What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?

Owners filed 106 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags lead with 25, then the electrical system with 22. See the problems section above.

Does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have recalls?

Yes. The by-year fact shows 5 recalls for this model year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat reliable?

Complaints are one signal. This model year has 106 on file, and the groups are shown in the problems section. Read them with the recalls and safety sections.

Is 2016 the best year for the Volkswagen Passat?

Use the by-year comparison section of this page to see how the model years line up.

2016 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 106 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat^[1]. The air bags group is the largest, with 25 complaints^[2].

106owner complaints^[1]

5recalls^[3]

23–29MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups, biggest first. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name more than one component.

Air Bags. 25 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe an air bag warning light that stays on, and steering wheel buttons and the horn that stop working along with it. One owner says the air bags did not open after a crash.
Electrical System. 22 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a dash screen that freezes now and then, voice commands that miss words, and headlights that dim soon after switching on.
Steering. 19 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the horn and wheel controls going dead, and a sudden loss of power assist while driving.
Engine. 19 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a car that loses power on the road, hesitates when they press the pedal, or stalls and needs a tow.
Brakes. 17 complaints^[9].
Fuel/Propulsion System. 15 complaints^[10].
Unknown Or Other. 13 complaints^[11].
Speed Control. 11 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2016 Passat is necessarily included.

Unknown Or Other (21V321), May 2021. About 46 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash, injury.^[13]
Unknown Or Other (20V561), September 2020. About 23 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury.^[14]
Exterior Lighting › Headlights (19V389), May 2019. About 662,185 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced visibility. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System › Fuel Rail (16V403), June 2016. About 55 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine (15V705), October 2015. About 91,867 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking.^[17]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Passat, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	20 / 28 / 23	$2,900
Passat, 1.8L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	25 / 36 / 29	$2,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	10.7%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2016 Volkswagen Passat with 1.8L 4-cylinder^[19]	170 hp
2016 Volkswagen Passat with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[20]	200 hp
2016 Volkswagen Passat with 3.6L 6-cylinder^[21]	280 hp

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Passat model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	93	1
1996	40	1
1997	37	0
1998	331	4
1999	664	5
2000	507	3
2001	432	3
2002	643	3
2003	631	6
2004	285	3
2005	148	3
2006	576	7
2007	273	7
2008	174	4
2009	152	4
2010	172	4
2012	484	11
2013	749	9
2014	594	10
2015	244	7
2016	106	5
2017	110	7
2018	46	4
2019	12	1
2020	18	3
2021	18	1
2022	13	0

NHTSA's counts for the Passat show 106 complaints and 5 recalls for 2016^[3]. Among the 27 model years listed, 8 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 18 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2019 (12) and the most are for 2013 (749)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 Passat?

The 2016 Passat has 106 complaints on file with NHTSA^[1]. They spread across several groups, led by air bags at 25^[2] and the electrical system at 22^[6]. Four of the complaints mention a crash^[1]. These are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what owners notice. Check the recalls and the other sections on this page before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?: Owners filed 106 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. Air bags lead with 25^[2], then the electrical system with 22^[6]. See the problems section above.
Does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have recalls?: Yes. The by-year fact shows 5 recalls for this model year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat reliable?: Complaints are one signal. This model year has 106 on file^[1], and the groups are shown in the problems section. Read them with the recalls and safety sections.
Is 2016 the best year for the Volkswagen Passat?: Use the by-year comparison section of this page to see how the model years line up.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Volkswagen Passat

2012 484 complaints, 11 recalls
2013 749 complaints, 9 recalls
2014 594 complaints, 10 recalls
2015 244 complaints, 7 recalls
2016 this page
2017 110 complaints, 7 recalls

Compare all model years of the Volkswagen Passat

Other Volkswagen models from 2016

2016 Volkswagen Golf/GTI 237 complaints, 14 recalls
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan 97 complaints, 2 recalls

All Volkswagen models

Similar cars from 2016: midsize cars

2016 Subaru Legacy/Outback 790 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Toyota Corolla 215 complaints, 1 recall
2016 Audi A6 51 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Buick Regal 41 complaints, 1 recall
2016 Cadillac CTS 31 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Chevrolet Malibu 865 complaints, 10 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 106 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat (4 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 3 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
25 complaints name the air bags component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 46,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Volkswagen Passat model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Passat, 1.8L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 36 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
22 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 6,100). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 41,500). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 86,334). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 26,000). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 25,604). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 45,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 21V321, filed May 5, 2021: Unknown Or Other. NHTSA recall database
Recall 20V561, filed September 16, 2020: Unknown Or Other. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V389, filed May 22, 2019: Exterior Lighting › Headlights. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V403, filed June 6, 2016: Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System › Fuel Rail. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V705, filed October 26, 2015: Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Passat, 3.6L 6-cyl, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Volkswagen Passat with 1.8L 4-cylinder: rated 170 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Volkswagen Passat with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 200 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Volkswagen Passat with 3.6L 6-cylinder: rated 280 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 Volkswagen Passat: problems, recalls and fuel economy