2004 Volkswagen Passat Engine And Engine Cooling Problems
NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How engine and engine cooling ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 279 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Volkswagen Passat overview page.
What owners report
“2004 VW PASSAT 1.8T. UPON STARTING CAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO DEALER, AUTOBARN OF EVANSTON (IL) WHO REPLACED THERMAL SENSOR FOR $500…”NHTSA complaint 10275109 — filed 06/27/2009
“IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE...EVERYTIME I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED BUT IT SEEMS TO BE LOSING A…”NHTSA complaint 10272831 — filed 06/04/2009
“SLUDGE BUILDUP CAUSE BY VW DESIGN FLAW LED TO ENGINE LOCKING ... VW REFUSING TO COVER ENGINE REPLACEMENT EVEN THOUGH COVERED BY POWER TRAIN WARRANTY.”NHTSA complaint 10257118 — filed 02/01/2009
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2004 Volkswagen Passat have engine and engine cooling problems?
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most-reported problem area on the 2004 Volkswagen Passat: 33 of 279 complaints on file (11.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2004 Volkswagen Passat have in total?
279 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 9 involved a crash, 25 involved a fire, 23 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
