Rear of teering wheel trim modification for noise when maneuvering.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Volkswagen Passat steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Volkswagen Passat have filed 51 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 68,000 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
51
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Passat | 20 |
| 2010 Passat | 13 |
| 2012 Passat | 46 |
| 2013 Passat (this page) | 51 |
| 2014 Passat | 43 |
| 2015 Passat | 26 |
| 2016 Passat | 19 |
| 2017 Passat | 16 |
1crash
What stands out
Owners have filed 51 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 11 model years of Volkswagen Passat in our records for steering problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Document was revised. The model year chat was removed for VWP-18-11 for the Steering Wheel Clock Spring Limited Warranty Extension
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Mandatory fastener.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The fault code in this document was revised on page 2. One extra zero was provided.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Horn and ancillary steering wheel controls diagnosis.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 Passat's steering assembly shows two distinct problem clusters. The more serious is a faulty clock spring—the rotating electrical contact in the steering column—that fails with a clicking, cracking, or popping sound, disabling the steering wheel buttons, horn, and airbag warning light. Owners report failures at mileages from 22,000 to 83,000 miles, often within a year or two of the original recall repair or protective-cover retrofit performed in 2016-2017. VW issued multiple recall campaigns, but owners consistently report the repairs failed and that the manufacturer refuses to cover repeat failures, citing a one-year parts warranty on the cover only, not the spring itself. Replacement costs run $400–$765 plus labor, with owners paying $1,000 total in some cases.
The second major complaint is excessive rightward pull or unpredictable left-right drift that dealerships cannot correct despite confirming alignment is within spec. Multiple owners report the vehicle pulls out of lane within seconds and requires constant steering correction, especially above 65 mph. One dealership vaguely claimed this was a "safety measure" design with no written documentation to support it; another admitted VW "was having some problems with this issue." A tire change from Hankook to Continental helped slightly but did not resolve the drift.
Additional concerns include oversensitive steering (one owner had a major crash attributed to this), a crunching/tight steering feel, rattling suspension bolts, complete electrical shutdown while driving, and premature headlight assembly failure due to a faulty connector that VW corrected in the 2014 model year.
Same Volkswagen Passat steering reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Clock Spring Failure
The steering column clock spring fails, disabling steering wheel controls, horn, and airbag function. The clock spring is a spring-loaded, rotating electrical contact that maintains continuity to the airbag and steering wheel buttons as the wheel turns. Owners report hearing clicking, cracking, popping, or crunching noises from the steering column before or during the failure.
When: Ranges from 22,000 to 83,000 miles. Multiple owners report failures occurring within months or 1-2 years after the recall repair/cover was performed in 2016-2017.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates on dashboard; Steering wheel buttons (volume, cruise control, menu) become unresponsive; Horn does not work; Clicking, cracking, popping, or crunching noise from steering column when turning the wheel; Instrument cluster may stop working; Driver feels tugging or resistance in steering wheel
Codes mentioned: Airbag system fault codes, Steering wheel control circuit fault
Repairs/costs cited: Clock spring replacement costs documented at $400–$765. Owners also cite additional labor and diagnostic charges ($120–$1,000 total out-of-pocket). One owner reported the recall fix (a protective cover added in 2016) failed to prevent the clock spring from tearing again within a year. A replacement part may also be required if the airbag harness is damaged.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Volkswagen issued NHTSA recall campaigns for clock spring issues (including 15V613000, 239516, and 69L2). However, owners report the recall repair often fails, and VW refuses to cover repeat failures under the one-year parts warranty covering only the protective cover, not the clock spring itself. Multiple owners report VW has stated the vehicle 'meets specs' or that they 'have done what is legally required' and will not re-repair. One owner notes the design was changed in 2014 models. Parts availability has been an issue, with some owners told to wait indefinitely.
