Volkswagen Passat 2017 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls issued for the Volkswagen Passat 2017 and 110 complaints filed by owners. It's the model year with the most complaints for the Volkswagen Passat between 2016 and 2022.
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a Volkswagen Passat 2017? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the Volkswagen Passat 2017
Air bags
NHTSA campaign 24V834000 · 2024-10-30
What happens
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.
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Other
NHTSA campaign 21V321000 · 2021-05-05
What happens
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.
Consequence
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
Remedy
Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Other
NHTSA campaign 20V561000 · 2020-09-16
What happens
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.
Consequence
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Other
NHTSA campaign 19V679000 · 2019-09-25
What happens
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.
Consequence
If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Exterior lighting
NHTSA campaign 19V389000 · 2019-05-22
What happens
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."
Consequence
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Brakes (hydraulic)
NHTSA campaign 18V536000 · 2018-08-15
What happens
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of charge. For Passat vehicles, dealers will also inspect the parking brake cable for proper connection, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46H6.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Brakes (hydraulic)
NHTSA campaign 17V075000 · 2017-02-08
What happens
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.
Consequence
A low brake fluid level may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47N3.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
110 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
9 with a crash · 1 with a fire · 3 injuries
Most reported problems on the Volkswagen Passat 2017
- Forward collision avoidance: 16 (15% of complaints)
- Brakes: 15 (14% of complaints)
- Air bags: 14 (13% of complaints)
- Electrical system: 10 (9% of complaints)
- Steering: 10 (9% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Passat 2017
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- Ask whether the system braked on its own for no reason ("phantom braking") and whether software updates are pending.
- Brake hard somewhere safe: the car shouldn't pull to one side and the pedal shouldn't sink; check rotors and pads.
- The air bag light should come on for a second at start-up and go off. Confirm by VIN that air bag recalls were done.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Volkswagen Passat 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Volkswagen Passat recalls by year
- 2016 : 5 recalls · 106 complaints
- 2017 : 7 recalls · 110 complaints
- 2018 : 4 recalls · 46 complaints
- 2019 : 1 recall · 12 complaints
- 2020 : 3 recalls · 18 complaints
- 2021 : 1 recall · 0 complaints
- 2022 : 0 recalls · 13 complaints
Guides for this check
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Passat 2017 have?
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls issued for the Volkswagen Passat 2017. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the Volkswagen Passat 2017?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: forward collision avoidance (16 of 110 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 23, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).