2016 Volkswagen Passat
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Airbags & Restraints
Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 27 of 106 complaints (25%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 243 in 2015 to 106 in 2016.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | vs. 2016 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,250–3,350 | 2,250–3,350 | 2,150–2,700 | 2,300–2,700 | 2,150–2,850 | |
| Combined MPG | 23–34 | 23–34 | 23–29 | 23–27 | 22–29 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 20–30 / 28–40 | 20–30 / 28–42 | 20–25 / 28–36 | 20–23 / 28–34 | 19–25 / 28–36 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 290–390 | 299–390 | 306–390 | 329–390 | 302–396 | |
| Complaints filed | 594 | 243 | 106 | 110 | 45 | |
| Recalls issued | 10 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 19 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 5 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 15 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
Airbags & Restraints: 27 of 106 NHTSA complaints (25%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat get?
EPA rates it 23–29 MPG combined across 2 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
EPA estimates $2,150–$2,700 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (2)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 20 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | $2,700 (high) | 390 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 25 mpg (high) | 36 mpg (high) | 29 mpg (high) | $2,150 (low) | 306 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 22 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 27 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (5)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER · Campaign 21V321000 · May 6, 2021
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER · Campaign 20V561000 · Sep 17, 2020
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS · Campaign 19V389000 · May 24, 2019
Defect: 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."
Consequence: 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL · Campaign 16V403000 · Jun 6, 2016
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · Campaign 15V705000 · Oct 26, 2015
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.