Excessive Right Pull / Failure to Track Straight
The vehicle pulls excessively to the right or drifts left and right unpredictably, refusing to track straight on flat road surfaces. Multiple alignment checks and dealer visits confirm alignment is within spec, yet the problem persists. One dealership claimed this was a 'safety measure' design feature with no supporting documentation. Suspected root cause (by owners) is the stock 17-inch Hankook tires.
When: Present from purchase or shortly after. Owners took vehicles in for service at 0–4 months of ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle pulls hard to the right lane, especially on crowned or flat roads; Vehicle darts or drifts unpredictably left and right; Requires constant steering input to maintain center line; Problem occurs above 65 mph, on smooth concrete, grooved concrete, old pavement, new pavement, in wind or no wind; Car pulls out of lane within 4 seconds without constant correction
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had tires changed from Hankook to Continental, which provided slight improvement but did not fully resolve the issue. Multiple alignment checks showed spec-compliant settings. Dealers stated they did 'the best they could do without exceeding VW's specifications.' No documented permanent fix in the narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs referenced. One dealership admitted to VW 'having some problems with this issue.' No formal manufacturer statement or correction issued.
Touchy / Overly Sensitive Steering
The steering is extremely sensitive to small inputs, causing the vehicle to swerve and overcorrect dramatically. One incident resulted in a major crash with non-deployment of five airbags.
When: Present from ownership; incident at approximately 60 mph.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering is 'very touchy' — over-responsive to driver input; Minor steering inputs cause the vehicle to swerve across multiple lanes; Driver unable to correct without causing additional uncontrolled lane changes; Airbags did not deploy during high-impact crash
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in the narrative.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response documented.
Steering Column Crunch Noise / Tight Steering
The steering wheel makes a loud crunching or cracking sound when turned, or the steering wheel feels abnormally tight, especially when turning right or left. This often precedes or accompanies clock spring failure.
When: Varies; one owner reported tight steering with airbag light on, without confirmed clock spring failure diagnosis.
Symptoms owners cite: Crunching, clicking, cracking, or popping noise from steering column when turning; Steering wheel feels tight or stiff when turning right or left; Unsafe feeling when steering
Repairs/costs cited: Often indicative of clock spring failure; no isolated repairs for steering feel alone documented.
Suspension Bolt Rattle
Bolts attaching the front suspension struts rattle due to bolt failure. This affects handling, especially at high speeds and during cornering.
When: Not specified in narrative.
Symptoms owners cite: Rattling noise from front suspension; Degraded handling at high speeds; Degraded handling during cornering
Electrical System Shutdown While Driving
The vehicle's electrical system suddenly goes dead while driving, forcing the owner to pull to the roadside. The system restarts after a delay but may fail again.
When: At 35 mph during regular driving; owner notes 'apparently other VW owners have experienced similar problems.'
Symptoms owners cite: Complete electrical system shutdown while driving; Loss of power steering and braking assist likely (not explicitly stated); System restarts after 5 minutes; Failure may recur shortly after restart
Repairs/costs cited: Car taken to dealership service center; repair status unknown.
Headlight Electrical Connection Failure
The low-beam headlight assembly fails due to a defective electrical connection (plug-and-receptacle contact) that loses continuity. VW changed the design in 2014 models due to this defect in 2013 models, but the 2013 is not retrofitted.
When: Occurs prematurely (owner felt it failed too soon).
Symptoms owners cite: Low-beam headlight on driver side fails; Entire light assembly requires replacement, not just bulb
Repairs/costs cited: Full headlight assembly replacement required. Owner requested retrofit of passenger side light before it fails, but dealer stated they cannot replace the unit until it actually fails.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: VW changed the design in 2014 models to address the defect. Known issue per service advisor; no recall or warranty extension for 2013 models documented.
Synthesized from 51 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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 wheel which can cause the airbag light to appear and be faulty.
Had steering trouble with your 2013 Volkswagen Passat?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2013 Volkswagen Passat?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 51 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 26 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 50,000 and 83,000 miles, with the median around 68,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 50,000; a quarter make it past 83,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Volkswagen/Passat.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.