2013 Volkswagen Passat: won't start

Filed Oct 19, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

The vehicle was brought to Bill Jacobs Volkswagen in Naperville, IL to have three open, mandatory federal campaigns and emissions modifications completed. The dealership is actively practicing illegal 'recall steering' by holding the vehicle hostage. The service department refuses to perform the free federal campaigns unless the owner first authorizes between $2,500 and $3,000 in unrelated diagnostic and repair fees out of pocket. The dealership falsely claims that the vehicle must be 'brough to specification' at the owners expense before a federal safety or emissions campaign can be completed, which directly violates federal regulations prohibiting dealerships from conditioning or delaying mandatory factory campaign work based on customer-paid services. Furthermore, dealership staff ignored explicit, repeated verbal warnings regarding an active Adblue countdown, shut the vehicle off, bricked the car via a 'No-Start' lockout inside their active service lane, and are now refusing to release the vehicle or keys without unapproved fees. The active check engine lights on the vehicle are directly tied to the faulty emissions and NOx sensor components that the open campaigns are legally mandated to replace. Addition customer-pay repairs have been explicitly declined, and the dealer is refusing to execute the safety and emissions campaigns.

Filed Apr 26, 2025 · Airbags, Electrical · MO

In April 2025, my 2013 Volkswagen Passat developed serious issues: the steering wheel cover is lifted, horn and steering wheel controls stopped working, lights malfunctioned, and now the vehicle will not start. It also has an open Takata airbag recall with no parts available until “after june” I contacted the dealership by phone and Spoke to Lykoto at Molle dealership in Kansas City. they have refused to provide a tow or a loaner vehicle. Due to this I have not had an in-person inspection. I no longer feel safe driving the car. The Manufacturer has been notified of this via email due to their services being closed on the weekends but will contact over the phone Monday morning. Symptoms worsened over months and the no-start issue appeared recently. Will be taking to a private mechanic asap to have the no-start issue confirmed.

Filed Jan 30, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · MA

Def system failed- cel came on w def light stating xxx miles to no start, codes p204f & 18097, now unable to start or drive car safely, 18097 code may cause abs & steering to shut off while driving & p204f renders the car unusable. EPA mod was never performed on my car per dieselgate settlement rules- & now the manufacturer(vw) is refusing to fix their mistake car has been in shop repeatedly for 30+ days at a time since 2022 for the def system and not once was the epa mod mentioned to me VW refuses to fix the def system or do the epa required mod- meaning I was sold a stop sale car. Also claiming I’m not entitled to warranty even though per their own warranty I am the first owner that I can see other then a dealership Am now told by other TDI owners that are still under warranty that vw is refusing to fix anything to do with the p204f code

Filed Aug 1, 2023 · Electrical, Fuel system · MS

Day of purchase (Feb2020)Nox sensor went out on way home. Check engine light came on took back to VW dealership they fixed for free. Next component to go bad or become faulty was and still is the fuel door actuator when raining or washing off the car will get wet and fuel door will not open. Reported it to VW dealer after the issue arose at which time I was told it was not covered under the emissions warranty even though it’s listed. Next issue was clock spring broke and had to have VW repair the clock spring. This they did free of charge. Then issues arose with first blinkers bulbs blowing and randomly ceasing to work. It has progressed from blinkers ,to back up lights and tag lights. Recently the OBD displayed a Adblu Error 200 miles to no engine restart. Then it dropped to 50 miles. Then zero at which time the OBD flashed red and car would not start. Filled adblu waited few hours car started up no codes showing on dash. Get on interstate and with little time it flashes the same messages Adblu Error 200 miles to no engine restart. Then to 50 miles down to 10 miles turning red at 0 miles No engine Start. As of 6 days ago I have recently learned of a recall made by VW regarding the Approved Emissions Modification being faulty leading to the exact symptoms the car displays regarding the adblu(DEF system). VW dealer refuses to acknowledge that the recall fix needs fixing since they reported to have fixed it already. All of the issues that we have had with the NOx sensor, clock spring, exterior lighting , fuel door actuator, and the def system corrected approved modification, has been part of a recall that was supposedly already performed prior to the purchase. Now the def system is not working properly due to the malfunctioning of the AEM software. Def injector have clogged due to crystallization of adblu , a affect of inadequate injection from the faulty AEM. Emission mod decals under hood are not in proper locations nor properly filled.

Filed Sep 11, 2020 · Fuel system · MO

Purchased vehicle less than 6 months ago and would not start. Had it towed and tech states it is fuel pump and fuel tank.

Filed Apr 17, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 29,200 miles · TN

2013 passat tdi sel. Emission modification at 28,514 miles. Now 29,200 miles on odometer. Bought the car less than a month ago. Vehicle is equipped with diesel misfueling guard. Stopped at grocery store and also filled up diesel from sam's club. Drove 4 miles down the road around 40 MPH and about to enter highway when glow plug indicator started flashing and check engine light illuminated. Heard some rattling and the engine shut down without warning. Coasted over to shoulder. Would not start. Abandoned the car for the night. Next day I had the car towed to vw. They tested the fuel and it tested fine. Diagnosed as a failed high pressure fuel pump. It exploded and sent shrapnel through the fuel lines and forward into the engine and exhaust system. Also sent shrapnel backwards into fuel filter, fuel tank, and low pressure fuel pump. $5500-$7500 repair quoted if not under warranty.

