There are 2 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE PARKED, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE SHOWS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE!.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE REVERSING IN A PARKING AREA, A CRACKING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING LOST POWER AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO A CLOCK SPRING RECALL. THE DEALER RESOLVED THE RECALL ISSUE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX MONTHS LATER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AGAIN PER THE RECALL AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND RECALL DETAILS WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
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