Model year record

2020 Volkswagen Passat

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 45 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 20V533000

Air bags: passenger side frontal: cushion

Component
Air bags: passenger side frontal: cushion
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
1,829
Reported to NHTSA
2020-09-02
Owners notified
2020-10-14

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Passat vehicles. The passenger frontal air bag may have been folded incorrectly affecting its deployment force. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Safety risk

An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AY.

Recall campaignNHTSA 19V389000

Exterior lighting: headlights

Component
Exterior lighting: headlights
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
662,185
Reported to NHTSA
2019-05-22
Owners notified
2019-07-16

Defect description

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."

Safety risk

Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 19V218000

Air bags: side/window

Component
Air bags: side/window
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
3
Reported to NHTSA
2019-03-20
Owners notified
2019-04-24

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas and 2020 Passat vehicles. An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag may have been installed.

Safety risk

In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Volkswagen has inspected and replaced the side air bags, free of charge. The recall was completed in April 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y8.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Air bags6
Electrical system5
Engine52,000 mi
Unknown or other52,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: warnings3
Fuel/propulsion system3
Service brakes3200 mi
Steering3
Wheels37,500 mi
Back over prevention: warnings2
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control2
Visibility/wiper2
Engine and engine cooling17,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking1
Seat belts1

The 2019 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. The 2021 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.