2021 Volkswagen PASSAT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2021 Volkswagen PASSAT has 28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is driver assist/cameras problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: vw lane assist is on when the vehicle is turned on. it must be turned off by the driver which i forget to do. driving on country two lanes i've encountered joggers, bikers in the designated bike lane, service vehicles on the right shoulder. when i give them some extra room to avoid them the active l. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 3 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

6 complaints

21%

• VW Lane Assist is on when the vehicle is turned on. It must be turned off by the driver which I forget to do. Driving on country two lanes I've encountered joggers, bikers in the designated bike lane, service vehicles on the right shoulder. When I give them some extra room to avoid them the Active L
• The assisted lane control is working terribly on my car and cannot be turned off permanently. The take over steering must be turned off before I drive the car every single time. It does not work properly. Last week I went to steer around a pothole and almost went in the ditch because the steering
• The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving through a pedestrian intersection with thick white lines, the vehicle automatically veered to the left or right. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving 30 to 45 MPH. The contact had not contacted the

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“VW Lane Assist is on when the vehicle is turned on. It must be turned off by the driver which I forget to do. Driving on country two lanes I've encountered joggers, bikers in the designated bike lane, service vehicles on the right shoulder. When I give them some extra room to avoid them the Active L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

5 complaints

18%

• The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the rear brake pads were generating an excessive amount of brake dust. The dealer was notified. The contact stated that he was informed a year later at a vehicle State Inspection, that the rear brakes were significantly worn. The veh
• Rear brakes needed to be replaced at 17,000 miles. Same thing happened to my wife’s 2021 Passat.
• Rear brakes needed to be replaced at less than 20k miles The dealer comped it since we lease 2 different 2021 VW Passats and they both needed their rear wheels replaced at sub 20k miles

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the rear brake pads were generating an excessive amount of brake dust. The dealer was notified. The contact stated that he was informed a year later at a vehicle State Inspection, that the rear brakes were significantly worn. The veh”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

3 complaints

11%

• I have encountered severe and unresolved issues with the vehicle, and despite multiple visits to Serramonte VW dealership, the problems persist. I leased this car from VW Serramonte on 8/29/2021, and their contact information is as follows: Serramonte Volkswagen 711 Serramonte Blvd. Colma, CA 9401
• Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)
• I am requesting that Volkswagen open a formal case regarding a fire involving my 2021 Volkswagen Passat. On May 6, 2026, at approximately 9:30 PM, after driving about seven miles, I came to a complete stop and the vehicle began smoking before catching fire. The vehicle has been declared a total loss

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I have encountered severe and unresolved issues with the vehicle, and despite multiple visits to Serramonte VW dealership, the problems persist. I leased this car from VW Serramonte on 8/29/2021, and their contact information is as follows: Serramonte Volkswagen 711 Serramonte Blvd. Colma, CA 9401”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

3 complaints

11%

• The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.
• Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)
• I was parking my car and then I heard a loud crack. Then I noticed my car's airbag malfunction warning notice came up on the dashboard along with other failures. I can see on the edges of the horn panel on the left that its slightly detached, so it seem the airbag has somewhat inflated. I haven't ta

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

3 complaints

11%

• The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.
• See attached document for complaint.
• See attached document for complaint.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 28 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: VW Lane Assist is on when the vehicle is turned on. It must be turned off by the driver which I forget to do. Driving on country two lanes I've encountered joggers, bikers in the designated bike lane, service vehicles on the right shoulder. When I give them some extra room to avoid them the Active L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the rear brake pads were generating an excessive amount of brake dust. The dealer was notified. The contact stated that he was informed a year later at a vehicle State Inspection, that the rear brakes were significantly worn. The veh
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I have encountered severe and unresolved issues with the vehicle, and despite multiple visits to Serramonte VW dealership, the problems persist. I leased this car from VW Serramonte on 8/29/2021, and their contact information is as follows: Serramonte Volkswagen 711 Serramonte Blvd. Colma, CA 9401
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)