IllustrationTHE ABS LIGHT CAME ON MY 1995 PASSAT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSIS INDICATED I NEEDED A NEW ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT AT A COST OF $1,768.00. I CONSIDER THIS AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM. I CONTACTED VWOFA CORPORATE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *LA
1995 Volkswagen Passat
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Volkswagen Passat do not stand out strongly from 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: 19 of 93 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.
- Visibility. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
93 reportsIN FEBRUARY OF 2003 ON ONE OF THE COLD DAYS, THE FAN SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK AND AS A RESULT CAR OVERHEATED AND BLEW OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOTAL COST TO FIX $2000. SMALL RECALL OF COOLING FAN COST ME $2000 AND IN SPITE OF CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, NO COST WAS BORN BY THE COMPANY. *NLM
COOLANT LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS THE HEATER CORE. NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS SOON, CAR IS ONLY YEARS 8 OLD.*AK
THE HEATER CORE RUPTURED. *JB
THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO GO HIGH THEN LOW, THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED REGISTERING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. PH
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE PLASTIC LENS THAT COVER THE HEADLIGHT CAUSED THE HEADLIGHT TO BECOME DARK SO NO LIGHT COME THROUGH DIM AND DARK. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS *TR
CONSUMER NOTICE IN COLD WEATHER VEHICLE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO WARM UP THE VEHICLE TO UNLOCK VEHICLE DOORS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK IS MALFUNTIONING CAUSING THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR NOT TO OPEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH
CONSUMER STATES WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. CONSUMER CAN NOT SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF PARK. TS
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER FELT THAT VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY REPLACED A PART. CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF WHICH PART WAS REPLACED PROBLEM STOPPED. CURRENTLY, SUNROOF AND REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 NOT IN THE DIMS SYS…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER FELT THAT VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY REPLACED A PART. CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF WHICH PART WAS REPLACED PROBLEM STOPPED. CURRENTLY, SUNROOF AND REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 NOT IN THE DIMS SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Official recalls
195V178000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan
Sep 20, 1995
IMPROPER MATERIAL WAS USED IN MANUFACTURING THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR SHAFT CAUSING THE SHAFT TO WEAR AND BECOME NOISY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A WORN AND NOISY FAN MOTOR SHAFT CAN SEIZE RENDERINGTHE FAN MOTOR INOPERATIVE, EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL. A STALLED VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC CAN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COMPLETE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLE HAVING THE POTENTIAL SHAFT MATERIAL PROBLEM. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW FAN BLADE INCLUDING A NEW LOCK NUT ON VEHICLE WITH LOOSE FAN BLADE LOCK NUTS.
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
2EA00028 · Fuel Tank Puncture
Opened Dec 28, 2000 · Closed Jan 29, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
No summary supplied.
PE00033 · Fuel Tank Puncture
Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Dec 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON AUGUST 10, 2000 BASED ON 9 REPORTS REGARDING PUNCTURED FUEL TANKS INVOLVING THE JETTA, PASSAT, AND CABRIO MODELS.THE REPORTS INDICATE ADDITIONAL REPORTS IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FOR FURTHER STUDY.