Total Complaints
4 filings
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON · model year
2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON
4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001VOLKSWAGENPASSAT WAGON carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 PASSAT WAGON is engine with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control (1) and structure:body (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2001 PASSAT WAGON, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140521CrashFireSTRUCTURE:BODY
ROLLED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT. NO DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE. CAR BURST IN TO FLAMES. TOTAL LOSS. *TR
Mileage: 159,000
20140521CrashFireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ROLLED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT. NO DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE. CAR BURST IN TO FLAMES. TOTAL LOSS. *TR
Mileage: 159,000
20130313ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMISSIONS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT APPROACHED A TRAFFIC STOP AND A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING OIL EMITTED FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000. UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE EMISSION WORKSHOP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAD NO ANSWER, AS TO WHY THE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CONSUMER STATED IN DURING SOME RESEARCH, HE FOUND THE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. ALSO, A PLUGGED PCV SYSTEM CAUSED EXCESSIVE INTERNAL ENGINE PRESSURE.
Mileage: 154,000
20130313ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMISSIONS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT APPROACHED A TRAFFIC STOP AND A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING OIL EMITTED FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000. UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE EMISSION WORKSHOP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAD NO ANSWER, AS TO WHY THE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CONSUMER STATED IN DURING SOME RESEARCH, HE FOUND THE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. ALSO, A PLUGGED PCV SYSTEM CAUSED EXCESSIVE INTERNAL ENGINE PRESSURE.
Mileage: 154,000
Compare 2001VOLKSWAGENPASSAT WAGON to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON have?▼
The 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON has 4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON is ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.