2010 Volkswagen Passat Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · 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 power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 163 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2010 Volkswagen Passat overview page.
What owners report
“SO WE JUST PAYED OFF OUR CAR AND THE PROBLEMS STARTED, FIRST THE CAR WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE IT ACTED AS IT WAS IN NEUTRAL…”NHTSA complaint 11100084 — filed 06/05/2018
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS. THE "DRIVE…”NHTSA complaint 11012068 — filed 08/01/2017
“GEAR INDICATOR, PRNDS, WAS FLASHING AFTER COUPLE HOURS DRIVE ON A CITY STREET OR AFTER HIGHWAY, THEN CAR CANNOT REVERSE AND STAY IN THE SLOW…”NHTSA complaint 10957146 — filed 02/26/2017
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2010 Volkswagen Passat have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2010 Volkswagen Passat: 29 of 163 complaints on file (17.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2010 Volkswagen Passat have in total?
163 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 2 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
