2016 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
50/100
#7 most-complained of 13 Passat years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2016 Volkswagen Passat has 106 NHTSA complaints, 5 recalls, and a complaint index of 50, ranking 7th worst of 13 model years — a Caution year, well below the worse 2012-2015 model years but above the newer, cleaner ones.
- Complaints
- 106
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22.5 city / 32 hwy
Top 2016 Volkswagen Passat problems
NHTSA owner 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%)
What owners report
- Owners report sudden loss of steering and braking assist at low speed, sometimes traced to a failed camshaft or vacuum pump.
- Some describe unexpected hard braking or complete brake failure with no clear cause, occurring at highway speed.
- Adaptive cruise control has reportedly disengaged and braked the car when the front sensor iced up, causing a brief loss of control.
- Drivers describe a harsh clunk or bang during downshifts from 2nd to 1st gear at low RPM and low speed.
- Some report a turbo lag followed by a sudden surge of power when accelerating in traffic.
- Airbags have reportedly failed to deploy in a crash, and one owner reported an unrelated airbag warning light with a disabled horn.
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?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2016 Passat carries a Caution verdict, with a complaint index of 50 and 106 complaints, better than the 2012-2015 Avoid years but worse than the 2018-2022 Passat years.
- What problems does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have?
- Owners most often report Engine issues (29 complaints, 27% share), followed by Airbags and Electrical System issues (25 complaints each, 24% share) and Brakes (21 complaints, 20% share).
- Does the 2016 Passat have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2016 Passat, covering areas including Electrical System, Fuel System, and Engine, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year Volkswagen Passat should I avoid?
- Among the years with data, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 carry an Avoid verdict, with 2013 having the highest complaint index at 100; the 2016 model is rated Caution instead.
- What is the median mileage at failure for 2016 Passat complaints?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 34,000 miles for the 2016 Passat overall, though Engine and Airbag issues show a median of 46,000 miles.