There are 6 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2005 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
INERTIA REEL WILL NOT PAYOUT WEBBING. CAR WAS IN A SCHOOL PARKING LOT, CAR WAS LEVEL
VW PASSAT WAS INVOLVED ON HEAD-ON COLLISION (35MPH), WITH MOST OF THE DAMAGE OBSERVED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED BY THE SEATBELT. *TR
DASHBOARD SHOWS AIRBAG FAULT. GOOGLE SEARCH INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR VW PASSAT. YET, VW HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL. *TR*TR
SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, DESPITE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR DOORS FROM A DIRECT IMPACT. ALSO DAMAGED WAS THE "B" POST, ALONG WITH 12" INTRUSION INTO PASSENGER SPACE. *JB
THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY PASSAT ARE DEFECTIVE. THE DRIVERS BELT HAS BEEN 'LAZY' IN RETRACTING FROM TIME TO TIME BUT IT'S 'NORMAL' NOW. HOWEVER, MY LEFT REAR SEAT BELT HAS BEEN LAYING DETRACTED ON MY SEAT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW SIMPLY BECAUSE NOBODY EVER SITS BACK THERE AND I'M ALWAYS DRIVING THIS CAR FOR WORK. BY READING MESSAGE BOARD SUCH AS WWW.TDICLUB.COM THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE 2004 AND 2005 VW PASSAT. TOMORROW MORNING I AM GOING TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL VW FOR EVERY SEAT BELT IN THIS CAR TO BE REPLACED. IF THEY DO NOT COMPLY I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ANOTHER COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL! *NM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR STATE INSPECTION AND NO FAILURE CODES WERE PRESENT AT THAT TIME. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 32 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026