Window & Wiper complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 8% | 5,000 miles |
| 2017 | 5 | 5% | 35,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 3% | 0 miles |
| 2015 | 9 | 4% | 44,000 miles |
| 2014 | 15 | 3% | 26,000 miles |
| 2013 | 22 | 3% | 59,000 miles |
| 2012 | 6 | 1% | 36,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% | 57,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 1% | 40,000 miles |
| 2008 | 6 | 3% | 23,000 miles |
| 2007 | 8 | 3% | 70,000 miles |
| 2006 | 19 | 3% | 59,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 2% | 21,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 4% | 68,000 miles |
| 2003 | 20 | 3% | 39,000 miles |
| 2002 | 23 | 4% | 45,000 miles |
| 2001 | 23 | 5% | 45,000 miles |
| 2000 | 20 | 4% | 82,000 miles |
| 1999 | 30 | 5% | 102,000 miles |
| 1998 | 26 | 8% | 75,000 miles |
| 1997 | 7 | 19% | 80,000 miles |
| 1996 | 6 | 15% | 58,000 miles |
| 1995 | 12 | 13% | 175,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud popping sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and discovered that the sunroof had shattered; however, the sunroof glass remained intact. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The contact found a replacement sunroof at a junkyard and had the sunroof replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
I have a 2017 Passat When it's raining hard on the road and my speed is greater than 55 mph the passenger side windshield stops right in front of my vision vision (right in the middle of the driver's side) creates a white blocking effect so I don't have a clear road visibility. In a service I discussed this detail with the service advisor at the VW agency and he did not want to understand or was misunderstood, I told him that the design of these windshields had this defect. On another occasion when I was driving in an area where there was snow the front collision alarm started to alarm for no reason, there was no obstruction, apparently one of the front sensors fails when it gets wet, I took the car to the dealer and reported this to the service advisor, they did a review of the car they said that it had nothing damaged that everything is fine. …
I am the original owner of a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. My front windshield has been delaminating around the edges. It began as only a small pop, but nothing loud to investigate. But today the separation of the epoxy from the windshield is visually evident. The popping sound happens daily. I have taken good care of my Volkswagen Passat with only a little over 39000 miles. My concern is will my window fly off its base one day while I am driving? Obviously this was not a concern while my vehicle was under warranty. But today I am concerned. I recently took my car to Rudolph Volkswagen for service. They recommended brakes and plugs replacement but did not look into the windshield issue.
As I have seen in your database my Passat has many of the same problems. My side mirrors sometimes do not unfold or function as expected. ( vw says there is no fix ) my backup camera sometimes doesn't work ( vw says there is no fix ) my car stops for no reason thinking there is an object in front of it. Not only are these problems real the car did not register any faults. These problems happened all the time yet intermittently. Please note that my car was made in the USA. And exported to Canada. I am in Canada. Due to my youtube videos I have been contacted by several vw owners many in the USA that have had the same problems and vw is not doing anything for us. I know of some that have had their cars returned via the lemon law. These problems should not be ignored any longer. …
A coolant issue related with an TDi engine clogged my heater and the car is frosting from inside. There are many Passat owners that have or has the same issue and VW even made an extended warranty buletin for the 2012-2014 Passats, Now, the 2015 suffers from the same issue and they want to charge us for flushing the coolant 3 times and change the heater! The car still have the power train warranty and extended warranty for the TDI engines. Just a simple google search Passat heater core will show how many they are and dealers are making easy money cause they done so many times. As is now my wife drives the car during freezing mornings with two toddlers and condensation and frozen windows affects the visibility! …
I have a 2015 Volkswagen Passat TDI that I purchased in 2018. The car has no heat and needs a second heater core replacement, currently with 85,565. In researching the issue, i found the Warranty extension on the NTSB website Number: VWP-16-05 that covers model years 2013 and 2014 prior to my model. As winter approaches, lack of heat for the windshield creates visibility issues in cold, wet, and snowy weather. I am limiting the use of the vehicle until i can get a repair. In February of 2022, a dealership replaced the heater core in my vehicle at 48,471 miles, and I paid $633.07 for that portion of the service. The car started to display the issue again in February of 2024, I returned to the same dealership, and was quoted $1977 to repair the issue, which I declined at that time. I ask that the case be reviewed and 2015 model year be added to the extended warranty.
I'm having issues with the heat in my vehicle. There is no heat on the passenger side which also affects the visibility of seeing out the windshield because the defroster does not function properly. The original owner replaced the heater core somewhere around 40-45000 miles. I have owned 2 other vehicles of this model and had the same issue on everyone of them where the heater core was replaced.. This is more than a inconvenience it is a potential hazard not being able to see when the windshield is frosted or fogged up. It is a poor design and this needs to be addressed and investigated further. It's a bad time of year to have an equipment failure like this. There was no accident or incident but there is a potential hazard waiting to happen.
heater core getting clogged again, after multiple replacements, vwgoa will not perform recall because of other not related recall not performed. when heater core gets clogged three things happen, passenger side stops producing heat, windshield defrost does not operate correctly, and coolant lost due to evaporating and or leak into intercooler that can lead to engine damage
Related recalls (1)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Passat years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1999 (30), 1998 (26), 2001 (23), 2002 (23) and 2013 (22) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 1999.
Is there a recall for Volkswagen Passat window & wiper problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 06V-470 (motor, Dec 12, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Volkswagen Passat window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles; 46% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sun/moon roof assembly (66 mentions), followed by the power window devices and controls (47).
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.