YearToAvoid

2013 Volkswagen CC Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

71/100

#3 most-complained of 8 CC years

The 2013 Volkswagen CC has 148 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 71, ranking 3rd worst of 8 model years and earning a Caution verdict. Airbags are the top problem area at 60% of complaints, tied to 5 recalls including Takata inflators.

Complaints
148
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
7 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
23
19 city / 29 hwy

Top 2013 Volkswagen CC problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags89 (60%)
  2. Engine24 (16%)
  3. Electrical System20 (14%)
  4. Fuel System19 (13%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (6%)
  6. Steering8 (5%)
  7. Brakes5 (3%)
  8. Other5 (3%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain3 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body2 (1%)

What owners report

  • Driver or side curtain airbags fail to deploy in frontal or side-impact crashes, sometimes despite broken sensors.
  • Steering wheel locks up or shakes violently while in park right after startup, shaking the whole vehicle until it is shut off.
  • Engine stalls suddenly at low speeds, sometimes accompanied by a battery warning message on the dash.
  • Brake pedal is depressed but the vehicle continues to accelerate, requiring multiple restart attempts after stalling.
  • Steering wheel pulls the car to one side on the highway, leading to loss of control with the wheel and axle separating from the vehicle.
  • Idle stays elevated at all times, forcing the driver to apply heavy brake pressure just to keep the car stopped.
2013 Volkswagen CC complaints: complaints filed per quarter232012 Q22014 Q22015 Q32016 Q32017 Q32018 Q32019 Q3
184 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q2 to 2023 Q2; peak 2016 Q3 (23).

2013 Volkswagen CC recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V329000May 16, 2018Other252 vehicles

    Unknown or other

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

    Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

  2. NHTSA 18V148000Mar 6, 2018Airbags363,713 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

  3. NHTSA 17V509000Aug 16, 2017Fuel System280,915 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.

    Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.

See all 5 recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen CC →

2013 Volkswagen CC fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,500
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other CC years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014201520162017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution5786425
2012Avoid100230624
2013Caution71148523
2014Good4380525
2015Best1430425

All Volkswagen CC years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Volkswagen CC reliable?
NHTSA data shows 148 complaints for the 2013 CC with a complaint index of 71, ranking it 3rd worst among 8 CC model years and giving it a Caution verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Volkswagen CC?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 60% of complaints (89 of 148), with a median failure mileage of 46,500 miles.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen CC have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2013 CC, including three separate airbag recalls tied to Takata inflators and clock spring covers, plus a fuel pump control module recall and a general compliance recall.
How does the 2013 CC compare to other model years?
The 2013 CC's complaint index of 71 is worse than 2011 (57), 2014 (43), 2015 (14), and 2016 (29), but better than 2010 (86) and 2012 (100), which are both rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Volkswagen CC?
EPA rates the 2013 CC at 23 mpg combined (19 city / 29 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.