Total Complaints
7 filings
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON · model year
2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON
7 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008VOLKSWAGENPASSAT WAGON carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 2008 PASSAT WAGON is fuel/propulsion system with 3 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and electrical system (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. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2008 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recalls (2)
17V50900016/08/2017
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
18V14800006/03/2018
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode
Recent Complaints
20190619ENGINE
2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE, 160K MILES. VERY SCARY!!!!!!
Mileage: 160,000
20180515FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V509000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (PACIFIC VOLKSWAGEN, 14900 HINDRY AVE, HAWTHORNE, CA 90250) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL THE PART WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 180395286. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 71,000
20180314FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE IN MOTION THERE IS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ON CITY STREETS OR ON THE HIGHWAY TURNING AND WHILE ACCELERATING
Mileage: 140,000
20180115FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WE RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP IN AUGUST 2017 (SAFETY RISK DESCRPITION LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.) AND IT STILL HAS NO FIX. THIS IS VERY WORRYING AS IT COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY FOR MY FAMILY. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS MY FUEL PUMP IS HOT UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT.
Mileage: 90,000
20171031ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SUMMARY ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THERE COULD BE AN INTERRUPTION IN ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, RESULTING IN A DRAINED BATTERY AND/OR A NO START CONDITION, OR CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. RECALL STATUS RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE REMEDY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE AND RELOCATE IT WITHIN THE VEHICLE. SAFETY RISK DESCRPITION A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 20AE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 17V509
20171031FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SUMMARY ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THERE COULD BE AN INTERRUPTION IN ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, RESULTING IN A DRAINED BATTERY AND/OR A NO START CONDITION, OR CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. RECALL STATUS RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE REMEDY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE AND RELOCATE IT WITHIN THE VEHICLE. SAFETY RISK DESCRPITION A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 20AE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 17V509
20171003UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING SAME ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN TWO MONTHS
Compare 2008VOLKSWAGENPASSAT 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 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON have?▼
The 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON?▼
Yes, the 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2008 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.