3.9

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
31,110 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Volkswagen Passat engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Volkswagen Passat Owner Comments

problem #10

May 202020

Passat

  • miles

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

VW repaired clock spring (a recall) after airbag warning, steering wheel controls stopped working. VW returned the vehicle to me, the customer, with the clock spring supposedly repaired yet steering wheel buttons, including cruise control and others, remained broken and unusable. VW wanted several hundred dollars to fix this, despite the issue obviously being directly related to the clock spring as all buttons were in working order prior to the clock spring issue. (dates below May not be entirely accurate as this happened several years ago and still has not been repaired, however I was unaware I could file a report here)

- Danville , IN, USA

problem #9

Feb 012021

Passat

  • 45,000 miles
The car suddely turned on airbag lights, ABS wheel speed sensor and, cruise control

- Tamarac, FL, USA

problem #8

Jan 152020

Passat 4-cyl

  • 52,000 miles
While driving and trying to stop it appears that brakes/ABS are not functioning properly. ABS, TPMS, traction control, SRS warning lights have come on for the second time in just a few months span. Dealer said it was faulty ABS wheel speed sensors both times (both rear). It appears that it is the same issue as NHTSA id number: 11265312.

- Davenport, FL, USA

problem #7

Jun 192020

Passat 4-cyl

  • 50,000 miles

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

While driving the ABS light came on (constant speed, highway, dry conditions), disabling cruise control. The airbag light then came on. Then the tire sensor light and finally the steering wheel light and exclamation point icon next to the steering wheel light.

- Rockport, TX, USA

problem #6

Jun 272019

Passat

  • 56,000 miles
Steering wheel began to click when turning any direction mid-trip. Vehicle was in motion and had been in motion for approx 30 minutes when issue began. All steering wheel buttons, including cruise control, no longer worked. Air bag malfunction light illuminated. Dealer stated clock spring had malfunctioned, issue was repaired. Noted that cruise control buttons continued to malfunction post-repair dealer claims 'coincidence' with malfunction, putting cost on customer to repair..

- Danville, IN, USA

problem #5

Feb 122018

Passat

  • 21,000 miles
At speed of 40-60 mph, with the adaptive cruise control engaged, the car will bring the car to 5-10 mph rapidly, by slamming on the brakes with no other vehicle in front of it. This has occurred multiple times, and has been reported, but not duplicated at the dealer. The car has also slowed itself, under the adaptive cruise control, in other situations where there was no vehicle in front of it.

- Hereford, AZ, USA

problem #4

Sep 122018

Passat

  • 16,100 miles

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

I was braking my car as I was pulling into a parking spot which was perpendicular to a divider strip (an approximately 5-6 foot wide strip of grass with 9-10 inch curbs on each side). Suddenly the car self-accelerated to a fast speed. This caused the car to go up and over the divider strip, cross a two lane road and hit the curb on the far side of this road. This was quite frightening! fortunately, there was no traffic at this time on the road on the other side of the divider strip but a significant amount of damage was done to the front bumper and underside of the car. While the car was in the shop for repairs a broken gas pedal was discovered. This was the cause of the self-acceleration.

- Delran, NJ, USA

problem #3

Sep 132018

Passat

  • 46,000 miles
2016 Volkswagen Passat, driving in the rain and the car slowed to a near stop and could not ascend a small incline on interstate 95 southbound at or about stratford, Connecticut. The car was towed to a local VW dealership in stratford ct. When put into gear the engine shook violently and there was no power. When in park and neutral the engine was fine and could be "revved" without issue. The dealership told me that the wire connection between the "tcm and icm' has "water damage" and that when they disconnected those wires there "is signs of corrosion on the seal" ?

- Redding, CT, USA

problem #2

Sep 122017

Passat

  • 10,000 miles
I was driving into the beach parking lot with my dog I was turning into a parking spot when the car accelerated quickly and fast by its self with fast speed. Braked very hard my dog went flying into the back of my seat put it into park and turned the car off. I got scared!

- Huntington, NY, USA

problem #1

Feb 082017

Passat

  • 15,000 miles
Driving in freezing rain. Cruise control on. Front sensor iced up, car braked to signal it turned off adaptive cruise control due to front sensor icing up. I briefly lost control of car on icy roadway as it lost traction when it braked.

- Bloomington, IN, USA

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