Owners filed 110 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 7 times.
When it fails
03200032,000 milesMedian miles at failure
51 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 0–10,000 miles.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air Bags
26
3
0
2
Service Brakes
14
1
0
0
Unknown or Other
12
0
1
0
Fuel/Propulsion System
6
0
0
0
Electrical System
6
0
0
0
Engine
5
0
0
0
Visibility/Wiper
4
0
0
0
Power Train
4
0
0
0
Tires
3
1
0
1
Structure › Body
3
2
0
0
7 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module24V834000
Filed Oct 30, 2024248,330 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
Defect. 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.
Unknown or Other21V321000
Filed May 5, 202146 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
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 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.
Unknown or Other20V561000
Filed Sep 16, 202023 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
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 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.
Unknown or Other19V679000
Filed Sep 25, 2019113 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk. If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
Exterior Lighting › Headlights19V389000
Filed May 22, 2019662,185 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
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."
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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper18V536000
Filed Aug 15, 20188,416 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2017-2018 Volkswagen Passat vehicles. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently.
Risk. The loose brake bracket bolts can allow the caliper to move, reducing braking ability or causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of charge. For Passat vehicles, dealers will also inspect the parking brake cable for proper connection, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46H6.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Fluid17V075000
Filed Feb 8, 20171,007 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.
Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Passat vehicles. Brake fluid may leak slowly from the some of the brake line connections, resulting in a low brake fluid level.
Risk. A low brake fluid level may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47N3.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Aug 27, 2026PA
I am reporting a recurring safety-related defect involving the factory-installed infotainment touchscreen in my 2017 Volkswagen Passat SE Technology. The touchscreen intermittently malfunctions in several ways. At times, the entire infotainment system freezes and becomes completely unresponsive, preventing access to any controls. The screen also has developed "dead spots" where touch inputs do not register. Additionally, it sometimes registers "phantom touches," responding to inputs when the screen is not being touched. I believe this presents a safety concern because the infotainment system is an integrated component of the vehicle and is intended to be operated by the driver. When the system freezes, fails to respond, or registers unintended inputs, the driver may have to divert their attention from the roadway to determine what is happening, attempt to operate the system, or restart it. Dead spots can also prevent the driver from accessing desired functions. Pennsylvania recognizes the safety risks associated with distracted driving, including activities that take a driver's eyes off the roadway or hands off the wheel. A malfunctioning factory-installed touchscreen can create this type of distraction even when the driver is attempting to use the vehicle's integrated system. I have found multiple reports from other 2017 Volkswagen Passat owners describing similar infotainment problems, including frozen screens and touchscreen areas that become unresponsive. This suggests th
Forward Collision AvoidanceCrash
Filed Aug 5, 2026114,000 milesAL
The contact owns 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, with the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated, the vehicle failed to detect another vehicle and the vehicle was involved in a crash. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injuries sustained. A Police report was filed but the information was not provided. The vehicle was vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 114,000.
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 22, 2026FL
Cracks in the fuel pump houisng cauisng vapors and fumes into my car.
Electrical System
Filed Jan 15, 2026FL
ABS sensor has failed. Air bag sensor is faulty due to abs
Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 3, 2025OR
While in cruise control and going up a incline or a hill The EPC light will come on and the car will start lugging down very badly and have no power, they've said vehicle has done this for a year now and we have not been able to get any kind of acknowledgment of it from another dealership or the actual company I've said make and model of vehicle Volkswagen Passat
Service Brakes
Filed Dec 3, 2025OR
Said vehicle started making a grinding sound and all of a sudden the brake pad or shoe they'll completely off of the vehicle and the caliper for disc brake was the wrong calipers on my front end of my vehicle and now it's upside down and backwards and it's not the right calipers for my vehicle
Engine
Filed Nov 10, 2025355,000 milesNJ
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine warning light and an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to intermittently start and stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to an electrical malfunction. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 355,000.
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 12, 2025FL
Began smelling fuel in the cockpit about 2 months ago but thought not much about why until it kept getting stronger. Looked under the car a saw fuel dripping in front of rear passenger wheel and directly under tank.
Electrical System
Filed Aug 25, 2025CA
Fuel pump control module over heated and burned
Air Bags
Filed May 20, 2025MI
While backing into a parking spot there was a crunching sound in the steering column. Following this noise the air bag light came on and all steering wheel control buttons nonfunctional including the horn. I reached out to a Volkswagen dealer as I had seen recalls for the clockspring, I was told my vehicle was not included in the recall. This is a 2017 Passat and had approximately 130,000 miles when this occurred. The closest dealer is over 2 hours away, and the service department is only open Monday-Friday.
