There are 37 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2006 Volkswagen Passatin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My family and I have been VW owners for over 60 years. Unfortunately, the 2006 VW Passat has been layered with defects, negligent manufacturing issues, faulty wiring, electrical problems, computer glitches, to mention a few. There have been many recalls including an official recall by the NHTSA, for steering linkage problems and tie rod assembly which caused a loss of steering, crashes and deaths. Over 292 complaints are filed with Consumer Affairs, over 561 defects reported, and thousands of horror stories like mine about this car. It's considered a lemon by many car professionals. Many dealerships in the USA offered to inspect, and replace the electronic steering column lock free of charge and address any other concerns, which should be standard, reasonable behavior for all VW dealerships, mandated by this Federal agency. Shortly after this car almost killed me in 2013, VW put me through countless stressful hours of calls, emails and the like and still refused to be fully accountable. Shortly after my almost end of life, the notorious VW Emissions Scandal spoke volumes. VW was well aware of their defects including the electrical system in the steering column/immobilizer, (the system won’t recognize the key; a module in the car that connects the key and starts the engine is defective). In many cases, the entire steering column is defective and has to be completely replaced because the car’s pistons, internal combustion and engine are all subpar. Even the Sunroof and drains are defective and every time it rains, there is a flood in my car which has caused life threatening mold and mildew. I am respectfully asking for your help in having VW provide me, a near [XXX] woman, a safe, reliable, car without another defective sunroof and without defective water drains. It can be used as long as it's reliable and without deadly mold and mildew. I have photos. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
MY VEHICLE DOES. SUDDEN STOP WHILE I'M DRIVING EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS UP ND THEN ON DASH IT STATE TO STOP VEHICLE PULL OVER AND DOESN'T WANT TO ADVANCE TO MOVE OUT OF DANGER FROM TRAFFIC ON STREETS AND FREEWAY. THEN I WON'T WANT TO ADVANCED AT TIME AND THE PRND ALL LIGHT UP AT ONE OR NONE AT ALL AT TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT X 4 TIMES LAST YEAR AND NOW IT KEEPS DOING IT EVERY TIME. SO KNOW I JUST KEEP MY CAR PARKED BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF PUTTING MY KIDS IN DANGER I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT IN TO A DEALER FOR AIRBAG RECALL.
I HAVE A VOS WAGON 2016 AND I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THEY CHANGED A MODEL THAT GOES BEFORE THE BOMB OF THE GASOLINE. THAT A RECALL THAT OCCURRED IN THE DEALER. I KNOW THE CAR HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. I CHECKED THE BOMB MANUALLY AND IT WORKS. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ELECTRICITY AND THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS ARE THE LIGHTS AND THE SUNROOF. PARTS OF THE CAR INSIDE DO NOT WORK. WHEN I WAS CHECKING THE VEHICLE, ON THE CARPET IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WAS HUMID. THERE WAS WATER IN REVISING THE CAUSE. I TOOK OUT BUCKETS OF WATER FROM THE CAR, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK WOULD RESULT IN THIS MUCH WATER WOULD BE THROUGH THE SUNROOF. A FRIEND RECOMMENDED ME A PLACE TO CHECK THIS OUT, AND HE SAID HE COULD FIX IT. WITHOUT TELLING THIS GUY ANY BIG DETAILS, HE CONFIRMED MY DOUBTS ABOUT THE CAUSE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE MOST REASONABLE THING THAT OCCURRED WAS THAT THE SUNROOF LEAKED. THE WATER DOESN'T GO OUT, BUT INSTEAD, COME INSIDE AND CAUSE DAMAGES IN THE ELECTRICAL FIELDS OF THE CAR. SO, THIS IS WHY I WAS WONDERING IF THIS COULD BE A RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRES WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE OR FUEL PUMP FAILING PER DIAGNOSIS FROM INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CAR WAS BROUGHT IN BECAUSE THIS FAILURE IS DRAINING BATTERY WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. NOTICED A BUZZING SOUND FROM REAR OF CAR. 2+ AMP DRAW. CARS HAS PERIODICALLY STUTTERED UPON ACCELERATION ALSO.
TAKATA RECALL-FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE: MY CAR WON'T START, MY KEYS GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION THIS HAPPENS WHEN ITS STATIONARY. MY BATTERY KEEPS DRAINING. THE COOLANT AND WATER PUMP ARE LEAKING. THERE ARE SENSOR ISSUES. DEFECTIVE LIGHTBULBS. THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR STREET. THE STEERING WHEEL LOSES POWER WHEN TURNING CAUSING THE CAR TO ALMOST SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. THE BRAKES WONT STOP IMMEDIATELY WHEN COMING TO A STOP.
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE (INSERTING THE FOB), THE CAR WILL START BUT A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF AND DISPLAYS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE." THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED WHEN FIRST STARTING THE CAR FOR THE DAY AND ALSO WHEN STARTING AFTER BEING RUN. AFTER SEARCHING ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT ONLINE ON NUMEROUS FORUMS RELATING TO THE VOLKSWAGEN, I FOUND THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS ACROSS DIFFERENT YEARS. THIS PROBLEM HAS EVEN OCCURRED WHILE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND IT SHUTS OFF THE CAR. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN THINKING THAT THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS DEFECT AFFECTING MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY THREAT IT POSES TO THE DRIVERS. WELL, THEY DID NOT CARE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AND THEY DO NOT THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL NOT PAY TO FIX IT. BUT HOW CAN IT NOT BE WHEN IT TURNS THE CAR OFF??
