2009 Volkswagen Passat Steering Problems

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

20Steering complaints

13.7%Of all 146 complaints

#3Most-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

ENGINE60 · 41.1%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM46 · 31.5%

STEERING20 · 13.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM17 · 11.6%

AIR BAGS12 · 8.2%

Share of the 146 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Volkswagen Passat overview page.

What owners report

“SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 75000 MI ON IT 3 YEARS AGO, WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND START IT THE…”NHTSA complaint 11181648 — filed 02/21/2019

“MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 35000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK IS DEFECTIVE HAS BEEN APPEARING ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS DEFECTIVE PART WILL…”NHTSA complaint 11152234 — filed 11/17/2018

“TAKATA RECALL WANTING TO KNOW IF MY CAR IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR 18V148000 AND 08V57700 FOR SUSPENSION”NHTSA complaint 11103755 — filed 06/25/2018

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Volkswagen Passat have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Volkswagen Passat: 20 of 146 complaints on file (13.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Volkswagen Passat have in total?

146 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 2 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.