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747 owners have filed defect reports on this one. That's not a small number. 1 active recall campaign on file.
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the electrical system was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
"takata recall" I have had my Volkswagen passat since may of 2015, since then my journey as a customer has been frustrating and a very scary experienced. Once I got the car within a week I took it to mechanics to get the usual diagnostics done to ensure the safety of the…
The drives side door lock will not disengage. This condition will not allow the driver to exit the car. In the event of a medical emergency, accident, or fire the driver can not extricate themselves and first responders would be delayed in extricating the driver which could lead…
Unsure how this problem arose, but suddenly the airbag error light appeared and non of the controls on the steering wheel work. This also includes the horn, and airbag. From googling it appears there was a recall for the 2013 VW Passat for a faulty clock spring in the steering…
Takata recall: "recall incomplete. Remedy not yet available". On december 27, 2016, called dealer about airbag error message on dash. Was told there was still no fix, but to bring the car in to see why the error message. Paying for a car that is unsafe to drive. Recall notice…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A loss of low beam headlights may reduce the driver's visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA18003 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 747 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Volkswagen Passat has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
On the NHTSA data, the 2013 Volkswagen Passat is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the electrical system was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: 1 fatality report and 2 fire-related complaints on the electrical system; Engine: 51 complaints, classified critical, failures cluster 24,000–89,000 mi; Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 310 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 60,281 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 77,081 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 747 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.