Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Volkswagen Passat problems

Owners filed 518 complaints about the 2000 Volkswagen Passat with NHTSA between Feb 2000 and Dec 2025. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (162).

Complaints
518
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
26
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic162
  2. Engine and engine cooling96
  3. Electrical system46
  4. Suspension37
  5. Fuel system, gasoline30
  6. Service brakes, air29
  7. Visibility26
  8. Steering25
  9. Power train20
  10. Air bags17
  11. Vehicle speed control16
  12. Service brakes, electric14
  13. Equipment11
  14. Structure10

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200010
200141
200238
200351
200473
200599
200644
200741
200849
200921
201015
20119
20127
20134
20145
20154
20161
20172
20181
20191
20201
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

162 reports1 crash
“ABS BRAKE PUMP BOSCH 5.3 VOLKSWAGEN PART 8E0 614 111 AH BEGAN LEAKING AND CAUSED BRAKE PRESSURE FAILURE IN BOTH CIRCUITS CAUSING PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. THIS WAS NOT THE COMMON FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE ELECTRONICS WHICH MERELY CAUSES A FAILURE IN ANTI-LOCK BEHAVIOR. THIS IS A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TO ALL FOUR WHEELS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10424680

Engine and engine cooling

96 reports11 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND THE "EMISSIONS WORK" INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SOMETIMES DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 15, 2018Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 11093885

Electrical system

46 reports1 crash11 fires
“IN APPROXIMATELY JULY OF 2014 MY VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT STARTED EXPERIENCING ON AND OFF AGAIN PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE FIRING. I HAD RECENTLY RETIRED AND WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR DAILY, AND SO I WAS UNABLE TO ASSOCIATE THE PROBLEM WITH ANY RECENT DRIVING EVENT. HOWEVER, ONE MORNING WHEN THE HESITATION WAS VERY PRONOUNCED I POPPED THE HOOD TO HAVE A LOOK. WATER WAS STANDING ALMOST LEVEL WITH THE TOP OF THE BATTERY IN THE AREA HOUSING THAT PART. I USED MY INDOOR/OUTDOOR VACUUM TO PUMP OUT AS MUCH WATER AS POSSIBLE. WHEN I THOUGHT THE AREA WAS THOROUGHLY DRIED OUT I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. HE DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO DETERMINE THAT DRAINAGE HOLES ON BOTH SIDES UNDER THE HOOD WERE CLOGGED. HE WAS ABLE TO UNCLOG THE HOLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE HOLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS LOCATED BENEATH PARTS THAT HAVE TO BE MOVED FOR ACCESS. I RECALLED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS WHEN I WAS CERTAIN I WAS HEARING THE SOUND OF WATER SLOSHING AROUND UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD ASKED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AT TIME OF SERVICE FOR THE SOUND TO BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THE SAME THING: THERE WAS NOTHING TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2015Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10731607

Suspension

37 reports1 crash
“ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE AND I REPLACED THEM ON MAY 10, 2014, THEN THEY BROKE AGAIN ON JULY 6, AND I AGAIN REPLACED THEM NOW THEY BROKE AGAIN TODAY AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GAS STATION. WAS THERE ANY TYPE OF RECALL RELATIVE TO THE MOUNTS OF THE ENGINE IN THIS MODEL WHICH IS THE 200 PASSAT WAGON WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE WINDOWS ALSO KEEP STEAMING UP AND STRONG SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2014Suspension, EngineODI 10610494

Fuel system, gasoline

30 reports2 fires3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT, HE NOTICED A FUEL ODOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS HALF EMPTY AFTER BEING REFILLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAM IN THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2020Fuel system, gasolineODI 11384369

Service brakes, air

29 reports
“MY 2000 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT HAS STARTED REPORTING ERRORS, INCLUDING BRAKE FAULTS, ABS ERRORS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. I'VE TAKEN IT TO MECHANICS AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THEY SIMPLY RESET THE CODES AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING AND THE ERRORS COME BACK. ALL THE ERRORS ARE INTERMITENT. IT'S INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING. OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND VW ONLY SAYS THAT OUR MODEL YEAR DOES NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES TO WARRANT A RECALL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS WITH THESE SYMPTOMS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. PLEASE HELP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2007Service brakes, airODI 10185442
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.