Air Bags
Filed Apr 18, 2025WA
Today, as my wife was driving home, she heard a "crunch" noise while making a turn. Afterwards, the Airbag light came on, and her steering wheel botton functions are not working, including her car horn. This all relates to the clockspring. This will be the third time we have had the clockspring replaced. This is extremely inconvenient, as the dealership is an hour away. The original clockspring didn't break until October 2023. The second broke and replaced in August of 2024. Now, we are scheduling to have the clockspring replaced again, 6 months later. I am unsure why the part is so unreliable. Whomever manufactures the part needs to do a FAR better job. This was our first new car, and now we regret the purchase due to this headache.
Tires
Filed Oct 3, 2024123,393 milesTX
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: T1XX, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: B9ELT1XX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in a parking lot, the contact became aware that the rear passenger’s side tire had three cracks approximately 3 inches in length on the side wall near the rim. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer for inspection, and the tire dealer informed the contact that there was no issue with the integrity of the tire. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 123,393. The tire failure mileage was 30,000.
Air Bags
Filed Jul 25, 2024MI
Clock spring on vehicle has failed. This is a known issue with many VW vehicles, but I have been told my vehicle is not on the extended warranty program. 2017 VW Passat - approximately 150,000 miles. This eliminates all steering wheel controls, horn, cruise control, and air bags.
Power Train
Filed May 21, 2024IN
On 6 separate occasions while operating my vehicle it randomly stops running. The first two were at 40 mph and I was told it was a battery issue. It happened twice less than 4 days after the battery was replaced, once at 25 mph and once at 15 mph. I then had the fuel pump replaced. Less than 4 days later it happened twice again. Once at 10 mph and another time at 45 mph.
Air Bags
Filed Apr 21, 2024NM
Our 2017 VW Passat had the clockspring replaced last year under warranty number [XXX] at Barnes Crossing Volkswagen in Tupelo, MS. The airbag stopped working and safety features such as adaptive cruise control were also not available. Not realizing the airbag would NOT deploy in the event of an accident, Volkswagen asked us to drive an hour to have it repaired which was considerably dangerous. As of today the clockspring they replaced once again failed with the same associated problems. I am submitting a report due to how dangerous this problem is considering they supposedly fixed the issue however it seems multiple people have reported the issue coming back. The fact the airbag could stop working at anytime due to a defective clockspring is very troublesome and make me worry in the event of an accident if the clockspring will fail thus not allowing the airbag to deploy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering
Filed Feb 25, 2024FL
Clock spring has failed 5 times within a year. The first clock spring replacement failed two weeks after the repair. I the. took it to a different dealership to be repaired. The second clock spring broke about 6 months later. The third clock spring broke two weeks after the repair. The fourth clock spring broke two months later and I am about to have it repaired within the next week. Due to the faulty clock spring, the driver side air bag will not deploy in the event of an accident and I have no use of the horn - both of which are necessary when living in South Florida. There are only two dealerships within reasonable driving distance to have the repair done (while the part is under warranty). It takes at least a week, if not more, to get an appointment at the dealership to ensure they have the part at the time of the repair. During which time, I have no choice but to drive the vehicle without the use of the air bag. Even though I can tell when the clock spring is likely about to break, I cannot take it to the dealership for repair until it has actually broken. This is not only extremely inconvenient, but hazardous as I’d be without safety mechanisms in the event of an accident. This should not be a reoccurring issue with the vehicle. The dealership has gone as far as contacting VW support to ensure the correct part is replaced and repaired properly, yet it continues to happen. It is unrelated to my driving or the way the part has been repaired. It is simply faulty parts bein
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 23, 202441,751 milesNV
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormally strong fuel odor was detected. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a smog test, and the vehicle passed. The mechanic detected the fuel odor coming from the carbon filter and advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 41,751.
Unknown or OtherFire
Filed Feb 3, 2024NV
The main CPU component failed in my car and grounded out the second cylinder causing a fire to happen, This happened on my way from the store while I was in traffic and almost caused me to get into an accident. Luckily no one was hurt but now my car is not functional. I took it to a mechanic to see what the cause was and that's what they said it was the computer that failed and that I would need to take it to a dealership in order to have them fix it. When they asked me when I started noticing the symptom I said it started happening a couple months ago there was a random misfire check engine light that came on. And then this happened. I'm desperate please help me.
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
Filed Jan 29, 202440,000 milesOH
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that heat and defroster and defogger blower motor was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but a diagnostic test was not performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
Forward Collision Avoidance
Filed Jan 18, 2024137,000 milesNJ
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving across a railroad track, the Forward Collision-Avoidance braking system independently engaged. The contact was able to safely cross the railroad track. The contact stated that the failure had occurred previously while the contact was driving and crossing an intersection. However, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Oct 30, 2024. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.