Filed Mar 10, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 151,750 miles · CA

My 2013 vw passat tdi has been to the dealership 3 times for a crank but no start condition.first time when the tow truck driver dropped it off it started right up, so we picked it up and went on our way. The second time it had a bad fuel lift pump that they replaced the third time a complete hpfp failure that at 151,000 miles they will not take care of. After looking into the problem I find out that the faulty lift pump may have contributed to the failure and in california this seems to be a very common problem. Can you help in any way? Thank you ron

Filed Oct 21, 2019 · Engine · 59,000 miles · NY

Check engine light and epc light turned on. Sometimes my car will not start, but then other time it with start with one turn. Also while I am driving, it looses power sometimes. One time the car shut off completely while I was in drive. I took it to the mechanic and he did a diagnostic computer code check. The code was reading camshaft position sensor malfunction. The mechanic replaced the sensor but noticed that the metal on the sensor is shearing significantly.

Filed Sep 21, 2019 · Airbags, Fuel system · 82,000 miles · NM

I was sold a volkswagen passat never was told about all the recalls it had so I had the car about 3 months and the adblue messsed up and engine wouldn't start but the day I took my car to get serviced they ignored all the lights that were on the dashboard so I took the car back and they acted like they didn't see them said they would turn off so we left and before we got home the car started smoking I called and they said they would have to look at it t see what was wrong when we just left the dealership they would not tow it or pay for a tow we took it in they fixed the fuel injector and then called and said they found another issue and ever issue they have found has al been one of the recalls and I called and told them I was worried bout mine n my kids safety cuz one of the recalls could cause a fire and I didn't want that to happen and they told me there was nothing wrong it wasn't an open recall but yet every recall is what's messing up and I called there company vw at tourney advocate for the settlement they got for these recalls and my car was included in the settlement for the recall and all the recalls got their money back or a new car and this dealership said it's not their problem I bout it with a warranty but pretty much they got paid for my piece of shot car and just sold it with a warranty I owe 26000 and had the car 3 months and the warranty is only good another 20000 miles I'm concerned about them fraudung people into buying lemons and the safety of people who get these cars

Filed Sep 18, 2019 · Steering · 42,401 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start and the steering warning indicator illuminated. After waiting twenty minutes, the vehicle started. The vehicle was taken to gunther volkswagen of fort lauderdale (1660 s state rd 7, fort lauderdale, fl 33317, (954) 420-7374) where unknown repairs were made to the steering wheel; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,401.

Filed Apr 8, 2018 · Engine · GA

Car would make whirling sounds intermittently, difficulty going up hill, rough idle sometimes, car shut off while driving, car shut off while idling at a light, car had difficulty starting or would start then shake and let out loud and hard bursts of gas from exhaust and cut off, car will start up then lose power, sometimes will start back up. One time it took 3 tries and would not start. Had at vw dealer multiple times since jam 2017 till now. Happened again today after I got gas, shut off then took a while to gain power and epc and check engine light were on then disappeared. Every other time the wngine light would disappear. The last time in march they had the car 10 or so day. Two days later it idled rough. They were busy to check the car now this. Jan 2017 check engine light they said fault p0106/p2188- did software update and advises faults may come back. Feb 2017 engine light they said same faults and manifold pressure sensor failed. Got replaced. March 2017 car stalled in traffic multiple times. They cleaned throttle body. March 2017 in idle car shaking and shut off rpms up and down replaced camshaft position sensor. May 2017 shut off in traffic- replaced n80 valve. 05/05/18 got spark plugs changed. March 7 car shut off three times after getting gas. They had it till march 19 said charcoal canister need replacing then upon pick up said n205 valve cam adjuster solenoid clicking loudly. March 29 noticed hearing whirling sounds and rough idle. Called ealer no one available over weekend. Busy. Today 04/08 car shut off after 2nd gas fill up. Started back slowly epc and engine light steady then it gained power and lights off. Vw corporare advised in 2017 I am out of warranty and have high mileage. Opened claim again today they said same thing but will see if the corporate would be willing to offer assistance. All work has been done via vw dealers

Filed Apr 8, 2017 · Airbags, Lights · 15 miles · TX

"takata recall" car was recalled for lights, after being in the shop my car would not start, I was told my service manager that it was due to the weather, I responded with it cant be cause the battery is holding a charge, I was kicked out of service area, I have also paid for my airbags to fixed and I complained about the warning light before recall happened, and before 36k milage experation.. My day time running light recall, has been serviced three times still does work.. I cant see the road at night. My car sometimes stahls iwhile driving and will not go over2krpm, oh you can also move the gear shift without holding button down while driving..