Used car guide

2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Volkswagen Passat first registered in 2005 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 1,169 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,169MOTs of 2005 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
60%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 57%)
6,000typical miles a year
3.3×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints3.3× usual
    Volkswagen Passat
    23.3% All 2005 cars
    7.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.8%, against 3.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.8× usual
    Volkswagen Passat
    18.6% All 2005 cars
    10.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.7%, against 2.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Airbag warning light2.9× usual
    Volkswagen Passat
    4.9% All 2005 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.7%, against 1.5% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Engine warning light2.1× usual
    Volkswagen Passat
    6.2% All 2005 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.2%, against 2.9% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes2.5× usual
    Volkswagen Passat
    4.3% All 2005 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 3% here, against 14.9% of all 2005 cars. Track rod ends: 2% here, against 5.9% of all 2005 cars.

Common 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    38% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    33% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    31% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    24% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    17% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults on the 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Accelerator that doesn’t respond

    All engines

    A faulty accelerator pedal or its wiring can stop the engine responding and turn on the EPC warning light.

    At the viewing: Make sure the EPC light goes out and the car responds smoothly to the pedal.

    Source: Haynes: VW Passat common problems (2005-2010)

  • Electronic parking brake warning

    All engines

    The parking brake warning light can come on for no reason because of a faulty control unit.

    At the viewing: Apply and release the parking brake and make sure no warning stays on.

    Source: Haynes: VW Passat common problems (2005-2010)

  • Humming when cornering

    All engines

    Old gearbox oil can cause a hum from underneath on corners.

    At the viewing: Listen for humming on bends.

    Source: Haynes: VW Passat common problems (2005-2010)

  • Rattle from the air con compressor

    Cars with air con

    Play in the air con compressor pulley causes a rattle from the front of the engine. The fix needs the air con system draining and refilling.

    At the viewing: Listen at idle with the air con on and off.

    Source: Haynes: VW Passat common problems (2005-2010)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the 2005 Volkswagen Passat petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volkswagen Passat?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Volkswagen Passat compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023287Tyres 15%
20222,624Tyres 28%
20217,465Tyres 27%
202017,869Tyres 27%
201922,325Tyres 28%
201832,683Tyres 29%
201742,116Tyres 30%
201645,637Tyres 31%
201547,105Tyres 31%
201444,943Suspension 37%
201336,717Suspension 41%
201241,982Suspension 45%
201149,171Suspension 49%
201033,814Suspension 52%
200933,875Suspension 52%
200828,332Suspension 54%
200724,515Suspension 55%
200616,564Suspension 59%
20049,761Suspension 47%
20038,275Suspension 48%
20025,264Suspension 48%
20013,085Suspension 50%
20001,441Suspension 49%
19991,160Suspension 48%
1998835Suspension 47%
1997272Suspension 49%
1996155Brakes 49%
1995–Too few tests
1994–Too few tests
1993–Too few tests
1992–Too few tests
1991–Too few tests
1990–Too few tests
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests
1983–Too few tests
1982–Too few tests
1981–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Volkswagen Passat cars first registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score