Most common 2006 Volkswagen Passat problems
Share of the 576 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Passat complaints by model year
Best Passat years: 2011, 2019, 2020. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2012, 1999, 2002. Compare all years →
2006 Volkswagen Passat recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan and wagon 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 front driver air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2018.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
On certain '6' generation passenger vehicles, the wiper motor May fail during heavy rain due to excessive moisture entering the wiper motor. If this happens, the wipers can become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will install a special cover and sealing kit. The recall began on January 12, 2007. Owners May contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.0l engine with 147 kw May have a vacuum line that May fracture and become disconnected at low ambient temperatures.
Remedy: Dealers will install the newly designed vacuum line. The recall began on January 12, 2007. Owners May contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.
Show 1 more recall
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
On certain passenger vehicles, the left and right tie rod securing nut May be insufficiently torqued.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and install new left and right tie rod securing nuts at the proper torqued specification. The recall began on December 7, 2005. Owners May contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Volkswagen Passat:
Engine Compartment Fire
In July 2010, the Agency opened PE10-027 to investigate allegations of coil on plug (COP) ignition coil fires in MY2002-2003 VW Passat vehicles.The investigation was upgraded in January 2011 to include all MY2001-2007 4-cylinder VW Passat, gasoline, turbo-charged vehicles.Based on the analysis of VW's response, and including ODI's consumer complaints, ODI has since identified 135 unique engine fire reports…
What 2006 Volkswagen Passat owners say
Air bags all 148 →
The contact owned a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while her husband was driving in traffic, he rear-ended a vehicle at approximately 25 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. While her husband was exchanging information with the other driver, the other driver alerted him that his vehicle had caught fire. As her husband attempted to retrieve a fire extinguisher from the truck, he was alerted that the fire had worsened and was instructed to move away from the vehicle. Within minutes, the vehicle became engulfed in flames and was incinerated. A police report was filed. No injuries were reported. The contact had the vehicle towed to her home where it remained in her possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the passenger's side frontal air bag failed to function as designed. The passenger's side frontal air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Engine & cooling all 130 →
The contact owned a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while her husband was driving in traffic, he rear-ended a vehicle at approximately 25 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. While her husband was exchanging information with the other driver, the other driver alerted him that his vehicle had caught fire. As her husband attempted to retrieve a fire extinguisher from the truck, he was alerted that the fire had worsened and was instructed to move away from the vehicle. Within minutes, the vehicle became engulfed in flames and was incinerated. A police report was filed. No injuries were reported. The contact had the vehicle towed to her home where it remained in her possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while approaching an off ramp while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where an unknown diagnostic test and repair was completed. Additionally, the dealer fractured an unknown part underneath the hood and water entered the vehicle near the sun visor and there was water accumulating on the rear passenger's side door location. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Steering all 112 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated while driving. The contact was concerned that the air bag might deploy while driving. The vehicle was taken to joseph Volkswagen of cincinnati (located at 3813 montgomery rd, cincinnati, oh 45212, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the curtain air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 18V247000 (air bags). In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel seized when attempting to drive. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired due to the repair fees. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and provided case numbers: 180151960, 181324957, and 08125390. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Have been getting steering lock malfunctions when trying to start the car for about two weeks. Today, the steering wheel locked while driving. Unable to steer the vehicle at all. Was able to stop and turn the vehicle off. Seems this is/ was a common problem for this model Volkswagen and a voluntary recall was available until 2013. Unfortunately, the previous owners of the car never did any recalls or even remembers ever being notified of any recalls. This problem is one of many for this model. I called Volkswagen and they were no help. This is a major safety issue. My 17 year old son drives this car. I cant allow him to drive it now after this. How can Volkswagen allow this? They basically dont care if we crashed and hurt others because of this issue. A voluntary recall for a steering issue?? Does that sound safe??
2006 Volkswagen Passat engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Volkswagen Passat a good car?
Based on 576 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Passat rates use caution: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Passat at the same age. It is one of the Passat years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Volkswagen Passat?
The air bags — 148 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (130) and steering (112).
How many recalls does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, the most recent from October 30, 2024 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Passat?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2019 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2012, 1999 and 2002. See the full Volkswagen Passat years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Volkswagen Passat problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.