Wheel & Tire complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2020 | 2 | 11% | 8,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 4% | 46,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 5% | 40,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2015 | 5 | 2% | 60,000 miles |
| 2014 | 9 | 2% | 60,000 miles |
| 2013 | 13 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 1% | 27,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 6% | 75,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 1% | 45,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 1% | 32,000 miles |
| 2007 | 4 | 1% | 105,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 1% | 58,000 miles |
| 2005 | 5 | 3% | 71,000 miles |
| 2004 | 7 | 2% | 13,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 1% | 23,000 miles |
| 2002 | 16 | 2% | 25,000 miles |
| 2001 | 7 | 2% | 60,000 miles |
| 2000 | 8 | 2% | 78,000 miles |
| 1999 | 13 | 2% | 9,000 miles |
| 1998 | 4 | 1% | 114,000 miles |
| 1997 | 1 | 3% | 114,000 miles |
| 1995 | 2 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: T1XX, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: B9ELT1XX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in a parking lot, the contact became aware that the rear passenger's side tire had three cracks approximately 3 inches in length on the side wall near the rim. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer for inspection, and the tire dealer informed the contact that there was no issue with the integrity of the tire. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 123,393. The tire failure mileage was 30,000.
These tires were on 2017 VW passat on 19" aftermarket wheels driven by my son. Previous tires of different brand had flats on passenger side one month earlier. On July 26, 2022 the new tire had blowout on driver rear location causing vehicle to lose traction spin and crash into wooded area on side if I 75 south of Tampa. My concern is these aftermarket wheels had three flats in three week period. Two different brands of tires on same 19" aftermarket rims.
Tires: front driver-side tire blown, "donut" spare on the car currently, with a 50 MPH speed limit. Front passenger-side tire has a bubble in the sidewall. There are 2 open recalls - one for the air bag, and one for the headlights, that need to be resolved. I've been trying to get the recalls addressed since November of 2019. Every time I make contact with someone at Volkswagen, I'm told I will get a call back but I never do. In November of 2019, I was told there was a backlog of recall work, and was given no time frame with regard to when I would be able to bring my car in for service. For the tires (for which I have a paid protection plan), I was told today (6/2/20) that the earliest I can come in is June 16th. I use my car regularly, and am not comfortable driving it in its current condition until then.
Severe crack in sidewall of one tire. (4) 235/45R18 GOODYEAR ASSURANCE MAXLIFE I stopped by the installer today 9/12/2023. At risk for Blow-out. No signs of running underinflated. To my surprise - they Identified that the three other tires are show similar sidewall cracking emerging. Pictures available. Pictures of the other three tires are available upon request. I purchased four tires from Tire rack January 5, 2020. RHP Reference Number(s): [redacted] NOTE: Is this similar to complaint # NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11510140 ( March 4, 2023 ) Similarities: Both cars had: Same "brand" Tire. Similare make. Passat. 2017 vs my 2015 (TDI = extra weight) Hot climate Texas vs Arizona
On Saturday October 30, 2021 my car was parked on the driveway. I tried to put the key in the ignition and the key would not go in. There is a white plastic piece in the ignition that will not allow the key to go in. My steering wheel and front tires locked. I called AAA and had a tow truck come so that I could have the car towed to the dealership. The driver was able to wiggle the key and start the car. I dropped off the car at the dealership on Saturday Oct 30th. I was told by the dealership that the key cylinder and steering wheel lock housing plus keys need to be replaced. I contacted VW of America and was told that they will not replace the part because the car is out of warranty. This is obviously a defect as there have been many recalls with this part in different model VW's. The dealership is trying to charge me $934.03 for this repair which I believe is a defect. …
215/60/r16- replaced 6 tires all under 2500 miles of use. Have all receipts. The tires were always losing air even with being Brandy new, would slide with brand new tread and it did not have to be raining. I spent a lot of money on the tires to only go with a different brand finally after going to have to replace 4 more tires under the 2500 mark, yes I had the warranty for free replacement. But discount tires deemed the Sentury touring tires a road hazard. I also have pictures of how they looked even with air in them. I purchased them from a discount tire store as well. They have all my documents on file to prove my statement. Sentury company needs to investigated on their tire quality as the tires could have caused blow outs and killed my family or myself or even another person. As you can see in the picture yes they are dirty, but plenty of tread. …
Primewell valera touring ii 215/55r 17 tires. The tires after 5000 miles have developed a roaring sound and the sidewalls are cracked. The roaring has become so loud I had the wheel bearings replaced because of the noise. The noise is in fact coming from the tires. The tires were bought by the dealer we purchased the car from. In fact, it was part of the deal that the car had new tires put on. Because of this fact, the tires are not under warranty. I took the car to my local Firestone dealer, they have primewell tires made exclusively for them. The dealer was nice enough and told me about the recall for the tires, but my specific size was not listed under the recall. The next size up and down were listed, but not our specific size. He did offer a discount on a new set of tires though. He honestly tried to help us out. …
Car dealer claimed they had fixed all necessary repairs to car that I had said were needed prior to me purchasing. The indicator lights went off as soon as car got moving. Contacted auto dealer who said they would take it back in and get it taken care of. Then refused to work on car, told me to take it to mechanic near me and send them the information to have it covered. Then refused to pay for repairs to car. Due to their incorporation and refusals nearly resulted in accident when car tire blew out while driving through town. Car was going at low enough speed to stop before more damages could take place. Now dealer refusing to even talk to me.
Related recalls (2)
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021.
Tires
Certain sedans and station wagons equipped with 4.0l w8 engines fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the affected vehicles are equipped with tires of the maximum load rating index 93h; however, they should have been equipped with tires with the load…
Remedy: Dealers will replace all four tires with the proper size tires. Owner notification began September 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Passat years have wheel & tire problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (16), 1999 (13), 2013 (13), 2014 (9) and 2000 (8) model years. Wheel & Tire complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Volkswagen Passat wheel & tire problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 21V-812 (lugs/nuts/bolts/studs, Oct 15, 2021); 03V-154 (tires, Apr 22, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Volkswagen Passat wheel & tire problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles; 63% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sidewall (11 mentions), followed by the tread/belt (10).
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.