Used Car Expert Fault Guides tell you the common Volkswagen Passat faults and wear items that can become problems and big bills for their owner.
Independent research indicated that using our fault guides to check a car before you buy it can save you an average of £300 in surprise bills and hidden problems.
That's because our Volkswagen Passat fault guides are written so that anyone can understand them – even if you know nothing about cars and have no tools. For every common fault, we tell you what to look for, what it means and what it costs.
Select your Volkswagen Passat fault guide:
Volkswagen Passat (1996 - 2004) Fault Guide
Volkswagen Passat (2005 - 2009) Fault Guide
Volkswagen Passat (1996 - 2004) Fault Guide
We know of 23 VOLKSWAGEN Passat (1996 - 2004) faults which our fault check guide makes it easy for you to spot and avoid.
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6 engine faults
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3 suspension wear items or faults
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4 interior problems
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1 bodywork issues
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9 recalls
Here's an example fault on the VOLKSWAGEN Passat (1996 - 2004)
What to look for:
Check the paperwork to see if the cam belt has been changed on schedule. On pre 1999 engines, cam belts must be changed every 80,000 miles. On most post 2000 engines the cam belt must be changed within 110,000 miles. However, many garages recommend that bearings and pulleys can fail at 80,000 so we recommend changing all these parts at 75,000 miles.
What it means:
If the cam belt and associated parts (such as tensioner, pulleys, auxiliary belt, water pump, pump belt and fan belt) have not been changed, and the mileage is over these boundaries, the cam belt is likely to fail soon and will cause expensive damage to the engine. Usually the engine has to be replaced or at least re-built.
What to do
Ensure that the cam belt is changed before the car is driven anywhere if it is coming close to its interval. Changing the belt and other parts will cost £220 - £500.
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Registered users also get access to our regional price guides, cars for sale email alerts, and many other benefits to help you buy a safe, reliable used car at a great price.
Volkswagen Passat (2005 - 2009) Fault Guide
We know of 14 VOLKSWAGEN Passat (2005 - 2009) faults which our fault check guide makes it easy for you to spot and avoid.
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4 engine faults
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1 suspension wear items or faults
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4 interior problems
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1 bodywork issues
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4 recalls
Here's an example fault on the VOLKSWAGEN Passat (2005 - 2009)
What to look for:
Check the paperwork to see if the cam belt has been changed on schedule. On most of this vehicle’s petrol engines the cam belt must be changed within 4 years or 60,000 miles. On most of the diesels it must be changed within 4 years or 80,000 miles but it can vary according to engine number.
What it means:
If the cam belt and associated parts (such as water pump and tensioner) have not been changed, and the mileage is over these boundaries, the cam belt is likely to fail soon. Usually the engine has to be replaced or at least re-built after a cam belt failure.
What to do
Ensure that the cam belt is changed before the car is driven anywhere if it is coming close to its interval. Changing the belt will cost £200. It will cost £700 - £1,000 to have the engine repaired if the belt fails.
Register to have full access to the VOLKSWAGEN Passat (2005 - 2009) fault guide.
Registered users also get access to our regional price guides, cars for sale email alerts, and many other benefits to help you buy a safe, reliable used car at a great price.