2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
173
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
45
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
The 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT has received a total of 173 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with UNKNOWN OR OTHER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. 45 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (21 complaints), Electrical System (21 complaints), and Steering (18 complaints).
Recalls for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT, potentially affecting up to 846,043 vehicles.
Recall 21V321000 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
| 46 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 20V561000 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
| 23 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 19V389000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
| 662,185 vehicles affected
Defect: 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."
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 16V403000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
| 55 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 15V705000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
| 91,867 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 15V705000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
| 91,867 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
173 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 21 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control Esc | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bagsfrontaldriver Clockspringspiral Cassette | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Controlcatalytic Convertor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lightingbrake Lights | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Assist | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Airantilockwheel Speed Sensor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywindshield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2
The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2
The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2
Smell of fuel near rear seat. Gasket OK.
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that on seven occasions, the clock spring failed while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle with the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the clock spring was replaced under warranty; however, the failure returned soon after repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a Corporate Representative was sent to the dealer to test the repair. The representative test driving the vehicle also experienced with failure, and the clock spring fractured while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
Safety Rating for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
The 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 45 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
V371802203397511 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Automatic Transmission Fluid Requirements
V231707204111815 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
Updated to remove duplicate bolt part number in Passat part table.
16PasstServXprs — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
Changed oil part number to "06L-115-562-B" for CPRA engine.
16PasstServXprs — ENGINE
Changed oil part number to "06L-115-562-B" for CPRA engine.
16PasstServXprs — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Added: Torque Spec table
VIN-4-A-PIN-2019 — VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
Side mirror glass cracked
TT 57 18 04 — EQUIPMENT
Remote start diagnostic reference
TT 90 19 01 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Instructions to address oil sensor warning.
TT271703 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Information to assist with preventing calibration errors
TT 911704 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Diagnostic tip to look for aftermarket phone software that can effect infotainment operation.
Showing 10 of 45 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
- 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 27 complaints
- 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 657 complaints
- 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 1,025 complaints
- 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 776 complaints
- 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 388 complaints
- 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT (current)
- 2017 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 173 complaints
- 2018 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 62 complaints
- 2019 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 18 complaints
- 2020 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 22 complaints
- 2021 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 26 complaints
Other VOLKSWAGEN Models
- VOLKSWAGEN JETTA — 13,715 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — 3,613 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN — 3,104 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS — 2,635 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN GOLF — 1,991 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 1,916 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 — 1,568 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN CC — 1,356 total complaints