NHTSA Safety Recalls
2003 Volkswagen Passat Recalls
The 2003 Volkswagen Passat has 7 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on June 13, 2018.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2003 Volkswagen Passat. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 7
- Owner complaints
- 628
- Crashes reported
- 14
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
94 fires
frontal crash, no overall star before 2011
On a 2003 Volkswagen Passat, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
7 recalls on the 2003 Volkswagen Passat
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 18V406000
- Reported
- June 13, 2018
- Vehicles affected
- up to 2,564
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash, injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 3 other models
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery
- Campaign
- 08V156000
- Reported
- April 7, 2008
- Vehicles affected
- up to 412,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2002, 2004–2005 Passat
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- Campaign
- 07V375000
- Reported
- August 28, 2007
- Vehicles affected
- up to 34,358
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- Campaign
- 07V063000
- Reported
- February 20, 2007
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,002,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2004–2005 Passat, 4 other models
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- Campaign
- 06V017000
- Reported
- January 23, 2006
- Vehicles affected
- up to 74,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- Campaign
- 02V026000
- Reported
- January 25, 2002
- Vehicles affected
- up to 487,284
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2002 Passat
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- Campaign
- 14E007000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2002, 2004–2005 Passat, 4 other models
2003 Volkswagen Passat complaints by year
NHTSA has received 628 owner complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat, the newest on November 26, 2025. Of these, 14 describe a crash (2%) and 94 a fire; owners reported 46 injuries.
In complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat, the component group named most often is the fuel system, gasoline (22%), followed by the engine and engine cooling (21%) and the seats (15%).
4 of the 2003 Volkswagen Passat's 7 recalls also concern the fuel system, gasoline.
Where 2003 Volkswagen Passat owners gave the mileage (513 complaints), the median was 59,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline137
- Engine And Engine Cooling131
- Seats97
- Electrical System90
- Exterior Lighting39
- Power Train35
Complaints received, by year
| 2002 | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 34 | |
| 2004 | 47 | |
| 2005 | 86 | |
| 2006 | 98 | |
| 2007 | 106 | |
| 2008 | 61 | |
| 2009 | 37 | |
| 2010 | 36 | |
| 2011 | 27 | |
| 2012 | 18 | |
| 2013 | 7 | |
| 2014 | 13 | |
| 2015 | 24 | |
| 2016 | 12 | |
| 2017 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 4 | |
| 2020 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 2 |
Complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat peaked in 2007, when NHTSA received 106. 43% arrived between 2002 and 2006, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2003 vehicles, the 2003 Volkswagen Passat drew 3.6× the complaints of the median Volkswagen Passat year in the same window: 4th highest of the 20 ranked years.
That makes 2003 one of the Volkswagen Passat years to avoid by our method.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: none before 2011
- Frontal: 5/5
The 628 complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Volkswagen Passat by model year
Other 2003 Volkswagen models
Newest record on this page: November 26, 2025. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted