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2015 Volkswagen Passat

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Passat.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2015 Volkswagen Passat is a passenger car whose maintenance schedule is anchored by a 5.8-quart oil fill using 0W-40, 5W-30, or 5W-40 viscosity. In the model's 1990–2022 complaint history, the 2015 model year logged 242 owner complaints—well below the 2013 peak of 747 yet far above the 2022 low of 11—with air bags cited as the top complaint area and seven recalls on record. That positioning points to a moderate reliability footprint rather than either a standout problem year or a benchmark of dependability.

Model year2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.8 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type0W-40 / 5W-30 / 5W-40OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Battery group and CCA will vary by model options and region. Refer to the appropriate service information. · Battery group and CCA will vary by model options and region. Refer to the appropriate service information. CCA battery, OE oil filter 03N117070. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI Battery group and CCA will vary by model options and region. Refer to the appropriate service information. · Battery group and CCA will vary by model options and region. Refer to the appropriate service information. CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Tire sizeP215/60R16, P225/55R17, P235/45R18OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6.5-J, 7-J, 8-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	03N117070 alt 03N115441
Engine air filter	5C0129620 alt 1K0129620B
Fuel filter	3C0919679A alt 5Q0127177
Spark plug	06K905601D alt 101905622
Battery	000915089F alt 000915089E
Front wiper blades	561955426B alt 561955425B
Serpentine belt	06J260849F alt 022145933AP
Thermostat	WHT007713 alt 04L121113C
Cabin air filter	1K1819669 alt 1K0819644B

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	191.7 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	57.9 in
Wheelbase	110.2 in
Curb weight	3172 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Passat of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.7–8.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.70 sec — 2016 V6 SEL Premium Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2016	V6 SEL Premium Sedan 3.6L V6	5.70 sec	14.30 sec	280 hp	FWD
2016	SEL Sedan 1.8L Turbo I-4	7.80 sec	16.00 sec	170 hp	FWD
2016	SEL Premium Sedan 1.8L Turbo I-4	8.00 sec	16.20 sec	170 hp	FWD
2018	GT Sedan 3.6L V6	5.80 sec	14.40 sec	280 hp	FWD
2018	GT Sedan 3.6L V6	5.90 sec	14.30 sec	280 hp	FWD
2018	TSI SE Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	8.10 sec	16.10 sec	174 hp	FWD
2018	TSI R-Line Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	8.40 sec	16.40 sec	174 hp	FWD
2020	SE Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	7.80 sec	15.90 sec	174 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.8 qt of 0W-40 / 5W-30 / 5W-40 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-3-6-2-5. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Engine Coolant	VW G13 coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity	10.5
Engine Coolant	VW G13 coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity	8.5
Engine Coolant	VW G13 coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity	9.5
Engine Coolant	Use genuine VW G13 type coolant/antifreeze

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	84 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18.4 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	6.6
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18.4
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	6.6
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18.4
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18.4
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	22.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-3-6-2-5
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	60 rpm
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Spark Plug Gap	.028 - .031 in
Spark Plug Torque	22 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Volkswagen

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	20.16-20.48 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	3.38-4.06 oz

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	58
Residual Pressure	43.5 min pressure after 10 min psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	58-101 min pressure after 10 min. psi
Residual Pressure	58 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque	Front: 22; Rear: 26 /; Front: 22; Rear: 26 Always
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque	Front: 148; Rear: 66 /; Front: 148; Rear: 66
ABS Sensor Torque	6 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement	Front: .866; Rear: NS

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat bolt head washers and threads with clean engine oil

1	29.5 ft. lbs.	29.5 ft. lbs
2	44.2 ft. lbs.	44.2 ft. lbs
3	90 degrees	90 degrees
4	90 degrees	90 degrees

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

48.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

48 ft. lbs

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

22.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180

22 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 10,000 mi	Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Diesel Emissions Fluid (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Headlamp Washer Nozzle (inspect)
Every 20,000 mi	Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Diesel Particulate Filter (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 40,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Door Stop (lubricate) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 60,000 mi	Air Intake Hose Debris Screen (clean) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 mi	Diesel Particulate Filter (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record shows that complaints for the Passat rose sharply after 2011, peaking at 747 in 2013 and remaining elevated at 592 in 2014 before falling to 242 in 2015. Recall activity followed a similar pattern, with 11 recalls in 2012, 9 in 2013, 10 in 2014, and 7 in 2015. By 2016 complaints had dropped further to 106 and recalls to 5, indicating a downward trend after the 2013‑2014 high. The 2015 model therefore sits on the declining side of that arc, with both complaint and recall counts lower than the preceding two years but higher than the subsequent two years. Because the data do not specify root causes for these events, the improvement reflects only the observed reduction in reported issues. Consequently, the 2015 Passat appears to be a comparatively safer choice within this generation, though buyers should still verify individual vehicle history.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1124

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

242

Owner complaints

11 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14’15’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’22

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 242 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags37

Engine20

Unknown Or Other15

Electrical System,Air Bags12

Suspension10

Service Brakes10

Electrical System9

Service Brakes,Engine9

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V014000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 11/01/2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's… Remedy: 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 4, 2019…

19V389000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1124 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TT 10-18-02_2	2026-06-18	Engine	Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
TT 13-20-01_3	2026-06-18	Engine	Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
V6919012010479_17	2026-06-11	Air Bags	Inquiries
V1719012012855_81	2026-06-04	Engine	Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
SM 26-2026	2026-05-19	Structure	This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Passat. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group B battery Vehicles taking 5.8 qt Engine oil filter 03N117070 Engine air filter 5C0129620 Fuel filter 3C0919679A Spark plug 06K905601D

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2015 Passat take?

5.8 qt of 0W-40, 5W-30 OR 5W-40 Meeting VW specification 502.00, per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 Passat have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.