2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

View complaints related to 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 710 complaints submitted for the 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - West Brookfield, MA

    The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V483000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the horn was no longer operable. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Arlington Heights, IL

    Reporting a safety issue which impacts the ability to make use of the vehicle. The vehicle's horn and front driver-side airbag no longer works. The Airbag light is now on. The steering wheel was turned while maneuvering in a parking lot. The steering wheel makes a clicking sound when it's turned. The steering wheel audio/cruise/function controls also no longer work. The clock spring has broken. The vehicle is under a 10yr/120k extended manufacturer's warranty for the clock spring problem. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2018/INOA-EA18003-2066.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2015/RCRIT-15V483-0471.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10149942-9999.pdf

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Rochester, NY

    My clock spring broke in December, I am 50 on the list at our dealer. We called another dealer and was told it is a National back order and there are thousands on back order.. I called VW customer care and there does not seem to be any sense of urgency to rectify this. They are blaming Covid and the war in Ukraine.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Chestertown, NY

    The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated the that while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormal clicking sound detected. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated and the horn became inoperable. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 236,000. The VIN was not available.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Lake St. Louis, MO

    My VW Passat has no turn signals, horn, bright lights, wipers just all steering column and steering wheel controls don’t work. Have even heard airbag don’t work. VW shop in St. Peter’s Missouri said my clock spring is broke but part is back ordered. They said come get the car it is drivable until unknown time part will come in. My car might drive but it is illegal and unsafe to drive without wipers in rain and no turn signals. Unsafe to not have horn, bright lights, or air bag.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Richmond, IN

    On 12/24/21, while driving the Passat and turning, a loud bang could be heard in the steering column and the airbag light illuminated. All steering wheel controls, such as the radio, screen toggles, volume and other associated controls ceased working. Drove straight to our trusted mechanic and was diagnosed with a broken clockspring. Repair was estimated at $436 dollars. Part is still not available to remedy. VW America insists it’s not their problem to fix.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Panama City, FL

    The clockspring was repaired June 14 2018, my airbag light turned on when I was backing up my vehicle and none of the steering wheel control buttons operate.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Fremont, CA

    VW BCM unit causes vehicle to idle then shut off while driving making it impossible to steer or increase speed.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Lake Forest Park, WA

    The Air Bag Inoperative Light illuminated in the dashboard display. All steering wheel electrical functions including horn, display control for items such as speed display stopped working, radio control, and phone control eased to function. There was a grinding noise coming from inside the steering wheel when I turned the wheel. I took the car to the dealer. The dealer said it is a known issue concerning the steering wheel clock spring and VW has known about this for years and has issued an extended warranty. However, VW has the parts on back order and is not supplying the parts to fix the problem in a timely fashion as it should with an emergency safety condition. I called VW of America to report this. They gave me a case number. They then sent me an email a week later saying they would get back to me in a month to let me know the status. This is negligent and unacceptable. This is not a dealership issue. VW is not supplying the part to fix the airbag system. This is a SAFETY ISSUE. Thousands of cars are affected, not just mine. THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. Just like the Takata airbag scenario, this should be acted on immediately before someone is seriously hurt or killed because VW will not fix a known safety issue with their air bag system. There is still no resolution from VW. This has been a known issue with VW for over 5 years.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
    - Oakland, CA

    The headlights on this vehicle are constantly going out. I’ve had to repair, replace or pay someone to fix it multiple times since I had the vehicle. One repair shop told me that they needed to take the tire off in order to fix the light and charged me $130+ to replace the bulb. I don’t think that the bulbs are the issue, I think that the sockets are. I sent the car in last year because there was a recall on the headlights but they were working fine.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE