Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: while driving at 30 MPH and suddenly there was a jerking of the car as if the tire was flat. Pulled over , inspected the vehicle for a flat and none was found. Consumer got back into the vehicle and noticed the malfunction engine light was blinking. At this point consumer continued to drive down the service road of the highway of about 15 MPH. There was a strong odor of something burning, no smoke was seen. This smell was like burned rubber. Consumer called Volkswagen, and they suggested that if the malfunction engine"light was blinking to shut off the engine immediately. After pulling over, consumer called tow truck. Tow truck arrived , inspected under the hood and discovered there was fire from underneath the engine itself. The tow truck driver tried to extinguish fire with water and later a fire extinguisher-this did not put the fire out. …
I own a 1999 vw Passat glx with 72,000 miles. Approximately one month ago, the ABS light, the brake light, the oil pressure indicator, and the tachometer began to behave erratically. Two weeks ago, the right front caliper stuck in the extended position, starting a wheel fire at the rotor. I replaced the caliper, rotor, and pads. A non-vw service center replaced the remaining rotors and pads, replaced the master cylinder, and flushed/bled the entire system. The problem with the lights and alarms persists. The lights and alarms are usually absent when the vehicle is completely cold, then usually appear after several minutes of driving. The lights and alarms can disappear while driving, then reappear during later driving. I have not contacted vw directly, because I'm concerned what the estimate might be to attempt repair.
Electrical fire in a 1999 vw Passat. While driving, I had to toggle the fan switch to get the fan to turn off. This slight malfunction was followed by a puff of smoke coming from the center dashboard vent, which was followed by more and more smoke. I pulled over at a auto dealership/service station and asked employees for assistance. By the time they began spraying a fire extinguisher into the vents (about a minute or two after the initial puff of smoke), flames were coming out of the central dash vent. The fire melted the A/C blow control assembly, 3 electrical pigtails and some connectors.
Vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway. The fire department indicated that the fire started on the right side of the engine. The fire May have been caused by the battery. The vehicle was totaled.
Vehicle:1999 vw Passat 4 cylinder 1.8turbo check engine light has been a problem since 2005. Dealer would not consider it part of the warranty and took 2 years before the problem was rectified. But till today, still get the light and they are unable to rectify it. On 2 occassions the vehicle stalled at major intersection, and was a potential hazard to other vehicles. Vehicle had to be towed to the vw dealer. I met an owner of a vw golf 1999 at the dealer (yesterday jan 3rd, 2008) and he gave me to understand that he was told his check engline light was a known problem and it would be covered under warranty. I have searched the www-odi.NHTSA.dot.gov/recalls site and there are none recalls reported and yet his car was being fixed. …
I purchased a new 1999 Volkswagen Passat from the dealer in 10/99. Approx 2 years ago the interior roof started leaking throughout the vehicle when it rained. Vehicle was taken to dealer for repair, and I was told that the wells were clogged. Approx 1 year later I took the vehicle in for routine maintenance and was told the wells were clogging again. I repaired it again. July 05 the door locks started cycling while I was driving, the interior lights would come on while driving, the trunk would open while driving, the lights would flash periodically while parked and I was unable to use the remote to open/lock the doors or activate the alarm. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The diagnosis is that the comfort control module under the drivers seat is corroded. Water has been pooling there when it rains. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the ABS, oil, and brake lights illuminated and then flashed. There was a beeping noise as a warning signal prior to the illumination of the ABS, oil and brake lights. The tachometer also failed. This problem was intermittent and worsen over a two week period. The vehicle was taken to a independent repair shop who indicated there were no codes after the diagnostic testing. They recommended the vehicle be taken to the an authorized dealer. While looking through the owner manual, the contact observed a warning statement that the illumination of the ABS and brake lights could result in the locking up of the rear brakes under hard braking. While driving 65 MPH on a highway the rear brakes locked causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. There was no hard braking when this occurred.
Was driving vehicle in left lane on the highway. At 65 MPH, engine light began blinking and engine power dropped out. Engine stalled completely - I had to pull over through traffic lanes to come to a stop in the breakdown lane of the highway without the aid of power steering or power brakes, both of which were disabled once the engine cut out. Engine would not restart - after 30 minutes and several attempts, got engine to start and idle was extremely rough - drove car down the street and brought it to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. Problem was determined to be a failure of the ignition control module (Bosch part number 4d0 905 351). Replacement of this part restored the engine to normal function. This is the second time I have replaced this exact same part. This part had been replaced approximately 24 month earlier.
The catalytic converter failed on my wife?s Passat. The car is 4 yrs old and has less than 85000 miles on it . The estimated repair from bill barry vw. To fix it is around 1600 dollars. I was told that when I purchased the car new that the exhaust systems never fail because they are made of stainless steel. Before that around 68000 miles the car began to run on 3 cylinders. They had to replace a control module that cost me $612.00 none of this was covered under any of my warranty. Even though I am supposed to have a 10 yr. Or 100000 miles. This will be our last volkswwagen. If I were told that the exhaust system was worth so much money up front, we would never have bought this car.
While driving on highway check engine light began blinking and car idle became extremely rough - had to drive home from highway using reduced power - engine would only work when driven at specific RPM. After approximately 10 miles of extremely rough running, car engine would not start at all. Vehicle had to be towed to the dealership for repair. It was found that the ignition control module, Bosch part number 4d0 905 351 failed. Part was replaced and engine began working again. Car was not safely driveable when this part had failed.
NHTSA investigations
Passenger engine compartment fires
The manufacturer notified NHTSA on 04-apr-08 that a safety recall action would be initiated to remedy the issue.in June 2008, the manufacturer issued a technical service bulletin (code 26e5/r5) regarding the specific procedures to be employed in this campaign.vehicle owner notification letters were sent beginning approximately June 13, 2008.the campaign was assigned NHTSA no.
Electrical complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Volkswagen Passat, 9% of the model year's 664 complaints. The component named most often is ignition › module (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1999 Volkswagen Passat, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 8 fires and 1 injury and 1 death to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.