START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. AT TIME OF PICK UP ASS SERVICE MANAGER AT VW INDICATED THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS OCCURRING BUT HAVE NOT ISSUED A FULL RECALL. WHILE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER ALMOST BEING IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT CAR WAS ALMOST CLIPPED AS IT LOOKED LIKE I WAS A LANE. REQUESTED VEHICLE BUYBACK VW REFUSED. VW WAS ARE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT INFORMED CUSTOMERS PRIOR TO PURCHASE OR ONGOING. LETTERS FOR 2009 CUSTOMERS ISSUED. TURNING OVER TO LEGAL, EXPLORE CLASS ACTION
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 26, 2026