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Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (4)
Do not driveService brakes, hydraulic: foundation components, disc
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
Unknown or other
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: 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.
Exterior lighting: headlights
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 and remedy
Risk: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components, disc
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: 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.
Canadian recalls (3)
Show 3 Canadian recalls
Lights and instruments
2019-05-23 · campaign 2019-242
Issue:
Certain vehicles were built with headlights that may allow horizontal adjustment. This is not allowed under Canadian regulations.
Safety Risk:
Headlights that are not properly adjusted could cause reduced visibility or glare for oncoming drivers, and could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to inspect the headlights. A blocking cap will be installed on the horizontal adjusters as necessary.
Brakes
2018-08-15 · campaign 2018-429 · 774 vehicles
On certain vehicles, the brake caliper bracket bolts may not be properly tightened and could loosen, allowing the caliper to move. This could cause increased stopping distances, result in wheel damage and/or cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and, if a loose bolt is found, the bolt will be replaced and tightened to the correct specification. Note: On Atlas models, only the front brake caliper bracket bolts are affected, and on Passat models, only the rear brake caliper bracket bolts are affected.
Brakes
2018-06-01 · campaign 2018-292
On certain vehicles, a problem with the brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction in brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will bleed the front or rear brakes as necessary. Note: In the interim, owners are advised to stop driving their vehicle until the defect has been repaired. Affected owners should call Volkswagen's Roadside Assistance number at 1-800-411-6688.
Owner complaints (46)
Owners filed 46 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Passat (5 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries reported). Among 33 model years of this model, it ranks #22 for the most complaints (median 146).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Service brakes | 12 | |
| Engine | 11 | |
| Electrical system | 10 | |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | |
| Air bags | 5 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | |
| Unknown or other | 3 | |
| Power train | 3 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Volkswagen Passat.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2018 Volkswagen Passat 4 DR FWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2018 Volkswagen Passat version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Passat 2.0 L Automatic (S6) | 25 | 36 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Passat 3.6 L Automatic (AM-S6) | 19 | 28 | 22 | $3,050 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.