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full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Volkswagen Passat steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2017 Volkswagen Passat have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Passat | 51 |
| 2014 Passat | 43 |
| 2015 Passat | 26 |
| 2016 Passat | 19 |
| 2017 Passat (this page) | 16 |
When does it fail?
Of the 16 steering complaints filed for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Document was revised. The model year chat was removed for VWP-18-11 for the Steering Wheel Clock Spring Limited Warranty Extension
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Mandatory fastener.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The fault code in this document was revised on page 2. One extra zero was provided.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Horn and ancillary steering wheel controls diagnosis.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Clock spring failure dominates complaints in this cluster. Owners report the clock spring breaks repeatedly—some have had it replaced 3 to 5 times within a year or two of ownership—triggering airbag warning lights and disabling the horn and steering wheel controls (cruise, audio, navigation buttons). The part fails despite warranty replacement and VW dealership attempts to source the "correct" part. Failures happen at low mileage (under 30,000 miles) and sometimes without warning; others hear clicking or cracking sounds from the steering column moments before the light comes on. One owner, unable to get a dealership appointment for days or weeks, drove for extended periods with a non-functional airbag. Multiple owners question why recalls don't apply to their VINs when the problem mirrors recalled issues.
Lane-keeping assist misfires and causes the steering wheel to jerk suddenly left or right on straight, well-marked roads in dry conditions, nearly causing collisions.
One owner reports vibration during braking and at highway speeds above 55 mph appearing within the first 6,500 miles, initially blamed on tires by dealership, but persisting after tire replacement at the owner's own expense.
Same Volkswagen Passat steering reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Clock spring failure with airbag and steering wheel control loss
Clock spring malfunction causes airbag light illumination, loss of steering wheel button functions (horn, cruise control, audio controls), and occasionally loss of adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Some owners report clicking, cracking, or popping sounds from the steering column at the moment of failure. Failures occur despite repeated warranty repairs with replacement parts, with multiple owners experiencing repeat failures within months of each replacement.
When: Typically between 20,000 and 6,500 miles; one owner had five failures within one year; another had three failures over approximately 14 months; failures can occur while parked or during driving, sometimes immediately after minor incidents like parking-lot exits or turns
Symptoms owners cite: airbag warning light illumination; loss of horn function; loss of steering wheel multifunction button controls; clicking or cracking sound from steering column; popping sound from steering wheel; loss of adaptive cruise control function; loss of lane-keeping assist function; steering wheel feels unresponsive
Codes mentioned: driver airbag igniter resistance too high, loss of communication with steering column control module, clock spring error codes, service vehicle warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Clock spring replacement under warranty at VW dealerships; parts ordered and replaced multiple times for same owner; some owners report dealerships contacted VW support to verify correct part specification
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner mentions a recall for 2017 Passat SEL model exists; another owner reports checking VIN and finding no applicable recalls despite issue matching recalled problems on other model years; no TSBs or extended warranty programs mentioned by owners
Lane-keeping assist steering wheel jerking
Lane-keeping assist system causes abrupt, unintended steering wheel jerking to the left or right while driving on well-marked roads, even in dry conditions with no driver input. Lane indicator on dash shifts from green to yellow during these events. Multiple near-miss incidents with adjacent vehicles and median hazards reported.
When: Occurring for at least two months before reporting (as of December 2021)
Symptoms owners cite: abrupt steering wheel jerk left or right; unintended steering correction; lane indicator light changing from green to yellow on dash; near-miss collision hazard with adjacent vehicles
Steering wheel vibration during braking and highway speeds
Vehicle vibrates when brakes are applied and when cruising above 55 mph. Multiple dealership visits resulted in diagnosis of tire cupping and out-of-round wheels despite fewer than 6,500 miles. Tire rotation, balancing, and replacement did not resolve vibration. Secondary systems also affected: front assist and lane assist unresponsive.
When: Within first 6,500 miles and less than 1 year of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: vibration during braking; vibration at highway speeds over 55 mph; front assist malfunction; lane assist malfunction; adaptive cruise control malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple tire balancing attempts; tire rotation performed; tires replaced at owner expense; dealership initially stated car performing to manufacturer specifications
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty claim denied for tire wear; owner stated VW USA would not cover under warranty
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
While driving straight in dry weather (i.e. no rain), the lane light will change from – green – to – yellow – color in the dash and the steering wheel will jerk, usually left, sometimes right, very abruptly, as if the car is trying to find the lane with lane assist on. Note, this is on well marked city streets and on regular interstate roads with clearly marked dashed lane lines. This has been…
When turning the wheel while driving, I heard a clicking sound from the steering wheel. Then the airbag light turned on. Now my horn does not work or any of the controls on the steering wheel. I know this is the clock spring malfunction, with the takata airbag malfunction that happened with the 2015 passats.
My airbag light came on, the steering wheel started to make crunching noise. Now all functions are now working on the steering wheel and upon looking up online there seems to be many issues with Volkswagen cars clock spring breaking. Why is this not recalled? There is hundreds of customers commenting about the same problem?
Had steering trouble with your 2017 Volkswagen Passat?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 16 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 43,400 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Volkswagen/Passat.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.