IllustrationBURNING HOT ANTI-FREEZE AND STEAM CLOUDED THE CABIN OF MY VW PASSAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATION AND POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS FROM BREATHING THE HOT FUMES.
1991 Volkswagen Passat
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Volkswagen Passat are lower than the model-year median of 110.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Passat years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 24 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
24 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, STARTED VIBRATING AND SHUT DOWN. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH
FUEL INJECTIN SYSTEM: ACCUMULATOR ( DELIVERY SYSTEM) WAS LEAKING GAS TO POINT IT WAS POURING OUT. GAS FUMES WERE STRONG FROM IN & OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO MOTOR GARAGE WHICH HAD SEEN A COMMON PROBLEM POSSIBLY DUE TO ROAD SALT ON STREET ADDED TO CORROSION. *AK FUMES POSSIBLY COULD HAVE IGNITED WHEN STOPPING AND…
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FUEL INJECTIN SYSTEM: ACCUMULATOR ( DELIVERY SYSTEM) WAS LEAKING GAS TO POINT IT WAS POURING OUT. GAS FUMES WERE STRONG FROM IN & OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO MOTOR GARAGE WHICH HAD SEEN A COMMON PROBLEM POSSIBLY DUE TO ROAD SALT ON STREET ADDED TO CORROSION. *AK FUMES POSSIBLY COULD HAVE IGNITED WHEN STOPPING AND COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS. *YH
THE TIMMING BELT FAILED AT 152081 KM'S THIS IS IN CANADA. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD CALL YOUR SITE AND REPORT THIS PROBLEM. THE TIMING BELT IS SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD FOR 100000 KM. THE TIMING BELT ONLY LASTED FOR 52 000 KM . I REPORTED IT TO VOLKSWAGEN NORTH AMERICA BUT THEY JUST GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND. IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT …
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THE TIMMING BELT FAILED AT 152081 KM'S THIS IS IN CANADA. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD CALL YOUR SITE AND REPORT THIS PROBLEM. THE TIMING BELT IS SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD FOR 100000 KM. THE TIMING BELT ONLY LASTED FOR 52 000 KM . I REPORTED IT TO VOLKSWAGEN NORTH AMERICA BUT THEY JUST GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND. IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO OR I CAN DO PLEASE WRITE TO ME AT SPOKE1@LOOK.CA OR CALL ME AT 403-212-1034 THANK YOU LEN.*AK
ODOMETER MILLAGE IS TURNED BACK. YH
WHILE DRIVING, VEHCLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BURNED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TEMPERATURE AND GAS GAUGE WERE FIXED ON MANY OCCASIONS BY THE DEALER BUT NEVER FULLY FIXED. WORK ONLY WHEN PUSHED ON THE DASH COVER. THERE IS A SERVICE BULL ON THIS BUT PROBLEM, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP FIX IT. *AK
HAD SMELLED GAS FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE. DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING ONTO THE AIR CONDITIONER CLUTCH, WHICH WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE REGULATOR BODY (PLASTIC) HAD DELAMINATED FROM THE BRASS CORE AND WA SLEAKING HEAVILY. *AK
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE REGULATOR MOUNTED ON FUEL DISTRIBUTOR STRUCTURALLY FAILED. COMPOSITE BODY DELAMINATED FROM BRASS CORE, CAUSING STEADY FUEL LEAK WHENEVER IGNITION KEY IS ON AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP IS POWERED. LEAKING GASOLINE DROPS DIRECTLY ON THE ELECTRIC CLUTCH ON THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS FIRE …
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DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE REGULATOR MOUNTED ON FUEL DISTRIBUTOR STRUCTURALLY FAILED. COMPOSITE BODY DELAMINATED FROM BRASS CORE, CAUSING STEADY FUEL LEAK WHENEVER IGNITION KEY IS ON AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP IS POWERED. LEAKING GASOLINE DROPS DIRECTLY ON THE ELECTRIC CLUTCH ON THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD, ESPECIALLY IF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS TURNED ON. AN ELECTRIC SPARK OR THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE ELECTRIC COMPRESSOR CLUTCH COULD IGNITE THE LEAKING GASOLINE. *AK
THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT CONTROL MODULE WILL DRAIN THE CARS BATTERY IN A MATTER OF HOURS. TO USE THE CAR THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MUST BE DISABLED. IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE BELTS EVEN WORK MANUALLY UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *AK
Official recalls
192V131000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Sep 15, 1992
THE VENTURI TUBE LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE VALVE HOUSING CAN BECOME LOOSE AND FALL AGAINST THE THROTTLE PLATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VENTURI TUBE CAN PARTIALLY BLOCK THE THROTTLE PLATEAND PREVENT IT FROM RETURNING TO ITS FULL IDLE POSITION, RESULTING IN UNWANTEDENGINE SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN A FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR.
Remedy: REPLACE THE PRESS-FIT VENTURI TUBE WITH A THREAD TYPE TUBE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.