2015 Volkswagen Passat Brakes
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
After a brake job with the replacement of brake fluid, the brake pedal is soft even after re-bleeding. Two methods were used, pressurized and new fluid fed through the reservoir tank and then manually with two people replacing the fluid in the reservoir. Working on resolution. First brake replacement at about 40,000 miles.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 15V705000, MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 23R1 PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD BY MANY MECHANICS THE BRAKE ISSUES OR SOFTNESS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING IS DUE TO A FAULTY BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. CAR HAS 49K MILES. SPENT MORE THAN 1500.00 ON BRAKE NEW BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, AS WELL BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AS RECOMMENDED, AND VEHICLE STILL HAS DIFFICULTY COMING TO A STOP. THERE ARE DAYS IS BRAKES OK AS COLDER DAYS, AND HOTTER DAYS IT JUST SINKS TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE MAKES SCRAPING NOISE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE BRAKE WOULD STAY STUCK WHEN ON A HILL. WOULD HAVE TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IT.
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS LOCKED ON (IN PLACE) WHILE THE HANDLE IS DOWN IN THE CAR CAUSING THE CAR TO DRIVE UNBEKNOWN TO THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKE IS STILL ON THUS CAUSING EXCESS DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE, CALIPER AND ROTOR. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH VW PASSATTS AND JETTAS AND THAT THE PARTS ARE SCARCE BECAUSE OF THAT. THE AMOUNT TO REPAIR WAS GREATER THAN $600. IF I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE VW DEALERSHIP THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME DOUBLE THAT.
ANTILOCK BRAKES CAUSED ABRUPT BREAKING, COMING TO A FORCEFUL STOP AND CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THIS HAPPENED AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS CREATING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE FAMILY. LAST EXPERIENCED ON FEB 3, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK EFFECTIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
FACTORY RECALL BUT ORIGINAL NOTIFICATION FROM DEC-2015 HAD NO RESOLVE OR DATE FOR RESOLVE. HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACTED THE VW FACTORY THEY ADVISED ME I COULD GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO RESOLVE AT MY OWN EXPENSE????? VW CLAIMS SOMETHING CALLED THE SINTERED CAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SHEAR OFF FROM THE CAMSHAFT. IT SURE SOUNDS MECHANICAL TO ME BUT VW CLAIMS TO HELP CORRECT THE THIS DEFECT THEY WILL UPDATE OUR ON BOARD COMPUTER SOFTWARE???? HUH....... WE DO NOT TRUST VW AND WONDER IF THERE IS ANOTHER MOTIVE FOR WANTING TO ACCESS OUR ON BOARD COMPUTER????? KINDA LIKE THE DIESEL VEHICLES HAVING TWEEKED SOFTWARE TO DECEIVE SMOG CHECKS???? HELP.....
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT IT TOOK A GREATER AMOUNT OF TIME TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND AFTER THE ECP AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR IT TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAIN SHAFT WAS TWISTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,600.
WHILE DRIVING THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON AND 5 MINUTES LATER WHILE USING THE BRAKES THEY BECAME STIFFER AND THEN WITHIN 30 SECONDS LOCKED UP COMPLETELY SO THAT YOU COULD NOT PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKES AT ALL AND THEY WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. I HAD TO RUN THE STOP SIGN AND VEER OFF INTO THE GRASS TO SLOW CAR DOWN AND PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR
WHILE EXITING HIGHWAY AND TRAVELING AT NEAR HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. SECONDS LATER THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. I WAS FORCED TO VEER FROM CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PULL ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE UNTIL I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2015 Volkswagen Passat has 10 Brakes complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.