YearToAvoid

2006 Volkswagen Passat Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 47 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, 8% of all 576 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 18 Passat model years. These complaints report 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 62,185 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
47
8% of 576
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
62,185 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2006 Volkswagen Passat transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 28, 2006, latest May 24, 2023.

2006 Volkswagen Passat transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Jun 2006Jan 2008Feb 2010Aug 2011May 2014Sep 2016Feb 2019
47 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2006 to May 2023; peak Sep 2007 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Passat model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200513 (9%)
  2. 200647 (8%)
  3. 200713 (5%)
  4. 200812 (7%)
  5. 200910 (7%)
  6. 201034 (21%)
  7. 20111 (6%)
  8. 201215 (3%)
  9. 201333 (4%)
  10. 201437 (6%)
  11. 201512 (5%)
  12. 20165 (5%)
  13. 20175 (5%)
  14. 20183 (7%)
  15. 20192 (17%)
  16. 20200 (0%)
  17. 20210 (0%)
  18. 20222 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 47 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 62,185 miles.
Which Volkswagen Passat year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2006 Volkswagen Passat has the most transmission complaints (47), compared with 47 for the 2006.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 Volkswagen Passat is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

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.