1991 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability
30 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1991 Volkswagen Passat, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 2/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1991 Volkswagen Passat has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1991 sits among all Passat years
What owners report
Recalls (1)
THE VENTURI TUBE LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE VALVE HOUSING CAN BECOME LOOSE AND FALL AGAINST THE THROTTLE PLATE.
Fix: REPLACE THE PRESS-FIT VENTURI TUBE WITH A THREAD TYPE TUBE.
Technical service bulletins
14 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and airbags — are on file for the 1991 Volkswagen Passat. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1991 Passat TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1991 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
The 1991 Volkswagen Passat drew 30 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 2/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).
What are the most common 1991 Volkswagen Passat problems?
The top reported problems for the 1991 Volkswagen Passat are visibility & wipers (7 complaints), engine (6), and fuel system (4).
Does the 1991 Volkswagen Passat have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1991 Volkswagen Passat. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.