There are 6 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2014 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Door latch failed to lock driver door. Door can't lock and will fly open when your operating. Acted up on a cold day where it wouldn't open then got stuck in the open position and wouldn't lock afterwards.
DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGE BECOMES LOOSE. SERVICE MEMBER STATED "THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE CARS"
THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH. WHEN IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES, THE DOOR LATCH WILL NOT OPEN/CLOSE. WHEN UNLOCKING/LOCKING THE CAR, YOU CAN HEAR THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM TRYING TO UNLOCK/LOCK BUT WILL NOT. ALL OTHER DOORS ARE WORKING APPROPRIATELY. I'VE HAD TO CLIMB THOUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE TO ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. IF I AM ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, IT WILL THEN NOT SECURELY CLOSE AND LOCK. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE I CANNOT GET THE DOOR OPEN-THUS RENDERING ME WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION/USE OF MY CAR. THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE LAST WINTER SEASON, ON A FREEZING MORNING, WHERE I HAD TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND LOCK MY DOOR, SO I DROVE TO WORK. HOWEVER, WHEN ROUNDING A CORNER WHEN TURNING, MY DRIVER DOOR SWUNG OPEN. THANKFULLY, MYSELF AND NO ONE ELSE WAS HARMED. I THEN HAD TO HOLD MY DOOR CLOSED WHILE DRIVING THE REMAINING 1/4 MILE TO WORK. THE LATCH ISSUE ONLY HAPPENS IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. IF IT WARMS LATER THE SAME DAY, IT WILL THEN WORK APPROPRIATELY. DURING THE INSTANCE WHERE MY DOOR OPENED-WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THERE WAS NO DOOR OPEN ALARM SIGNALING IN THE CAR, NOR CONTINUOUS NOISE OF THE LATCH MECHANISM TRYING TO LOCK. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN 11/11/19 TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND OTHER MAINTENANCE,, WHERE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADMITTED TO THIS BEING A COMMON COMPLAINT OF THIS ISSUE/SCENARIO AND THAT VW HAS COME OUT WITH AN UPDATED PART. THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE BY THEIR FACILITY.
SUNROOF EXPLODED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO OTHER CARS, OVERPASSES, OR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS IN AREA WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ISSUE.
THE TRUNK LATCH HAS FAILED AND TRUNK WON'T OPEN. THE SEAT RELEASE MECHANISM TO ACCESS TRUNK IS ALSO INSIDE THE TRUNK. SO NO WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK
TWICE, ON MAY 12 AND ON OCTOBER 22, WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AND PULLING INTO A VERTICAL PARKING SPOT AT VERY LOW SPEED, I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR RAPIDLY SPED UP. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND I HIT A BRICK PLANTER THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, AND I HIT THE POST HOLDING UP THE FRONT OF A BUILDING THE SECOND TIME. THE BRAKE PEDAL ON THE PASSAT IS APPROXIMATELY 3" WIDE AND LOCATED ONLY AN INCH OR SO FROM THE ACCELERATOR. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I HIT BOTH PEDALS WHILE TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO JUMP THE CURB AND HIT THE PLANTER AND THE BUILDING. FRIGHTENING SITUATION. I WASN'T INJURED THE FIRST TIME BUT WAS FAIRLY WELL SHAKEN UP THE SECOND. THE BODY SHOP SAID THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WAS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME EACH TIME. I TOOK THE CAR TO T HE VW DEALER AFTER THE FIRST ACCIDENT, BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.
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