2016 Volkswagen Passat problems, complaints & recalls

2016 Volkswagen Passat recalls (5)

• Recall 21V321000May 5, 202146 vehicles
  UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

  Risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

• Recall 20V561000Sep 16, 202023 vehicles
  UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

  Risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.

• Recall 19V389000May 22, 2019662,185 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

  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 installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

  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 contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.

• Recall 16V403000Jun 6, 201655 vehicles
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.

  Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.

• Recall 15V705000Oct 26, 201591,867 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.

  Risk: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.

Recent 2016 Volkswagen Passat complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed May 3, 2026NVAirbagsElectrical SystemSteering

   The clock spring system failed, rendering all of the cars' steering wheel functions non-functional. The airbag light is on and the steering wheels airbag does not operate as well as the cars horn and auto cruise controls. The instrument cluster is malfunctioning as well. The safety risks associated with the malfunctions could result in great harm to the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

   NHTSA complaint #11735422 · source
2. Filed Apr 21, 2026TXFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   currently leaking raw fuel under the hood (matching Recall 15F7) and stalling after fill-ups (matching Recall 24V110000). I am requesting a Specialized Safety Review and Goodwill Assistance to cover the repair because this is a documented manufacturing defect, not wear-and-tear." 2. Leverage the "Suction Jet Pump" Investigation There is a current investigation (as of early 2026) because VW’s recent fuel pump recall (24V110000) didn't include enough vehicles.

   NHTSA complaint #11732738 · source
3. Filed Feb 24, 202689,000 miTXFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V403000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the…

   NHTSA complaint #11720260 · source
4. Filed Feb 24, 2026115,000 miTXFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin. The contact immediately pulled over and exited the vehicle to inspect for visible fuel leaks, but found no leaks. While attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and stalled repeatedly. Additionally, the brakes failed to function properly, preventing the…

   NHTSA complaint #11720214 · source
5. Filed Oct 2, 2025FLBrakesDriver Assistance & Safety TechElectrical System

   The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2

   NHTSA complaint #11691060 · source
6. Filed Aug 18, 202527,000 miPAAirbags

   The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that on seven occasions, the clock spring failed while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle with the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the clock spring was replaced under warranty; however, the failure returned soon after repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a Corporate…

   NHTSA complaint #11681294 · source
7. Filed Jul 7, 2025MDFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Description of the Problem: The fuel pump housing on my 2016 Volkswagen Passat (1.8L TSI) developed visible cracks, which caused a persistent fuel vapor smell around the vehicle, especially after refueling. The failed component — the plastic fuel pump assembly manufactured by Continental — is available for inspection and has been photographed. Safety Risk: The cracks allowed gasoline vapors to escape, creating a clear fire hazard. I experienced headaches from the fumes while…

   NHTSA complaint #11671816 · source
8. Filed Jun 26, 2025MSEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   The fuel delivery system appears to have failed. Specifically, there is an active gasoline leak from a fuel line inside the cabin, near or under the rear seat. The source may be related to an unresolved recall involving the fuel rail detaching from the engine, which causes pressurized fuel leakage. The failed component is still present on the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. The back seat was removed by a mechanic who observed gasoline actively spewing into…

   NHTSA complaint #11669476 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology