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2008 Volkswagen Passat Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2008 Volkswagen Passat, and owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
168
owner complaints to NHTSA
3 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire
19–24
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2008 Volkswagen Passat

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 18V148000 Reported 363,713 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer…

  2. Fuel pump (fuel system)

    NHTSA 17V509000 Reported 280,915 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's…

  3. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 16V078000 Reported 659,493 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure…

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification…

  4. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 08V235000 Reported 6,579 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

    Volkswagen is recalling 4,079 my 2008 passat and 2,500 my 2009 tiguan passenger vehicles equipped with 2.0t fsi ulev ii engines. These vehicles have an engine control module (ECM) containing software that may not properly control engine idle with the air conditioning turned on. In rare cases, the ECM may unexpectedly increase engine RPM.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and update the ECM software free of charge. The recall began on may 30, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

168 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2008 Volkswagen Passat have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 89,527 miles. Complaints peaked in 2018 with 38 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“My car stalled on me while I was driving and would not start. I was told I need a new feul pump module. I took it to the dealership to get it replace and the feul pump but the car will not start.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 4, 2025 · Vehicle speed control

“The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while her husband was reversing out of the garage, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that th”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 16, 2025 · Fuel system, gasoline

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2008 Volkswagen Passat (Passat 4motion, Passat Wagon, Passat Wagon 4motion). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined19–24 mpg
City / Highway16–20 / 24–29
FuelPremium
EPA classMidsize Cars, Midsize Station Wagons
Engine4/6 cyl, 2/3.6 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S6); Manual 6-spd

Compare Volkswagen Passat model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Passat model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1988 Volkswagen Passat10
1989 Volkswagen Passat10
1990 Volkswagen Passat234
1991 Volkswagen Passat124
1992 Volkswagen Passat139
1993 Volkswagen Passat368
1994 Volkswagen Passat125
1995 Volkswagen Passat193
1996 Volkswagen Passat140
1997 Volkswagen Passat037
1998 Volkswagen Passat4331
1999 Volkswagen Passat5664
2000 Volkswagen Passat3507
2001 Volkswagen Passat3430
2002 Volkswagen Passat3636
2003 Volkswagen Passat6628
2004 Volkswagen Passat3279
2005 Volkswagen Passat3148
2006 Volkswagen Passat7576
2007 Volkswagen Passat7262
2008 Volkswagen Passat4168
2009 Volkswagen Passat4146
2010 Volkswagen Passat4163
2011 Volkswagen Passat016
2012 Volkswagen Passat11484
2013 Volkswagen Passat9748
2014 Volkswagen Passat10594
2015 Volkswagen Passat7243
2016 Volkswagen Passat5106
2017 Volkswagen Passat7110
2018 Volkswagen Passat445
2019 Volkswagen Passat112
2020 Volkswagen Passat318
2021 Volkswagen Passat118
2022 Volkswagen Passat013

Checking a specific 2008 Volkswagen Passat

How do I know if my 2008 Volkswagen Passat has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2008 Volkswagen Passat; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 08V235000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.