Model year guide

2013 Volkswagen Passat

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2013 Volkswagen Passat is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 838 on record.

2013 Volkswagen Passat — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2013 Volkswagen Passat at a glance

Safety recalls9
Owner complaints748
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined27 mpg
Typical price$12,519

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2013 Volkswagen Passat recalls 9

Exterior Lighting:headlights NHTSA Campaign #19V389000 · 22/05/2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #18V148000 · 06/03/2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This …

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel NHTSA Campaign #17V309000 · 11/05/2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft heat shield, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23W5.

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V078000 · 10/02/2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are a…

Air Bags:frontal NHTSA Campaign #15V483000 · 04/08/2015

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear th…

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs wi…

Electrical System:wiring NHTSA Campaign #16V171000 · 24/03/2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor, causing an electrical short.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in September. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23T3.

Exterior Lighting:headlights NHTSA Campaign #14V125000 · 17/03/2014

Volkswagen Group of America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Passat vehicles manufactured January 2011 through November 2012. In the affected vehicles, the low beam headlight bulb may become loose and lose electrical contact.

Fix: Volkswagen notified owners, and dealers will replace the bulb holder, free of charge. The recall began in May 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagens recall number associated with this campaign is 94G8/7V.

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #19V862000 · 04/12/2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 6…

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #24V834000 · 30/10/2024

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2013 Volkswagen Passat common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 748 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Seat Belts
Check that every belt latches, retracts and locks under a sharp tug, and that none are frayed.

2013 Volkswagen Passat safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2013 Volkswagen Passat 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2013 Volkswagen Passat MPG & running costs

Combined27 mpg
City24 mpg
Highway33 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,613

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2013 Volkswagen Passat worth?

Low
$9,800
Typical price
$12,519
High
$16,600

From 833 comparable 2013 Volkswagen Passat listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2013 Volkswagen Passat costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$13,065
Depreciation (5 yrs)$7,400
Total$20,465
Per mile$0.27

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($12,519) with the same model 5 model-years older ($5,135), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2013 Volkswagen Passat trims & engines on record

Trims
SE PZEV · Wolfsburg Edition PZEV · TDI SE · SE · TDI SEL Premium · Comfortline · S · Trendline · SEL · Highline
Engines
2.5L 5-cyl 170 hp · 2.0L 4-cyl 140 hp · 3.6L 6-cyl 280 hp · 2.0L 4-cyl 200 hp

2013 Volkswagen Passat vehicles on record

Other Volkswagen Passat model years

2013 Volkswagen Passat — frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Volkswagen Passat have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Passat. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Volkswagen Passat?

Based on 748 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, engine, exterior lighting.

What is the 2013 Volkswagen Passat safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2013 Volkswagen Passat an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2013 Volkswagen Passat get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2013 Volkswagen Passat at about 27 mpg combined (24 city / 33 highway).

How much is a 2013 Volkswagen Passat worth?

Comparable 2013 Volkswagen Passat listings run roughly $9,800–$16,600, typically around $12,519 (from 833 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.