NMS, first generation (A32/A33)
2016 Volkswagen Passat
The most reported problem on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat is airbag, with 25 complaints, usually around 47,000 miles.
- 106owner complaints
- 5recalls
- 4involved a crash
- 39,000median miles at failure
Newest report May 3, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Passat doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2016 model year.
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
The 2016 Volkswagen Passat has 106 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, less than half the median of 232 for 2016 sedans on this site. Of the 9 Passat model years since 2014, it has the 4th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017
- At 10 complaints for each year on the road, the 2016 runs close to the 2017 (11). That's the only adjacent model year with enough complaints to set beside it.
- Top problem
- Airbag leads with 25 of the 106 complaints (24%), ahead of brake wear at 17. A quarter of the 10 owners who gave a mileage for airbag saw it by about 36,000 miles, and half by about 47,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6 of the 106 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 4 reports mention a crash and 3 people were hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as airbag. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2018 at 16 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 9. So far in 2026, 4 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: airbag warning light or recall, 25 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
106 complaints is 2.4 times fewer than the median 2016 model on this site and 2.2 times fewer than the median 2016 sedan. Among the 4 Passat model years here it ranks 4th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen filed 832 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2016 Volkswagen Passat. 33 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Airbag warning light or recall 2 bulletins · 25 complaints
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B10001B. Driver airbag igniter resistance too high -N95
Grinding noises can be heard from the area of the steering wheel/driver airbag or steering column when maneuvering OR Various controls, warnings or fault indicators, such as airbag, electronic stabilization programming (ESP), steering assist etc., light up ...
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 17 complaints
Brake Rotor, Vibration / Pulsation. Addition of mandatory brake form and reference to Volkswagen Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual.
Brake Rotor, Vibration / Pulsation Instruction (U.S. Only)
1 more on this problem
Tech Tips (ABS/TPMS light is on due to wheel speed sensor fault as a result of the Front Wheel Bearing / Wheel Speed Sensor swapping issue): This document informs of the Damage caused from swapping the speed sensors left to right (or vice versa) during ...
Fuel pump failure 3 bulletins · 7 complaints
DTC's P053F,P0087, P0088, P1025 may set due to the high pressure fuel pump being out of time (sync).
Symptom based diagnostic assistance for high pressure fuel pump being out of time.
1 more on this problem
MIL-ON, FAULT P309F OR P309D, NO ELECTRIC DRIVE MODE CUSTOMER STATES CRANK NO START AND/OR IN-TANK FUEL PUMP MAKING NOISE AND POSSIBLY WITH FUEL PUMP FAULTS MIL-ON, FAULT P013E IN THE ECM MIL-ON, FAULT P164B IN ECM MIL-ON, FAULT P0011 AND/OR P0016 IN THE ECM ...
Check engine light or misfire 24 bulletins · 5 complaints
Engine misfire diagnostic aid.
Fuel Additive to prevent sporatic misfire
22 more on this problem
Fuel additive to help with misfire faults
Diagnostic Aid for engine misfire.
Recommended fuel additive to avoid engine misfires.
Diagnostic aid for DTC P0088 & P1025.
Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid. Updated to include additional model and model year applicability.
Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 "Customer states MIL-on with P11A1/P11A2/P11A3/P11A4/P11A5/P11A6/P11A7/P11A8/ ...
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on with P2407 ...
Gasoline Engine Misfire Diagnosis document
Coolant leak at the coolant pump, Yellow oil warning light on with any of the following faults P0196 P0198 B104129 B104135, Customer states the sunroof is making noise, squeak & rattle, MIL-on with P0300-P0304 in the ECM AFTER software level 0003, Damaged ...
Plus 12 older ones not listed here.
Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 1 bulletin · 5 complaints
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) function test may not end on its own causing DTC.
Complaints filed by year
16 complaints came in 2018, 2.3 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2016 Volkswagen Passat
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 and remedy
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.
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 and remedy
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.
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 and remedy
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.
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 cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
All 5 recalls on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
Airbag, with 25 of the 106 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 47,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2016 Volkswagen Passat problems start?
Of the 56 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 16,000 miles and half by about 39,000.
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Passat better or worse than the 2017?
Counted per year on the road, the 2016 has about as many complaints as the 2017: 10 a year against 11.
How many 2016 Volkswagen Passat complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for airbag on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
No recall on file for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat is on the same system as airbag. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.