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The 2016 Volkswagen Passat has 106 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2016 Volkswagen Passat has 106 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is steering at 19 complaints (~$700 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Passat | 748 | 9 |
| 2014 Passat | 594 | 10 |
| 2015 Passat | 243 | 7 |
| 2016 Passat (this page) | 106 | 5 |
| 2017 Passat | 110 | 7 |
| 2018 Passat | 45 | 4 |
| 2019 Passat | 12 | 1 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2016 Volkswagen Passat 4 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: steering is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 5 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
I started my vehicle and the airbag light was on. Also the adaptive cruise control warning light was on and none of my steering wheel controls work. Not even the horn works. This is a huge safety issue that Volkswagen is aware of based on a past recall. There are no open…
2016 vw passat. Driver's side door latch freezes shut in temperatures below freezing. The key-less entry fob unlocks the door but the door cannot be opened when pulling the handle. Also, the inside handle will not open the door. All of the other door latches work normally.…
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating abnormally while in park(P) and had started jerking while driving. The contact stated that while driving and exceeding 70 MPH, the shaking and vibrating became worse. The contact stated…
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen passat. While driving 45 MPH, without depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle began to brake independently and a wavy line warning indicator illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel started to vibrate violently without warning. The…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Volkswagen Passat has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2016 Volkswagen Passat is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 5 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the steering first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 19 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 106 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is steering. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 19 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 106 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.