2017 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
58/100
#6 most-complained of 13 Passat years
The 2017 Volkswagen Passat has a Complaint Index of 58 and ranks 6th worst out of 13 model years, earning a "Caution" label. NHTSA lists 110 complaints, 7 recalls, and 9 crashes, with airbags the top complaint area at 25% of reports.
- Complaints
- 110
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes / fires
- 9 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 21.5 city / 31 hwy
Top 2017 Volkswagen Passat problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags28 (25%)
- Other22 (20%)
- Electrical System19 (17%)
- Brakes18 (16%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras18 (16%)
- Steering16 (15%)
- Engine10 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (7%)
- Fuel System7 (6%)
- Lane Departure6 (5%)
What owners report
- Driver airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal and rear-end crashes, including a deer collision at about 40 mph.
- Owners report a rear wheel or wheel-holding metal breaking apart at highway speed, causing loss of control.
- A driver-side front wheel reportedly detached at 65 mph without any prior flat tire or impact.
- The transmission was reported to unexpectedly shift from automatic to manual mode during low-speed acceleration.
- The Forward Collision Avoidance system reportedly failed to detect another vehicle at about 15 mph, resulting in a crash with no airbag deployment.
- A sunroof reportedly shattered on its own while the car was parked, with no impact involved.
2017 Volkswagen Passat recalls
7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V834000Oct 30, 2024Airbags248,330 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
- 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.
2017 Volkswagen Passat fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21.5 MPG
- Highway
- 31 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,600
- 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.
2017 compared with other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2017 Passat a Complaint Index of 58 and a "Caution" verdict, ranking 6th worst among 13 model years. It has fewer complaints than the 2012-2015 Passat years, which are rated "Avoid."
- What is the biggest problem with the 2017 Passat?
- Airbags are the top complaint area, accounting for 28 of 110 complaints (25% share) and involved in 3 crashes, at a median failure mileage of 33,750 miles.
- Does the 2017 Passat have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2017 Passat, covering airbags, brakes, and electrical system issues, including a driver's side frontal airbag inflator recall and a brake caliper bracket bolt recall.
- How does the 2017 Passat compare to other Passat years?
- Its Complaint Index of 58 is lower than the 2012 (83), 2013 (100), 2014 (92), and 2015 (75) model years, which are rated "Avoid," but higher than 2018 (42) and 2019 (0), which rate "Good" and "Best."
- What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Passat?
- The 2017 Passat gets an EPA-rated 25 mpg combined (21.5 city / 31 highway) and costs an estimated $2,600 per year in fuel.