2016 Volkswagen Passat: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 175 complaints
175
Total Complaints
37,000mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
9
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

12,000 25th Percentile
37,000 Median Mileage
56,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
21
AIR BAGS
21
STEERING
18
ENGINE
17
SERVICE BRAKES
15
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
13
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
POWER TRAIN
5
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
5

Severity Assessment

9
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TODAY, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH MY PASSAT, I ARRIVED TO MY OFFICE THIS MORNING , AND I WAS CALLING BY PHONE WITH OTHER, BEFORE CLOSE THE DOOR OF MY CAR, AND I FORGOT TO PUSH THE BOTTOM TO SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE, ALL DAY I WAS WORKING IN MY OFFICE, AND AFTER I LEFT FROM MY COMPANY, AND BACK AT HOME..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STEER OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT. THE VEHICL..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STEER OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT. THE VEHICL..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28