Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
Windshield wipers do not work on rainy days making it difficult to see out the windshield. A lady hit my car on the right side collapsing that side along the doors and some of the rear and the air bag did not deploy. I put my feet on accelerator for speed and the car refuses to respond. The more I accelerate the slower the car goes.
I would like to report the failure of the automatic dimming rear view mirror on my 2001 vw Passat. It is a donnelly mirror, part 3bo857511e (also has the number 4231909 on it). The electromagnetic fluid suddenly created a bubble and leaked when I had it replaced. I have since learned that these mirrors were used in a wide variety of cars and have routinely failed and May contain Mercury and other very toxic substances. This presents a definitive safety hazard as one does not expect their rear view mirror to fail, absent being struck and broken, and to possibly leak toxic particles/fluid into the car or the air of the car. Also, one can't safely drive without the mirror and they often cost hundreds of dollars to replace (mine was $227.30) and must be replaced immediately if the health hazards are to be minimized.
I was traveling at freeway speed outside of pendelton oregon when the wind blew my sun roof off of my car. The sun roof was closed, and the car just erupted and the roof was literally peeled off the top of my car. I have taken photos of the problem, and it seems Volkswagen is using a plastic caliper system to connect the sunroof glass assembly to the drive mechanics on the motor driven carraige. The plastic fatigued because of use and Volkswagen could care less. The new assemblage is $2200 and there is no second choice, purchase the entire assembly or go without a sunroof..... After calling Volkswagen and getting nowhere I am proceeding to small claims court in oregon for pursiut of my money back.
2001 Volkswagen Passat was parked, locked and sealed for period of one week. During this period, heavy rains fell and interior of car was flooded. Vehicle was taken to dealership for diagnosis and repairs on 10/21. Vehicle was diagnosed with defective sunroof frame as source of leak causing damage to "transmission computer and airbag module." manufacturer and dealership do not want to assume any responsibility for defect and I am concerned that they are avoiding and or concealing information about more than just monetary damages and vehicle's defect. Of particular concern is airbag module damage and any other components of this system that could be damaged or defective also. Please advise.
I am the original owner of a 2001 Volkswagen new Passat. The headlight lenses that came with the car have clouded so much that the headlights barely illuminate the road. This is a dangerous situation and they need to be replaced. I have spoken with other Passat owners from the similar years and they have experienced the same issue. I believe vw should be forced to issue a recall on the headlight lenses, and offer to replace them for free. Who knows how many accidents have occurred because the owners of these vehicles are not seeing the road well at night. The date below reflects when I first noticed the clouding in the lenses.
For the third time in 6.5 months, the rear passenger window on my 2001 Volkswagen Passat wagon has shattered. The previous two occurrences were reported earlier. This time the car was parked in the parking lot at work and the window was open a few inches. Upon returning to my car after work around noon, I found the window shattered again and shards of glass all over the inside of the car. After the previous incident, the Volkswagen representative indicated that there was not a defect in the car. He felt that outside influences caused the problem. That is difficult to believe after the third occurrence.
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.
While driving, the passenger side door glass exploded into the vehicle. The sound was like a gun shot. There were thousands of glass pieces. The window was completely destroyed. Much of the glass fell in, causing minor cuts to the passenger. Some of the glass fell down inside the door. There were no visible defects in the window (cracks, stars, etc.) and nothing impacted the window to cause it to break.
Rear passenger window shattered while parked in garage. This occurred twice within a 5 month period. This complaint is filed for the most recent event. The first event occurred on 10/30/2003. The first time the window shattered it was closed. The second time it shattered,the window was open a few inches.
Purchased car brand new and noticed distortion on front windshield later that day. Contacted dealership and they replaced it with one that has even more distortions. I stressed strongly to examine prior to putting in and they didn't. After much complaining to vw of America they agreed to put in windshield #3 but can not promise it won't have bad distortions. They say Passat windshield are just that way. I have never had such poor qaulity glass in any previously owned vehicles. I'm also disappointed that they don't care. I posted on vw board and received many responses from other Passat owners who also have this problem across the USA. At this point don't want my car torn apart for another defective piece of glass. …
Window & Wiper complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2001 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, 5% of the model year's 432 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Volkswagen Passat window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 3 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.