Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical and brakes. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2019Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/8 checked
2019 Volkswagen Passat: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2019's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2019 Volkswagen Passat. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | FWD | 29 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2019 Volkswagen Passat, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The collision avoidance system can brake the car hard at various speeds with no vehicle or object nearby. A sudden stop like that raises the risk of being hit from behind, and dealers could not find the cause. Other reports describe the push-button start failing with a "No Key Detected" message. The factory remote start also fails: the engine turns over and dies right away. Several owners say dealers knew about the remote start fault and kept putting off a fix. A smaller complaint has the speedometer reading slightly below actual speed on the highway.
The brakes are reported to engage late after the pedal is pressed. The pedal also returns slowly when the foot comes off it, and no warning light appears. A separate complaint concerns pedal placement. The brake pedal sits well ahead of the gas pedal, which makes a normal move from one pedal to the other difficult, and the driver's foot can get caught behind the brake pedal. Both problems raise the risk of a collision when the driver needs to stop quickly. Neither report mentions a repair.
Excerpts from complaints Passat owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Brake issues that consist of brakes not engaging immediately as I press the brake pedal. Brake pedal also doesn't return as fast as my foot lets off of it. It could be inspected upon request. If the brakes dont engage immediately then there is a potential for an accident if I need to brake at a moments notice. Yes the problem has been confirmed. No it hasn't been inspected. No there isn't a warning.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2019 ranks fourth for owner complaints among 5 Passat years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2019 is the fifth model year of the Passat's eighth generation (2015–2023).
Recall repairs are free at any Volkswagen dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.".
Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
Cars shoppers compare with the Volkswagen Passat, with their own 2019 checklists.
2019 owner complaints, side by side
