Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Volkswagen Passat. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Fuel Pump Failure Cause Engine Stall
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) SOFTWARE UPDATE
- Summary
- VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 4,079 MY 2008 PASSAT AND 2,500 MY 2009 TIGUAN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0T FSI ULEV II ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) CONTAINING SOFTWARE THAT MAY NOT PROPERLY CONTROL ENGINE IDLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING TURNED ON. IN RARE CASES, THE ECM MAY UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASE ENGINE RPM.
- Consequence
- AN ENGINE SURGE CAUSED BY AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM MAY SURPRISE THE VEHICLE OPERATOR AND CAN RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND UPDATE THE ECM SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 30, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-893-5298.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (174)
174 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The fuel/propulsion system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 174 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 47 | 27% |
| Engine | 44 | 25.3% |
| Air bags | 32 | 18.4% |
| Electrical system | 22 | 12.6% |
| Fuel system | 20 | 11.5% |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 8% |
| Power train | 12 | 6.9% |
| Steering | 12 | 6.9% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 5.2% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 2.9% |
How 2008 compares with other Passat years
Best and worst Passat years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 285 | 3 |
| 2005 | 148 | 3 |
| 2006 | 576 | 7 |
| 2007 | 273 | 7 |
| 2008 | 174 | 4 |
| 2009 | 152 | 4 |
| 2010 | 172 | 4 |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 |
| 2012 | 484 | 11 |
| 2013 | 748 | 9 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 24 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,400
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 370 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 24 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 370 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 370 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 28 / 23 | $3,550 | 386 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 / 28 / 22 | $3,750 | 404 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 / 26 / 20 | $4,100 | 444 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 24 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 24 / 19 | $4,350 | 468 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2008 Passat for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2008 Volkswagen Passat FAQ
How many recalls does the 2008 Volkswagen Passat have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 18V148000 (air bag), 17V509000 (fuel pump), 16V078000 (air bag), 08V235000 (engine). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2008 Volkswagen Passat problems?
Owners filed 174 complaints with NHTSA. Fuel/propulsion system (47), Engine (44), Air bags (32) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2008 Volkswagen Passat get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual version at 20 city, 29 highway and 24 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 2008 Passat compare with other years?
Among the 2004–2013 Volkswagen Passat model years at least five years old, the 2011 drew the fewest complaints (16) and the 2013 the most (748). The 2008 drew 174. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.