2010 Volkswagen Passat: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2010 Volkswagen Passat: 4 recalls, 163 owner complaints and up to 25 mpg combined.
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Recalls
4 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V483000 · 2015 · 415,825 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen cc, and passat, 2010-2013 eos, 2011-2014 golf, gti, jetta, and tiguan, and 2012-2014 jetta sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris May contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination May tear the…
Why it matters: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will…
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V078000 · 2016 · 659,493 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: 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…
Fuel system Vehicle recall #17V509000 · 2017 · 280,915 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V148000 · 2018 · 363,713 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 2 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (45): the most common themes are warning light on (6).
- Engine (41): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (7), warning light on (7), leaks (6).
- Transmission & drivetrain (34): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (16), noise or vibration (3), stalls / loses power (3).
- Fuel & propulsion (25): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (10), electrical failure (7), leaks (5).
The 2010 Volkswagen Passat has 163 owner complaints, ranking #15 of 33 Passat model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 238). Complaints peaked in 2018 (29 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 71,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2009 (146 complaints, 4 recalls), 2011 (16 complaints, 0 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 31 | 25 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2010 Volkswagen Passat.
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FAQ
Does the 2010 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recalls for the 2010 Volkswagen Passat. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2010 Volkswagen Passat problems?
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (45), engine (41), transmission & drivetrain (34).
What gas mileage does the 2010 Volkswagen Passat get?
EPA ratings run up to 25 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic (S6)), across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2010 Volkswagen Passat repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.