Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was stopped at a stop light that was out of order. The driver of the SUV in front of me took her foot off the brake and I assumed she was going to subsequently depress the accelerator, so I instinctively put my foot on the accelerator to ease forward. Unfortunately, I miscalculated as the driver in front of me did not move forward. As a result of my actions, I rear-ended the driver in front of me. I was going between 5-10 MPH. My car sustained about 90% of the damage. My complaint is regarding the deployment or lack thereof of the airbags. They never deployed. Maybe I was wrong to assume that they would deploy on such a low speed. Please advise as the impact from the accident was rather strong.
1) wyncote, pa, April 16, 2007, heavy rain 2) water enters the passenger front and rear floor board. Electronic modules located on the floor and wiring harness damaged. Vw dealer claims to not know how water entered my vechicle. They say that they have never seen the problem. Vw corporate suggests that if I had brought my car in to the dealer for oil changes the dealer would have cleared debris from drain holes as part of regular service. Without revealing my conversation with corporate I ask the dealer if they do any cleaning of debris at any point on the car during an oil change service and they told me that they don't. Research online reveals hundreds and hundreds of people telling my story. I have also found info on a class action suit being formed for those who again tell my exact story. 3) vw of America refuses to pay for any part of my damages. …
Dec 12th 2008 the interior of my passt was flooded with water, vw service removed 10 + gallons of water which entered from air plenum /pollen filter hosing(cabin area). Service informed me of the p9 recall for the passats manufactured nov '00 to dec '05. But, vw of America will not help me they said my VIN # is not in the recall. The computers are on the floor of car. Air bag is in default damage from electrical damage from water damage.. My trans mod is wrecked from the water damage, just the part alone will cost $1,300. I have lost work and can not drive. The make of car & year is in recall so why is my VIN not included?! Someone please, please help me.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle lurched forward without warning. The vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop who determined the rainwater drainage tubes under the carpeted floorboard area leaked onto the electrical wiring which caused the automatic transmission control module to malfunction. The mechanic determined the wiring to the transmission control module needed replaced. The dealership and the manufacturer were alerted updated 10/17/2006 - the manufacturer refused to offer any assistance.
Hi, I have a vw Passat 2001.5 sedan. I recently have notcied that water enters into the rear passenger floor when it rains. I hear that the problem is noticed by a number of fellow Passat owners on various forums. I have learnt that water can damage previous electronics and can be very expensive to fix. I feel that there is a design problem here with the vw Passat that allows water into the car when it should be kept out. I strongly hope vw would recall the vehicle to fix this problem. -- aravind.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen Passat. The contact noticed that the floor carpet behind the driver's seat became damp during rainy conditions. She took the vehicle to the dealer for another recall issue and they repaired the water leakage for free. However, the failure still occurred and the dealer charged $196 for the second repair. The manufacturer has not been notified. The current mileage was 89,210 and failure mileage was 88,647.
2001 vw Passat v6. A defective pollen filter seal allowed water to pull on the passenger side floor. This occurred after 24 hours of rain. The water has damaged the transmission control module. Those repairs and the repair of the water damage to the carpet and resulting mold is estimated at over $2,000. The dealer reports that this is an long-standing defect. There are hundreds of reports of the same exact problem with vw and Audi.
Interior left front floor of car flooded with water after very heavy rain. There was an inch of standing water sitting on the vehicle's carpet. This is the 2nd incident in 5 weeks. After a similar heavy rainfall in August the interior left front and rear floor was flooded. Standing water was in the front and rear of the car. After doing research on-line this appears to be a problem with the sun roof drains.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen Passat. In rainy weather conditions, water enters the floor on the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that water entered through the ducts that distribute heat. The cause of the failure was unknown. The failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 99,000.
My 2001 "new" Passat gls v6 has been flooding every time there is rain and it soaks the driver footwell as well as the same side's rear passenger foot well. It's created a moldy unpleasant odor in the car that I'm concerned will sicken my family and me.
Body complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, 6% of the model year's 432 complaints. The component named most often is body (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Volkswagen Passat body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, though it has 3 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 2001 Volkswagen Passat body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to body & structure 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.