9.6

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
43,650 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (5 reports)
2016 Volkswagen Passat brakes problems

brakes problem

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2016 Volkswagen Passat Owner Comments

problem #5

Aug 152021

Passat SE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 153,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on the interstate when a piece of paper flapped up from the ground. It was no more than 10 inches in height and then the paper went down flat to the ground. Well, my car broke and it scares me when it does that. I looked behind me to make sure no one was going to run into me. It took me a while to realize it was the piece of paper that the radar saw. But a squirrel can run in front of my car and it never brakes. This has happened before but I did not know it was an issue with other cars. This is so dangerous because your car is braking for no reason. The dealership charges a lot of money for something that is not your fault. This is a defect with the car and can cause an accident very easily.

- nikkiverde, Lake Mary, US

problem #4

Oct 142020

Passat SE 1.8L I4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 33,000 miles

I was driving under an overpass on the far-right lane. There weren't any cars in front or next to me. The front assist system activated bringing the car to a full halt.

- Alan C., Metairie, US

problem #3

Oct 012016

Passat SE/Highline 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,000 miles

My Passat 2016 had multiple problems and on several times tried to stop by itself. The dealer could not replicate the problem at 1st. There was no fault in the system as well.

Several months later the tech was able to replicate the problem. It would seem that the car creates a fault but doesn't save it unless the problem happens right there and now.

This is the notes from the tech:

The customer has repeatedly complained of Emergency braking activations without justification the backup camera intermittently not activating, message Key not found with both keys with replaced batteries and anomalies with the mirrors not folding simultaneously or at all. During the diagnosis, it was established that the R138 Kessy antenna #1 (central console) has intermittent short and the comfort adjustment of the electric seats (basic settings of the FL seat motors is off. After resetting the basic settings of the FL seat, proper paring of both fobs, seat comfort adjustment was possible. During the investigation for the erratic operation of the Distance regulation module j429 it was observed that even with the front grill removed the module contains a fault for the front sensor being obstructed. Proper voltage and ground are present and the ACC module has been released from the -unreadable word- protection and is properly coded/adjusted and calibrated. Requesting authorization to replace the Distance regulation CM J428 in order to proceed further with the diagnostics.(SIC)

The video I attached is not my own, but it demonstrates the experience I had.

- Sean J., MONTREAL, QC, Canada

problem #2

Jun 012017

Passat SE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 23,000 miles

I'm basically having the exact same issue as the person prior to my post is having. I have a 2016 Volkswagen Passat SE that I leased about a year and a half ago. A little over a month ago the car braked on it's own with myself, my mother, sister, and my 2 year old son in the car for absolutely no reason going 45 miles per hour. The next incident the car decided it was not going to brake and we had to step on the brakes so hard to get any kind of reaction, almost causing an accident. At this point we took it to VW and they are claiming there is no issues with the car; I beg to differ! Yesterday again the car braked on its own going 30 miles an hour for absolutely no reason. I'm sorry VW but this is a SERIOUS problem and needs to be rectified ASAP. I'm afraid to put myself and my 2 year old back in this car!

- Christiana S., Boynton Beach, US

problem #1

Jan 122016

Passat SE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,200 miles

frontal crash system

I bought this 2016 Passet SE on Dec 12 2015. It is a 2016 model. Great car but I will be driving along and the damn car brakes on me. (Stops). Not the engine but the brakes apply. I mean hard sometimes. I was going over some railroad tracks the other day on June12 2016. All of a sudden the car slams the brakes and though every thing forward. This is not the first time this has happened either. About 3 weeks before that I was just going about 35 miles an hour down the street on a clear day and the car grabs the brakes and lets go. Scares the sheesh out of me. Another time I was driving through a Walmart parking lot with a girlfriend in the car this time and again the brakes apply real hard. When it does this there is a light on the dash. It is a curvy road with a car on it. I am so tired of this problem. I just got it out of the shop this time it was in there for three weeks. They claim there is no problem but I know there is because I drive the thing. It is a very nice car but too bad it has this problem. I just pray that it does not happen while I am driving down the road at a high rate of speed. Very dangerous car with this problem. They did admit there are other owners complaining about this problem. They told me just to turn it off. This is a safety issue that I paid for when I bought the car. I said ok I will turn it off when you pay me the difference because I paid for it so if I cannot use it then pay the difference. They said (NO). I want more people to hear me on this. I will go other places and do more complaining. Don't buy one of these cars with this feature. Very, very dangerous.

- Gary O., Grand Prairie, TX, US

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