VehicleVerdict

1998 Volkswagen Passat electrical system problems

The 1998 Volkswagen Passat has 34 electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA — 7% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

34

Electrical System complaints

7%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Electrical System complaints by year

Passat electrical system complaints by model year232 complaints1990: 3 complaints1991: 2 complaints1992: 4 complaints1993: 16 complaints1994: 6 complaints1995: 20 complaints1996: 59 complaints1997: 23 complaints1998: 34 complaints1999: 68 complaints2000: 48 complaints2001: 85 complaints2002: 232 complaints2003: 107 complaints2004: 27 complaints2005: 9 complaints2006: 89 complaints2007: 34 complaints2008: 24 complaints2009: 26 complaints2010: 22 complaints2011: 4 complaints2012: 100 complaints2013: 107 complaints2014: 82 complaints2015: 52 complaints2016: 27 complaints2017: 20 complaints2018: 10 complaints2019: 4 complaints2020: 1 complaints2021: 4 complaints2022: 2 complaints
Passat electrical system complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OVER, OPENED HOOD AND SAW VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. ALSO, THROTTLE BODY AND CV JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE STALLES, MISFIRED, AND IDLE FLUCTUATED FROM LOW TO HIGH. *AK”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · February 13, 2003 · fire

Common questions

How many electrical system complaints does the 1998 Volkswagen Passat have?

NHTSA has 34 complaints about the 1998 Volkswagen Passat electrical system — 7% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.