Representative model. Photo: Elise240SX, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2016 Volkswagen Passat recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2016 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 5
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 106
Latest campaign: May 5, 2021

Recall summary by component5

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Unknown or other	2	May 5, 2021	21V321000 20V561000
Exterior lighting	1	May 22, 2019	19V389000
Fuel system, gasoline	1	Jun 6, 2016	16V403000
Engine and engine cooling	1	Oct 26, 2015	15V705000

Safety recalls5

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

May 5, 2021Latest campaign


May 5, 202121V321000	Unknown or other Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire. DetailsHide details for campaign 21V321000 What's wrong 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. Campaign NHTSA 21V321000 · May 5, 2021
Sep 16, 202020V561000	Unknown or other Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants. DetailsHide details for campaign 20V561000 What's wrong 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. Campaign NHTSA 20V561000 · Sep 16, 2020
May 22, 201919V389000	Exterior lighting: headlights Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. DetailsHide details for campaign 19V389000 What's wrong 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. Campaign NHTSA 19V389000 · May 22, 2019
Jun 6, 201616V403000	Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system fuel rail A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire. DetailsHide details for campaign 16V403000 What's wrong 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. Campaign NHTSA 16V403000 · Jun 6, 2016
Oct 26, 201515V705000	Engine and engine cooling: engine 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. DetailsHide details for campaign 15V705000 What's wrong 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. Campaign NHTSA 15V705000 · Oct 26, 2015

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Volkswagen recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Buying a used 2016 Volkswagen Passat? Recalls cover the model; a history report checks one car's title, odometer and accident records. VinAudit history report → Sponsored · disclosure

Owner complaints by component106

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

106Complaints filed

4Involving a crash

0Involving a fire

3Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Injuries
Air bags	25	24	2	1
Electrical system	22	21	1	1
Steering	19	18	1	0
Service brakes	17	16	1	1
Engine	17	16	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	15	14	0	0
Unknown or other	13	12	2	1
Vehicle speed control	11	10	0	0
Forward collision avoidance	7	7	0	0
Power train	5	5	0	0
Exterior lighting	5	5	0	0
Electronic stability control (ESC)	5	5	0	0
Structure	4	4	1	0
Fuel system	3	3	0	0
Gasoline	3	3	0	0

9 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

Steering
“The clock spring system failed, rendering all of the cars' steering wheel functions non-functional.”
Filed 05/03/2026 · ODI 11735422
Fuel/propulsion system
“currently leaking raw fuel under the hood (matching Recall 15F7) and stalling after fill-ups (matching Recall 24V110000).”
Filed 04/21/2026 · ODI 11732738
Fuel system
“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.”
Filed 02/24/2026 · ODI 11720214

Other Volkswagen Passat model years

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2016 Volkswagen Passat recall questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The most recent, 21V321000 (reported May 5, 2021), concerns unknown or other. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2016 Volkswagen Passat recalls for?

The largest group is unknown or other, with 2 campaigns. Others: exterior lighting (1), fuel system, gasoline (1), engine and engine cooling (1). Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?

Air bags is the most-reported component, named in 25 complaints out of 106 filed with NHTSA (24%). Across all complaints, owners reported 4 crashs and 0 fires. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2016 Volkswagen Passat?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Volkswagen recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Volkswagen dealer.

Check a specific Volkswagen by VIN

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