YearToAvoid

2006 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

82/100

#4 most-complained of 18 Passat years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Volkswagen Passat has 576 owner complaints and 7 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 82 out of 100 — #4 highest of 18 Passat model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is engine (160 complaints, 28% of the total). Complaints report 21 crashes, 6 fires, and 9 injuries.

Complaints
576
Recalls
7
Crashes / fires
21 / 6
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 27 hwy

Top 2006 Volkswagen Passat problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine160 (28%)
  2. Airbags148 (26%)
  3. Steering112 (19%)
  4. Electrical System89 (15%)
  5. Fuel System64 (11%)
  6. Brakes56 (10%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain47 (8%)
  8. Structure & Body25 (4%)
  9. Other22 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers19 (3%)
2006 Volkswagen Passat complaints: complaints filed per quarter362005 Q42008 Q12010 Q22012 Q32014 Q42017 Q12019 Q22023 Q1
762 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2025 Q4; peak 2017 Q1 (36).

2006 Volkswagen Passat recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 24V834000Oct 30, 2024Airbags248,330 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.

  2. NHTSA 18V247000Apr 18, 2018Airbags71,335 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan and wagon vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q8. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-079.

  3. NHTSA 17V509000Aug 16, 2017Fuel System280,915 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.

    Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.

See all 7 recalls for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat →

2006 Volkswagen Passat fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,825
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Passat years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good41148321.5
2006Avoid82576721
2007Caution65262721
2008Caution53168422

All Volkswagen Passat years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Volkswagen Passat a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Volkswagen Passat ranks #4 of 18 among Passat model years (Complaint Index 82/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 576 complaints and 7 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Volkswagen Passat?
The most reported problem areas are engine (160 complaints), airbags (148 complaints), and steering (112 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 64,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, most recently reported 2024, covering airbags, fuel system, visibility & wipers, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat?
EPA rates the 2006 Volkswagen Passat at 21 MPG combined (18 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,825. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.