The 2008 Volkswagen Passat has 174 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are fuel/propulsion system and engine. Owners most often flag below-average long-term reliability and high repair costs: very frequent complaints of electrical gremlins, interior trim failures (e.g., door upholstery peeling), and expensive repairs beyond routine maintenance. frequency: very frequent.
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2008 Volkswagen Passat vehicles (US, public record).
Across the 23 Passat model years we track, complaint volume runs from 12 (2019) to 1,304 (2002). With 174 complaints, the 2008 Passat sits belowthe model's median of 243.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Campaign 18V148000Volkswagen 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…
fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Campaign 17V509000Volkswagen 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…
air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Campaign 16V078000Volkswagen 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 an…
engine and engine cooling
Campaign 08V235000VOLKSWAGEN 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 PROPERL…
Sentiment is highly polarized and varies significantly by generation, engine, and market. For certain generations and powertrains, particularly the 2.5L 5-cylinder and pre-2012 TDI models, owner feedback is positive, praising solid build…
Owner insights cover all generations of the Passat. See the full Passat owner picture and every model year.
Used Passat listings typically run $9,995–$16,052 across 2012 to 2022 model years.
Compare every Passat year side by side to see how 2008 ranks against the rest.