YearToAvoid

2009 Volkswagen Passat Electrical System Problems

NHTSA has 18 owner complaints about electrical problems in the 2009 Volkswagen Passat, 12% of all 146 complaints for this model year. That is #11 highest electrical complaint count among 18 Passat model years. These complaints report 1 crash and 4 fires. Median mileage at failure: 62,800 miles.

Electrical System complaints
18
12% of 146
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
62,800 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 Volkswagen Passat electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 23, 2009, latest Nov 27, 2022.

2009 Volkswagen Passat electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month1Nov 2009Jan 2013Jul 2014Nov 2015Jan 2018Jan 2020
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2009 to Nov 2022; peak Nov 2009 (1).

Electrical System recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen Passat

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by Passat model year

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

  1. 200512 (8%)
  2. 200689 (15%)
  3. 200741 (16%)
  4. 200823 (14%)
  5. 200918 (12%)
  6. 201022 (13%)
  7. 20114 (25%)
  8. 2012107 (22%)
  9. 2013139 (19%)
  10. 201482 (14%)
  11. 201551 (21%)
  12. 201625 (24%)
  13. 201719 (17%)
  14. 201810 (22%)
  15. 20194 (33%)
  16. 20203 (17%)
  17. 20215 (28%)
  18. 20223 (23%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Volkswagen Passat have electrical problems?
NHTSA has 18 owner complaints about the electrical in the 2009 Volkswagen Passat, 12% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 62,800 miles.
Which Volkswagen Passat year has the most electrical complaints?
The 2013 Volkswagen Passat has the most electrical complaints (139), compared with 18 for the 2009.
Is there a electrical recall for the 2009 Volkswagen Passat?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Volkswagen Passat is classified under electrical system. 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.