2016 Volkswagen Passat Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2016 Volkswagen Passat has a complaint index of 35, ranking 12th out of 18 model years and earning a Good verdict relative to other Passat years. NHTSA lists 106 complaints, 5 recalls, and 4 crashes tied to this year, with Engine the top problem area.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 35/100
- #12 of 18 Passat years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 106
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 5
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 4
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22.5 city / 32 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2016 Volkswagen Passat problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine29 (27%)
- Airbags25 (24%)
- Electrical System25 (24%)
- Brakes21 (20%)
- Steering19 (18%)
- Fuel System18 (17%)
- Other13 (12%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras7 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (5%)
- Structure & Body4 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report sudden loss of steering and brake assist at low speed, in one case followed by a camshaft and later a vacuum pump replacement by the dealer.
- Some describe the adaptive cruise control braking on its own or refusing to brake normally, including one case with hard, unexpected full-force braking at 45 mph.
- Owners describe a turbo lag followed by a sudden surge of power when accelerating in traffic.
- One driver reported the car lurching forward unexpectedly while pulling into a parking spot, requiring an emergency stop.
- A harsh downshift with an audible bang was reported when decelerating to a stop, present since the vehicle was new.
- One owner reported airbags failing to deploy in a low-speed crash, resulting in passenger injury.
2016 Volkswagen Passat recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V321000May 5, 2021Other46 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.
- NHTSA 20V561000Sep 16, 2020Other23 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.
- NHTSA 19V389000May 22, 2019Electrical System662,185 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.
2016 Volkswagen Passat fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 32 MPG
- Combined
- 26 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,525
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- 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.
2016 compared with other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
- Among 18 Passat model years, 2016 ranks 12th worst with a complaint index of 35 and a Good verdict relative to other years. NHTSA lists 106 complaints and 5 recalls for this year.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
- Engine complaints make up the largest share at 27 percent of reports (29 complaints), followed closely by Airbags and Electrical System issues at 24 percent each.
- Does the 2016 Passat have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Passat, covering areas including the fuel system, engine, electrical system, and other components. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2016 Passat compare to other years?
- The 2016 Passat's complaint index of 35 is much lower than the worst year, 2013, which has an index of 100. Years like 2011, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 carry Best verdicts with lower indexes.
- What mileage do 2016 Passat problems typically appear at?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 34,000 for this model year overall, though individual problem areas range from 6,000 miles for electrical issues to 77,000 miles for fuel system issues.