HEADLIGHT WIRING HAS LOST ALL INSULATION, ALL WIRES ARE NAKED. HIGH FIRE RISK. I NOTICED THIS JUST NOW BUT SEEMS TO BE LIKE THAT FOR YEARS AND OTHER HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB. VW SAYS COMMON ISSUE.
CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING ROUGH FOR A WHILE AND EPC , TRACTION CONTROL, AND ENGINE LIGHT KEEP POPPING UP TIME TO TIME, WHEN LIGHTS APPEAR CAR BARELY RUNS AT ALL. LATELY IT HAS BEEN SHUTTING OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED! (HIGHWAY, STREET , OR PARKING LOT!) FEEL LIKE I QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL THAT CAME OUT AUGUST 16, 2017 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V509000 FUEL PUMP FAILURE CAUSE ENGINE STALL IF THE FUEL PUMP FAILS, THE ENGINE WILL STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.) DO TO MY SYMPTOM BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE!
WHEN STOPPING AT AT STOP SIGN AND TRYING TO TAKE OFF THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LOSE POWER AND THEM ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL MAKE A SURGE AND TAKE OFF. WHEN IT FIRST CRANKS UP ITS SLOW AND THEN IT WILL KINDA OF JUMP AND THE IT WILL RUN OK FOR A WHILE. HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY MECHANIC AND SPENT ALMOST 500 DOLLARS. HE CAN'T SEEMS TO FIND WHATS WRONG IM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. VW SAID IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL REGULATOR AND PROBABLY WOULD BE IN A RECALL BUT HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM IN MONTHS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V509000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE LOCAL DEALER (DAVID MAUS VOLKSWAGEN NORTH, 1050 LEE ROAD, ORLANDO FL, 32810) WAS CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 169,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TAKATA RECALL I WENT IN TO GET THE REPAIR A WEEK LATER AN AIRBAG FAULT CAME ON AND STILL ON. THEN TWICE WHILE I WAS DRIVEING ON HIGHWAY CAR CUTS OFF COMPLETELY THEN I HAVE TO PULL OVER WITH IT JUST ROLLING. THE STEERING SOMETIMES COMES ON AND SAYS DEFECTIVE THEN THE SUN ROOF OPEN CLOSES BY ITSELF. ALOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALWAYS HAVE TO GET SOMETHING FIX JUST PRAY THAT I DONT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE HEATED SEATS DONT WORK NOMORE FOR SOME REASON ON DAY THEY WAS GOOD NOW NO AND ITS NOT THE FUSE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE, HEADLIGHT, AND EPC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE AUTO NATION DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER CANCELLED APPROXIMATELY FOUR APPOINTMENTS DUE TO NO PART AVAILABILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS BUT THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (AIR BAGS) BUT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO EMERGENCY/ SIGNAL LIGHTS MALFUNCTION, SUNROOF PROBLEMS AND OTHER VEHICLE ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE BLINKER/TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO TURN OFF WHEN PROMPTED. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE SIGNALS WOULD NOT TURN OFF UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED COMPLETELY STRAIGHT. THE SUNROOF OPENS UNPROMPTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ROTTED UNDERNEATH. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED INCESSANTLY. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AS THE ENGINE, AIR BAG AND BRAKE SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. *TR
ALMOST HOME ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL (CC) ON, AND IT SUDDENLY GOES OFF - CAR RUNNING FINE BUT IT WON'T GO BACK ON CC. CHECKED OTHER ELECTRICAL CONTROLS AT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND NONE WERE WORKING - NO HORN, NO TURN SIGNALS, NO W/S WIPERS, NO LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS STILL WORKED AS THEY ARE ALWAYS ON WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING). MADE IT SAFELY HOME, AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF - BUT, THE HEADLIGHTS WON'T GO OFF. TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEN TRIED TO GET THE KEY OUT, BUT IT WOULD NOT COME OUT SO I WAS LEFT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT. DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO GET THE LIGHTS OFF. MONDAY PREPARED TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST VW DEALER 35 MILES AWAY - CONNECTED THE BATTERY AND STARTED THE ENGINE, BUT IT QUIT RIGHT AWAY - TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALLY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE VW DEALER AT MY EXPENSE. VW DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY STEERING MODULE, AND SAID THE BILL WOULD BE OVER $1,000 BUT THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE AND THEN FOUND THAT THE IGNITION/STARTER SWITCH WAS FAULTY. FINAL BILL CAME TO MUCH MORE THAN A $1,000.00, OF WHICH I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $382.75 IF I WANTED MY CAR BACK. *TR
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (ALMOST EVERY DAY) I WILL TRY TO START THE CAR AND IT WILL DIE THE SHOW A "STEERING WHEEL LOCK COLUMN" ON THE DASH BOARD, AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT WILL EVENTUALLY START AND RUN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT THE AVERAGE OF 60-75 MPH AND THE CAR WILL JUST SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE!!! I HAVE READ THIS IS A COMMON ERROR, THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE! *TR
TRUNK HAS DIFFICULTY CLOSING. SEAT BELT DON'T WORK PROPERLY. AIRBAG LIGHT ALONG WITH THE MOTOR LIGHT TURN ON. THESE LIGHTS WERE NEVER REALLY FIXED BY THE CAR DEALER. THE PASSENGER BACK DOOR DOES NOT LOCK MOST OF THE TIME LEAVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE ALARM WORKING. *JB
2006 PASSAT, ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF, CAR ON NUMEROUS EVENTS HAS STALED AFTER STARTING, DEALER HAS NO EXPLAINATION. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 37 complaints
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 26, 2026