The 2007 Volkswagen Passat has 7 recalls, the most serious being a driver's frontal airbag inflator that can explode during deployment and send metal fragments into the cabin, risking serious injury or death.
All but one of these recalls address the same underlying airbag defect. The driver's frontal airbag inflator can build excessive internal pressure when deployed, causing it to rupture or explode. Metal fragments can then be propelled toward the driver or other occupants. In some cases the inflator failure can also damage the airbag module itself, preventing the bag from deploying properly in a crash. This defect is linked to long-term exposure to high humidity and temperature, which degrades the inflator's propellant over time, and prior repair attempts have not fully resolved the issue across all affected vehicles, which is why multiple campaigns exist for what is essentially the same hazard.
The remaining recall covers the fuel system. An electrical interruption to the fuel pump control module can cause the fuel pump to stop working, which will stall the engine without warning. A sudden stall, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic, raises the risk of a crash.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown caused by long-term exposure to high humidity, high heat, and repeated temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The driver's front air bag inflator may build up excessive pressure during deployment and rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's front air bag inflator with an alternate inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's front air bag inflator can build up excessive pressure during deployment and rupture, potentially causing injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's front air bag inflator with a safer alternative at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Heat and humidity can degrade the chemical propellant in the driver's airbag over time. If deployed in a crash, the degraded propellant may cause the airbag to inflate with excessive force, potentially scattering fragments or damaging the airbag assembly.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the driver's airbag inflator with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel pump control module may lose electrical power, causing the fuel pump to stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel pump control module at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's front air bag inflator may build up too much internal pressure and rupture when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's airbag inflator could build up excessive pressure and rupture during deployment, sending metal fragments toward the driver and preventing the airbag from working properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's front airbag inflator with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
