Worst 2016 Volkswagen Passat Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Airbags
Electrical Faults
Steering Defects
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 21 | 2 | — | 42,572 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 21 | 1 | — | 28,022 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 18 | 1 | — | 39,345 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 17 | — | — | 76,298 mi | |
| Brakes | 15 | 1 | — | 28,277 mi | |
| Fuel System | 14 | — | — | 52,812 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 11 | — | — | 34,567 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 5 | — | — | 71,333 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 5 | — | — | 44,778 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Lane Departure: Assist | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Wheel Speed Sensor | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility:Windshield | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2016 Volkswagen Passat
5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~754,176 vehicles.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Other Volkswagen Passat Years
2016 Volkswagen Passat — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
What are common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
How safe is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
Does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Volkswagen Passat reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2016 Volkswagen Passat
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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