Most common 2018 Volkswagen Passat problems
Share of the 46 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 →
2018 Volkswagen Passat recalls (4)
Unknown or other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2017-2018 Volkswagen Passat vehicles. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers.
What 2018 Volkswagen Passat owners say
Brakes
I was driving down the road and the wheel locked up and I lost control of the car. I thought it was just a flat tire. I noticed the tire was flat and brake caliber was lying on the inside of the rim. There was extensive damage to the vehicle, tire, rim, suspension components and brake components. There was no warning and it just happened suddenly. My family and other drivers safety were at risk. The dealership said it was due to impact but their estimate didn't mention or included any of the brake components. The brake caliber bracket is broken and the holes were the caliber bolts attached are elongated. The brake caliber and bracket are protected inside the rim and brakes just don't fall off. It is a VW certified car. I put 4,000 miles since I purchased and the accident happened on November 17, 2021. I have all the components and pictures.
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH or at various speeds, there was a delay while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle was also pulling to the left and the right while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the suspension was loose while driving over bumps in the roadway causing the vehicle to bounce. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with battery failure. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then towed to a different dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
A major engineering and material design failure occurred involving internal fluid containment seals, resulting in a severe electrical safety hazard. Pressurized engine coolant breached an internal component seal and began migrating internally directly through the vehicle's engine wiring harness via capillary/siphoning action. The fluid used the sealed wiring loom as a literal pipeline, traveling inside the wire insulation to bypass all outer weather seals and completely flood the Engine Control Module (ECM) pin connectors. The vehicle's dealership service department documented extensive galvanic corrosion and shorting inside the primary vehicle computer pins due to this blue-green fluid pooling. …
Electrical system
The vehicle can be turned off while in drive, and gives no extra signals (beeps, flashing lights, etc.) with the exception of a brief message on the dash and single ding (same ding for door open, and other low importance messages). The vehicle will then roll until the brake is applied or it comes to a rest on a flat surface or against a pole or hard object. This is a significant safety hazard that has occurred to me 3-4 times, the most recent was today when the vehicle rolled backwards down my mothers driveway. Crossed the street, entered the neighbors driveway/yard, contacted the mail box and came to rest in the front yard. The vehicle rolled approx. 200ft. The vehicle is equipped with auto braking and parking collision warning, that are capable of sensing a collision while driving and notifying the driver of objects while parking. …
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced unstated electrical failures while driving at various speeds. Additionally, the rear-view camera would activate while the vehicle was in drive(D). The contact stated that the passenger occupant air bag sensor was flashing on and off without a passenger being seated in passenger's side seat. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was determined that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
2018 Volkswagen Passat engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 36 / 29 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Volkswagen Passat a good car?
Based on 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Passat rates better than average: 78% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Passat at the same age. 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 2018 Volkswagen Passat?
The brakes — 13 complaints, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (11) and electrical system (10).
How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Passat have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2018 Volkswagen Passat, the most recent from September 16, 2020 (unknown or other). 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 2018 Volkswagen Passat problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 71% 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.