Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2
Unknown my water pump failed and all out of nowhere
In less than 51,000 miles 3 wheel speed sensors have required replacement. An unacceptable average failure rate of once every 1.7 years or 17,000 miles. Failure of one of these components disables all safety systems including air bags. How could such an obviously unreliable part not be subject to a safety recall.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT OVERHEARD AND ABNORMAL NOISE AS THE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING A HILL AND ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH FAILED TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BRAKE PADS AND ROTOR WERE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HILEY VOLKSWAGEN OF HUNTSVILLE (6944 HIGHWAY 72 W, HUNTSVILLE, AL 35806, (256) 882-0200) WERE THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE ANY FAILURE CODES. THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR MORE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000.
I WAS DRIVING UNDER AN OVERPASS ON THE FAR-RIGHT LANE AT 25 MPH WHEN THE CAR'S FRONT ASSIST SYSTEM ACTIVATED BRINGING THE CAR TO A FULL STOP ALL OF A SUDDEN. THERE WEREN'T ANY CARS IN FRONT OR NEXT TO ME.
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. *TR
THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WENT TO SEEN AND THE CAR IS DRIVING FUNNY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BY OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE REAR BRAKE TAIL LIGHTS WERE DIM AND NOT SUFFICIENT FOR VEHICLES TO FOLLOW BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BERGSTROM VOLKSWAGEN OF APPLETON (3019 N VICTORY LN #102, APPLETON, WI 54913 (800) 398-6846) TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA BY THE MANUFACTURER TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.
THE ABS SENSOR SYSTEM HAS FAILED ON OUR CAR FOR THE 2ND TIME . THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IN 2019. WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS IT TRIGGERS A MULTITUDE OF DASHBOARD ALERTS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. OBVIOUSLY THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING WILL NOT FUNCTION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS AT 43, 705 MILES. I WAS TOLD BY A VW DEALER MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS LIKELY TO OCCUR ON THE OTHER WHEELS. UNFORTUNATELY HE WAS RIGHT. THE ABS SENSOR FAILED ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL YESTERDAY AT APPROXIMATELY 61,000. SAFETY FEATURES THAT INCLUDE BLIND SIDE MONITORING ARE ADVERSELY IMPACTED. THE SENSOR ALERT OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND STAYS ON WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $300.00
THE CAR HAS AUTONOMOUS BRAKING ISSUE. THE SYSTEM THAT BRAKES THE CAR IF ANOTHER CAR IS DETECTED IN FRONT OF YOU WILL BRAKE EVEN IF NO ONE IS IN FRONT OF YOU. THE CAR WAS IN AT THE DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE ABURT STOP. VW HAD MY CAR FOR 7 WEEKS AND ALL THEY COULD FIND WAS THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND THE SENSOR WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS FINDING IS THAT THEY HAD ALREADY PERFORMED THAT SAME EXACT FIXED A YEAR PRIOR. THEY ALSO STATED ONE OF THE FOUR TIMES THEY HAD IT IN THE SHOP THAT THEY REPLACED THE RADAR UNIT. WHEN THE CAR DOES STOP IT GIVES NO WARNING AND THE STOP IS WAS ABURT AND VIOLENT. I TRADED MYSELF OUT THE VEHICLE AT GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. VW OFFERED NO TRADE ASSISTANCE ON THIS KNOWN ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE I TRADED IN HOPES THEY'D SEND IT BACK TO GERMANY TO FIGURE THIS OUT IS ACTUALLY FOR SALE ON THE LOCAL DEALER'S LOT. THIS CAR WILL SERIOUS INJURY SOMEONE AND ANY WHO WOULD TRAVEL AROUND IT IF THE VEHICLE STOPS SUDDENLY AGAIN. THE CAR AND THIS KNOWN ISSUE MAY EVEN CAUSE SOMEONE'S DEATH. I ALERTED VW OF AMERICA OF THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE COMPLETELY DERELICT IN TAKING THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THESE VEHICLES.
I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY PASSAT HAS BRAKE ISSUES THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT MY CAR IS AFFECTED BY THE NATIONAL RECALL ON VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS. I HAVE TRIED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO SET APPOINTMENTS A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MY CAR EVALUATED BUT TO NO AVAIL. SO AS IN A FURTHER ATTEMPT TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY I AM FILING THIS FORMAL COMPLAINT TO GET SOME HELP BEFORE THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH MY CAR. THIS MY EVERYDAY CAR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN OCCUPY THIS VEHICLE REGULARLY, PLEASE IF THEIR ANY WAY FOR ANYONE WHO CAN LOOK INTO MY SITUATION IT WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU
PASSAT BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING AT AROUND 9000 MILES. WHEN SERVICED AT DEALER THEY STATED BRAKES WERE FINE. SQUEALING CONTINUED TO 20K MILES. AGAIN SERVICED AT DEALER AND SAID BRAKES WERE FINE. SQUEELING EVENTUALLY STOPED BUT AFTER NOTICING SEVERE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL DURING FREEWAY DRIVING AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, I STOPPED AND TOOK TO NEARBY MECHANIC TO INSPECT. HE REPORTED ROTORS ARE WARPED AT 26K MILES. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH A NEW CAR WITH LIGHT USE. SINCE 3 YEARS JUST PASSED CAR JUST EXITED WARRANTY STATUS. THIS PROBLEM MIGHT BE DUE TO THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE AS IT TENDS TO APPLY THE BRAKES HARD DURING NORMAL DRIVING IF SET TO SETTING NUMBER 1. TO AVOID HARD BRAKING, I HAVE TO KEEP THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE AT SETTING 3 WHICH IS WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING WHEN I DO USE IT. STILL, THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE IN PASSATS AS APPARENT ON SEARCH BOARDS ONLINE. VW SHOULD UPGRADE THEIR ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FIRMWARE AND REPLACE IMPACTED OWNERS BRAKES, ROTORS AND CALIPERS. BRAKES SHOULD NOT START GOING OUT A 9K MILES AND HAVE WARPED ROTORS AT 26K MILES. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS PROBLEM WHILE I WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY INSTEAD OF REPORTING NO ISSUES AND PASSING INSPECTION REPORTS FALSELY. MAKE PEOPLE SAFE, RECALL THIS SAFETY ISSUE IMMEDIATELY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BRAKE INDEPENDENTLY AND A WAVY LINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH BAY VOLKSWAGEN (LOCATED AT 3131 NATIONAL CITY BLVD, NATIONAL CITY, CA 91950, (619) 336- 4020) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 171672068. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
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.
TAKATA RECALL- NOT SURE IF IT IS BUT MY CAR HAS ISSUE ON THE STEERING. ALSO MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND ALONG WITH THAT MY HORN IS DISABLED. NOT SURE IF ITS UNDER RECALL BUT HOW DO I GET THOSE REPAIR
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 ITS 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. TOOK THE CAR TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC PRIOR TO TAKING IT TO VW AND A PIC OF WHAT CAME UP ON THEIR DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER IS UPLOADED. THE VW DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT TO AFTER KEEPING IT TWO WEEKS CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR; HOWEVER, THEY RESET MY COMPUTER IN THE CAR AND NOW THE CAR IS SHOWING NO CODES. THERE WAS A SIMILAR INCIDENT REPORTED ON CARCOMPLAINT.COM SAME YEAR, MODEL AND TRIM AS MINE.
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.
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 VEHICLE LATER EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,300.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .