2006 Volkswagen Passat Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

111Steering complaints

19.3%Of all 576 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS145 · 25.2%

STEERING111 · 19.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM68 · 11.8%

ENGINE64 · 11.1%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM41 · 7.1%

Share of the 576 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 Volkswagen Passat overview page.

What owners report

“GOSH WHERE DO I START VW PASSAT 51000 MILES ALOT OF THINGS WENT WRONG.. CAR STARTER VOLKS CAME OUT CAUSING THE STARTER TO BREAK MY…”NHTSA complaint 10255596 — filed 01/19/2009

“BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2008, I WAS HAVING MINIMAL ISSUES WITH HAVING THE KEY STICK INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE EASILY PUSH THE…”NHTSA complaint 10254227 — filed 01/08/2009

“2006 VW PASSAT WITH STEERING ISSUE. MESSAGE IN DASH INDICATES "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE." LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SAYS ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED…”NHTSA complaint 10253543 — filed 01/02/2009

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2006 Volkswagen Passat: 111 of 576 complaints on file (19.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have in total?

576 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.