2020 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Passat years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 24th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volkswagen Passat. That ranks 24th out of 28 Passat model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 22%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 18owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Volkswagen Passat problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 22% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 22% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 22% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 11% | 200 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 11% | 7,500 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 6% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Volkswagen Passat recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:passenger side frontal:cushion
Problem: 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."
Risk: An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: 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."
Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: 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.
Risk: In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
my 2020 vw passat has less than 60k mikes and i am replacing my 3rd wheel sensor. they fail without warning disabling my antilock brakes. And other safety features
The front information center which is responsible for the rear camera system is shutdown due to the radio / entire screen being dead without reason
While driving and after, we noticed gas fumes both inside and outside of vehicle. The gas tank was approximately half full. Became very concerned over the the possibility of a fire. Did research online and realized that this was and is a common problem with older models of the Passad (ours is a…
2020 Volkswagen Passat SE 2.0L VIN: [XXX] Complaint Summary: I am reporting a persistent and unresolved fault involving the secondary air injection system (DTC P0491 â insufficient airflow) that has resulted in repeated, conflicting diagnoses across multiple repair facilities. This raises…
Steering wheel controls stopped working, no horn either. Probably no airbag but haven't got into an accident. There was recall on the same part for the until 2018, but the new part I was going to install lists that if fits cars 2016-2022 Part # 5K0-953-569-BC Recall from VW. Number: VWP-18-11, Will…
Other Volkswagen Passat years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 13 | 0 |
| 2021 Passat | 18 | 1 |
| 2020 | 18 | 3 |
| 2019 Passat | 12 | 1 |
| 2018 Passat | 46 | 4 |
| 2017 Passat | 110 | 7 |
| 2016 Passat | 106 | 5 |
| 2015 Passat | 243 | 7 |
| 2014 Passat | 594 | 10 |
| 2013 Passat | 748 | 9 |
| 2012 Passat | 484 | 11 |
| 2011 Passat | 16 | 0 |
| 2010 Passat | 163 | 4 |
| 2009 Passat | 146 | 4 |
| 2008 Passat | 168 | 4 |
| 2007 Passat | 262 | 7 |
| 2006 Passat | 576 | 7 |
| 2005 Passat | 148 | 3 |
| 2004 Passat | 279 | 3 |
| 2003 Passat | 628 | 6 |
| 2002 Passat | 636 | 3 |
| 2001 Passat | 430 | 3 |
| 2000 Passat | 507 | 3 |
| 1999 Passat | 664 | 5 |
| 1998 Passat | 331 | 4 |
| 1997 Passat | 37 | 0 |
| 1996 Passat | 40 | 1 |
| 1995 Passat | 93 | 1 |
See all Volkswagen Passat problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Volkswagen Passat?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Volkswagen Passat?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Volkswagen Passat a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Passat model years, the 2020 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.