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2016 Volkswagen Passat recalls
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat, filed between October 26, 2015 and May 5, 2021. Each one is below with what is wrong and the free fix.
| Campaign | Filed | Part |
|---|---|---|
| 21V321000 | May 5, 2021 | Unknown or other |
| 20V561000 | September 16, 2020 | Unknown or other |
| 19V389000 | May 22, 2019 | Exterior lighting: headlights |
| 16V403000 | June 6, 2016 | Fuel system, gasoline: fuel rail |
| 15V705000 | October 26, 2015 | Engine and engine cooling: engine |
Unknown or other (21V321000)
Filed May 5, 2021
What is wrong. 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.
What could happen. Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
The fix. 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.
Unknown or other (20V561000)
Filed September 16, 2020
What is wrong. 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.
What could happen. Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
The fix. 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.
Exterior lighting: headlights (19V389000)
Filed May 22, 2019
What is wrong. 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."
What could happen. Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. 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.
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel rail (16V403000)
Filed June 6, 2016
What is wrong. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
What could happen. A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
The fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.
Engine and engine cooling: engine (15V705000)
Filed October 26, 2015
What is wrong. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
What could happen. If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Check that your car is on the list
Most campaigns cover only cars built in a certain date range or at a certain plant, so a 2016 Volkswagen Passat may or may not be included. The VIN is the only sure test. It is 17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield and on the driver door jamb sticker. Look up your VIN.
How to confirm the repair is free
- Call any authorized Volkswagen dealer service desk and give them the VIN and the campaign number from the list above.
- Ask them to confirm the campaign is open for your car. If it is, the parts and labor are covered.
- If the dealer says the part is not in stock, ask for a written note with the date, and ask about a loaner if the notice says not to drive the car.
- Keep the repair order. It shows the campaign number and proves the work was done.
If you already paid for a repair that a recall later covered, Volkswagen may owe you a refund. Ask the dealer or Volkswagen customer service about reimbursement, and keep your receipts.
Other model years of the Passat
More: all Volkswagen recalls, check-engine codes, car repair costs.
2016 Volkswagen Passat recall questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen Passat have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat. A campaign can cover only some cars of that model year, so check your VIN to see whether yours is included.
Is a recall repair on a 2016 Volkswagen Passat free?
Yes. A safety recall repair is free at an authorized Volkswagen dealer, whatever the age or mileage of the car and no matter who owns it now.
How do I know if my 2016 Volkswagen Passat was already fixed?
Enter the VIN on our recall page. If a campaign is still open, it shows as open. You can also ask a dealer to run the VIN, or look at the service history paperwork for the campaign number.
Source: NHTSA recalls API, checked 2026-10-28. Text is NHTSA's wording of each campaign. New campaigns are added over time. Not a repair shop, estimates only.