Four problems related to diesel engine have been reported for the 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2013 Volkswagen Passat based on all problems reported for the 2013 Passat.
2013 Volkswagen Passat. Consumer writes in regards to no communication from customer service regarding emissions issues or airbag recall repairs. Consumer states wants to be considered for buy-back program. The consumer stated two weeks ago, the nitrogen emissions sensor came on due to the ongoing issue with the emissions system.
On 11/9/14 the turbo failed on my 2013 vw Passat with the tdi diesel engine. Vw knows they are having a serious issue with their turbos on the tdi engine (europe currently has a class action law suit against them). In August I received a letter in the mail from vw extending my warrenty on the turbo to 10 years/120000 miles. They are simply waiting for the turbos to fail rather than replacing them on all 2012 & 2013 Passats. This is a serious safety concern, when the turbo fails you loose all engine power (ie. Gm ignition recall). This is an extremly dangeous position for vw to put its customers in who dont have the knowledge of what to do in a situation when you loose engine power at highway speeds. Mine did just that, it failed on the highway resulting in no power. I would like to see vw recall these turbos and replace them in all the affected cars before it causes a fatlity.
While driving at 55mph, the vehicle lost power and the "glow plug" light on the dashboard illuminated. The vehicle nearly stalled on the expressway while in traffic, and then would not operate above 25-30 mph. I had the vehicle taken by flat bed tow truck to the vw dealer, where it was diagnosed as "turbine shaft seized" and repaired under warranty. Review of public data reveals this to be a common occurrence with the Passat equipped with the diesel engine.
1. There is a noticeable hesitation after a cold start (tdi, diesel engine) going from 2nd to 3rd gear. This has occurred everyday since purchased. 2. This car has always and still has a hard right pull since purchase (car will pull into adjacent lane within 200-250 feet). My previous 2012 Passat tdi sel steered staight. My car has been to the local dealership to fix this issue on four separate occasions, to no avail.