The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin. The contact immediately pulled over and exited the vehicle to inspect for visible fuel leaks, but found no leaks. While attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and stalled repeatedly. Additionally, the brakes failed to function properly, preventing the vehicle from stopping as needed. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 16V403000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Volkswagen Passat fuel leak problems
119 of the 7,709 owner complaints about the Volkswagen Passat describe fuel leak, most of them for the 2002 model year.
- owner complaints
- 119
- worst model year
- 2002
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,400
- typical mileage
- 102,272
By model year
Often reported together
Fuel smell 20Fuel pump 16Tire blowout 5Stalling 3Loss of power 2Fire or smoke 2Check engine light 2Brake failure 2
What owners say
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle sputtered intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that fuel was leaking into the engine compartment, causing engine failure. The contact stated that the dealer had repaired the vehicle and possibly cleaned the engine. The dealer had informed the contact that the engine would last 4-6 months before complete engine failure. The vehicle was returned to the contact; however, while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and then lost power. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts to continue driving. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not repaired. The dealer suggested that a new vehicle be purchased. The contact searched online and became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V028000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
Gas smell inside vehicle Plastic canister under back seat leaking gas smell /has cracked
began smelling fuel in the cockpit about 2 months ago but thought not much about why until it kept getting stronger. Looked under the car a saw fuel dripping in front of rear passenger wheel and directly under tank.
A fuel leak has developed from the top side of the fuel tank on the drivers side of me vehicle. A fuel leak in this manner is a serious critical and immediate safety risk. Recall 08V156000 was 'performed' on my vehicle back in 2008 but the exact same fuel system safety defect has returned. VW acknowledges the recall and claims it was completed while only an inspection to check for fuel leaks was performed at the time. VW Care and my local dealership refuse to address the ongoing issue. This poses a continued fire risk, and I am now being told to pay out of pocket for a known safety recall that clearly failed to remedy the original defect.
I noticed a fuel smell in the cabin area that continued to get worse. After pulling the back seat I was able to visually see the fuel pump that had lots of micro cracks which was causing a fuel leak. The leak was very dangerous and caused major foam damage to my rear seat and was a major hazard had anything caused an ignition in the cabin, it certainly would have burned the vehicle. I saved the fuel pumped after having a local shop replace it.
The fuel delivery system appears to have failed. Specifically, there is an active gasoline leak from a fuel line inside the cabin, near or under the rear seat. The source may be related to an unresolved recall involving the fuel rail detaching from the engine, which causes pressurized fuel leakage. The failed component is still present on the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. The back seat was removed by a mechanic who observed gasoline actively spewing into the cabin. This defect presents an extreme fire hazard. The constant gasoline fumes in the interior have caused me to suffer migraines, nausea, and dizziness while driving. My 13-year-old daughter, who has asthma, must ride with her head out of the window to breathe. My 2-year-old can no longer ride in the vehicle at all due to the fumes. I am a single mother with no other transportation. I fear that the car could ignite at any moment, especially with electrical systems running in the cabin. This defect is life-threatening. A certified independent mechanic removed the rear seat and confirmed that fuel was actively leaking into the interior of the car. The mechanic advised that the vehicle is unsafe to drive and poses a severe fire risk. I have photos and video available, and the mechanic is willing to provide a written statement upon request.Volkswagen dealerships have refused to inspect the vehicle or address the recall, even though the recall remains listed as active under the vehicle’s VIN. I have contacted multiple dealerships and Volkswagen corporate, and have been denied assistance. I have not contacted police or insurance yet, but I am preparing formal complaints.There were no warning lamps or dashboard alerts. The first symptom was a strong fuel odor in the interior, which began approximately 5-6 months ago. It progressively worsened over time. About one week ago, the smell became severe enough that it was unbearable to drive. This prompted the mechanic’s inspection, which revealed the
There was a recall reported by the manufacturer, Volkswagenm in 2008. There were multiple Fuel System issues: A Heat Shield that may contact the exhaust system and result in a vehicle fire; a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire. In 2008, my car was inspected and the recall was deemed "complete." However, the car was only 4 years old at the time and no repairs were made. Only a visual inspection was done. I bought the car used 6 years ago, and it has been diagnosed as having a defective fuel tank ventilation valve. VW should pay for the parts and labor to have this fixed because it was never fixed. I've been told there's no statue of limitations on recalls. VW claims that because the recall was deemed "Complete" that they "fixed" the issue but they didn't.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, East Dallas Volkswagen (12635 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy., Garland, TX 75041); where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was leaking fuel and that the gasket and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
My gas tank is leaking gas out of the top onto the ground and fumes are coming into the cabin.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
- Risk
- If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.
Recall number 17V509000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑822‑8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.
Recall number 16V403000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles manufactured March 31, 2014, to November 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
- Risk
- A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑822‑8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BL. Note: This recall expands and supersedes recall 14V‑809 (Volkswagen recall number 24Bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.
Recall number 15V028000 · Recall details
Fuel system, diesel
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2012 passat vehicles, manufactured from january 18, 2011, through june 1, 2011. During assembly, these vehicles were built with a diesel fuel filter element that may not seal correctly.
- Risk
- Over time, or after certain driving distances, these vehicles are susceptible to fuel leakage. Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, may lead to a fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the diesel fuel filter elements, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 27, 2012. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 12V146000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
- Risk
- A heat shield that may contact the exhaust system can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 08V156000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
- Risk
- If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑222‑8987 or audi at 1‑800‑822‑2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06v017).
Recall number 07V375000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
- Risk
- If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑222‑8987 or audi at 1‑800‑822‑2834.
Recall number 06V017000 · Recall details
Fuel system, diesel
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the high pressure diesel pumps were produced with an improper fastener, which could allow diesel fuel to escape from the pump.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on february 8, 2005. Owners should contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 04V586000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- What is wrong
- On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 02V026000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.
- Risk
- Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units the federal safety agency 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1‑866‑892‑2834.
Recall number 01V157000 · Recall details
Questions about the Volkswagen Passat fuel leak
Which Volkswagen Passat years have fuel leak problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2002 (22 complaints), 2003 (16 complaints) and 2004 (15 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix fuel leak on the Volkswagen Passat?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,400 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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