Volkswagen · Passat · 2011
0
Recalls
16
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2011 Volkswagen Passat has no recalls and 16 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: engine (4 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2011 Volkswagen Passat page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is engine with 4 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
After recall 20AE (Fuel Pump Control Module) was completed at Performance Volkswagen in Lyndhurst, NJ, my vehicle began shutting off while idling and displayed code P0087 – Fuel Rail/System Pressure Too Low. This issue began immediately after the recall was done. On one of the fi...
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WATER PUMP DEFECT CAUSES TIMING CHAIN MALFUNCTIONING AS VEHICLE MAY STALL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE MAY OVERHEAT AS WATER FAILURE CAUSES ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK AND CAUSE OVERHEATING TO FIRE HAZARD.
VEHICLE HAS NO COMPRESSION. VILKSWAGOM DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED WILL COST $10000 TO FIX
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START UP, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE...
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I AM NOT ABLE TO OPEN MY TRUNK VIA FOB, SWITCH ON THE DOOR NOR REMOTE. I HAVE READ THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE AFTER REAR LIGHT FAILURES. MY REAR LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND TURNING LIGHTS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I WENT INTO THE GROCE...
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WHILE PARKED, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE SHOWS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE!.
DAUGHTER WAS KILLED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN HER 2011 VOLKSWAGEN CC WHEN HER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A DEALER ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2018, 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CRASH. SHE WAS TRAVELING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT ON A COUNTY 2 LANE ROAD WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE H...
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VOLKSWAGEN TIMING CHAIN HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BY VOLKSWAGEN EACH TIME THE CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, IT WAS JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY LEADING TO LAW SUIT. AND THIS TIME, JUST OUTSIDE MANUFACTURING WARRANTY BY 2 DAYS, THE ROCKER ARMS IN MY VW 2.0 ENGINE FAILED ALSO LOCKING TH...
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I WAS DRIVING MY VEHILCE IN MOTION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT TURNED OFF. IT DIDNT WANT TO TURN BACK ON NO MORE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE REVERSING IN A PARKING AREA, A CRACKING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING LOST POWER AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO A CLO...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 16 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2011 Volkswagen models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2011 Volkswagen Passat has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 16 owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat are engine (4 reports), air bags (3 reports), electrical system,exterior lighting (1 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.