What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2017 Volkswagen Passat

Typical pattern

9.7% of complaints about the 2017 Volkswagen Passat came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2017 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (28 complaints), typically at 5.5 yr or about 47,500 miles.

Complaints
176
Median age at failure
4.8 yr
Median mileage
24,400 n=77
Crash / fire / tow
9.1% of reports
Safety recalls
7

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
28 reports · 47,500 mi
5.5 yr
10.7%
Other
21 reports · 20,129 mi
4.2 yr
9.5%
Collision avoidance
19 reports · 46,000 mi
4.8 yr
5.3%
Electrical system
18 reports · 60,656 mi
6.0 yr
0%
Steering
16 reports · 47,500 mi
5.3 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V834000 2024-10-30
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

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.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

21V321000 2021-05-05
Other

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.

Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

20V561000 2020-09-16
Other

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.

Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.

19V679000 2019-09-25
Other

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.

If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

19V389000 2019-05-22
Exterior lighting:headlights

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."

Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

18V536000 2018-08-15
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper

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.

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.

17V075000 2017-02-08
Service brakes, hydraulic:fluid

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.

A low brake fluid level may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Other 1 mi 1.8 yr in service
AC TAKES 5-20 MINUTES TO BLOW COLD AIR. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS TO DEALER AND SERVICE DO NOT RESULT IN ANY ATTEMPT TO FIX PROBLEM BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE ARRIVE AT THE DEALER, THE PROBLEM HAS CORRECTED ITSELF. THIS OCCURS FIRST THING IN THE DAY. AFTER IT STARTS BLOWING COLD AIR, IT WORKS FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. THIS IS THE 3RD VW PASSAT WE'VE DRIVEN THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. VW WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM.
Other 20,129 mi 2.1 yr in service
ACCESS START MODULE FAILED. CAR REFUSED TO DETECT KEY FOB AND DASHBOARD WAS OFF WHEN ENTERING VEHICLE. COULD NOT PRESS ON BRAKE TO PUSH START IGNITION. CAR BATTERY WAS AT FULL 12-12 VDC. CHECKED FUSES AND NOTHING WAS BLOWN. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER TO CHECK UP. TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO RESET ACCESS START MODULE BY DISCONNECTING BATTERY FOR 15 MINUTES. DEALER REPLACED FUEL RELAY FUSE AND ACCESS START MODULE. VEHICLE WAS DOWN FOR 4 DAYS. NEW MODULE HAD TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED FOR AT LEAST A DAY AND NEEDED ALL KEY FOBS TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED.
Other 12,400 mi 2.4 yr in service
REAR BACKUP CAMERA IS USELESS WHEN IT'S RAINING, CAN'T SEE ANYTHING DUE TO THE WATER THAT COLLECTS ON THE REAR CAMERA. CAR IS NOT IN MOTION, IN A PARKING LOT
Electrical system mileage not reported 11 mo in service
2017 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUE WITH REARVIEW BACKUP CAMERA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED WHILE IT WAS IN POSSESSION OF THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER STATED IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR AND THERE WASNO SOLUTION FOR THE CAMERA FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*JS

Other Passat model years

2017201620152014201320122010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998

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