YearToAvoid

2008 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

53/100

#9 most-complained of 18 Passat years

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

The 2008 Volkswagen Passat has 168 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 53 out of 100 — #9 highest of 18 Passat model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is fuel system (63 complaints, 38% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes, 6 fires, and 2 injuries.

Complaints
168
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
3 / 6
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 28 hwy

Top 2008 Volkswagen Passat problems

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

  1. Fuel System63 (38%)
  2. Engine55 (33%)
  3. Airbags32 (19%)
  4. Electrical System23 (14%)
  5. Other14 (8%)
  6. Steering12 (7%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain12 (7%)
  8. Brakes8 (5%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers6 (4%)
  10. Structure & Body5 (3%)
2008 Volkswagen Passat complaints: complaints filed per quarter252007 Q42010 Q22012 Q22014 Q12016 Q12017 Q42019 Q42023 Q1
234 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2025 Q3; peak 2018 Q1 (25).

2008 Volkswagen Passat recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V148000Mar 6, 2018Airbags363,713 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat 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 vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 16V078000Feb 10, 2016Airbags659,493 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

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

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

See all 4 recalls for the 2008 Volkswagen Passat →

2008 Volkswagen Passat fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
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.

2008 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
2006Avoid82576721
2007Caution65262721
2008Caution53168422
2009Caution71146422.5
2010Caution59163425

All Volkswagen Passat years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Volkswagen Passat a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Volkswagen Passat ranks #9 of 18 among Passat model years (Complaint Index 53/100, verdict: Caution). It has 168 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Volkswagen Passat?
The most reported problem areas are fuel system (63 complaints), engine (55 complaints), and airbags (32 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 90,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Volkswagen Passat, most recently reported 2018, covering airbags, fuel system, and engine.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Volkswagen Passat?
EPA rates the 2008 Volkswagen Passat at 22 MPG combined (19 city / 28 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,650. 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.