Vehicle report
2017 Volkswagen Passat
Free recalls, owner complaints, and NHTSA safety ratings for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, plus how to check this specific vehicle before you buy.
The 2017 Volkswagen Passat has 7 NHTSA recalls on record and 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Its overall NHTSA crash-test rating is 5 out of 5. Below is the full breakdown, plus how to check this specific vehicle by VIN before you buy in Alberta.
7
Open recalls
15
Complaints
5
Overall safety
Get the full vehicle history report
SPONSOREDAccident & damage records, liens, title brands, ownership history, and odometer verification.
Provided by our vehicle-history partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
2017 Volkswagen Passat recalls (7)
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.
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.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Remedy: 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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
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.
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.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
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."
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:FLUID
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Passat vehicles. Brake fluid may leak slowly from the some of the brake line connections, resulting in a low brake fluid level.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47N3.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
2017 Volkswagen Passat safety ratings
5
Overall
4
Front
5
Side
4
Rollover
Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.
2017 Volkswagen Passat owner complaints (15)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting a recurring safety-related defect involving the factory-installed infotainment touchscreen in my 2017 Volkswagen Passat SE Technology. The touchscreen intermittently malfunctions in several ways. At times, the entire infotainment system freezes and becomes completely unresponsive, preventing access to any controls. The screen also has developed "dead spots" where touch inputs do not register. Additionally, it sometimes registers "phantom touches," responding to inputs when the screen is not being touched. I believe this presents a safety concern because the infotainment system is an integrated component of the vehicle and is intended to be operated by the driver. When the system freezes, fails to respond, or registers unintended inputs, the driver may have to divert their attention from the roadway to determine what is happening, attempt to operate the system, or restart it. Dead spots can also prevent the driver from accessing desired functions. Pennsylvania recognizes the safety risks associated with distracted driving, including activities that take a driver's eyes off the roadway or hands off the wheel. A malfunctioning factory-installed touchscreen can create this type of distraction even when the driver is attempting to use the vehicle's integrated system. I have found multiple reports from other 2017 Volkswagen Passat owners describing similar infotainment problems, including frozen screens and touchscreen areas that become unresponsive. This suggests that the issue may be a recurring defect rather than an isolated failure. I believe NHTSA should investigate this issue to determine whether there is a common defect affecting 2017 Volkswagen Passat infotainment systems and whether Volkswagen should provide a remedy. A factory-installed vehicle control system should respond consistently and predictably. A touchscreen that freezes, fails to register inputs, or generates unintended inputs can require additional driver attention and interaction.
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The contact owns 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, with the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated, the vehicle failed to detect another vehicle and the vehicle was involved in a crash. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injuries sustained. A Police report was filed but the information was not provided. The vehicle was vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 114,000.
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
cracks in the fuel pump houisng cauisng vapors and fumes into my car.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
ABS sensor has failed. Air bag sensor is faulty due to abs
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
while in cruise control and going up a incline or a hill The EPC light will come on and the car will start lugging down very badly and have no power, they've said vehicle has done this for a year now and we have not been able to get any kind of acknowledgment of it from another dealership or the actual company I've said make and model of vehicle Volkswagen Passat
- SERVICE BRAKES
said vehicle started making a grinding sound and all of a sudden the brake pad or shoe they'll completely off of the vehicle and the caliper for disc brake was the wrong calipers on my front end of my vehicle and now it's upside down and backwards and it's not the right calipers for my vehicle
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power, with the check engine warning light and an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to intermittently start and stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to an electrical malfunction. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 355,000.
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
began smelling fuel in the cockpit about 2 months ago but thought not much about why until it kept getting stronger. Looked under the car a saw fuel dripping in front of rear passenger wheel and directly under tank.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Fuel pump control module over heated and burned
- AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While backing into a parking spot there was a crunching sound in the steering column. Following this noise the air bag light came on and all steering wheel control buttons nonfunctional including the horn. I reached out to a Volkswagen dealer as I had seen recalls for the clockspring, I was told my vehicle was not included in the recall. This is a 2017 Passat and had approximately 130,000 miles when this occurred. The closest dealer is over 2 hours away, and the service department is only open Monday-Friday.
- STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
Today, as my wife was driving home, she heard a "crunch" noise while making a turn. Afterwards, the Airbag light came on, and her steering wheel botton functions are not working, including her car horn. This all relates to the clockspring. This will be the third time we have had the clockspring replaced. This is extremely inconvenient, as the dealership is an hour away. The original clockspring didn't break until October 2023. The second broke and replaced in August of 2024. Now, we are scheduling to have the clockspring replaced again, 6 months later. I am unsure why the part is so unreliable. Whomever manufactures the part needs to do a FAR better job. This was our first new car, and now we regret the purchase due to this headache.
- TIRES
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: T1XX, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: B9ELT1XX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in a parking lot, the contact became aware that the rear passenger’s side tire had three cracks approximately 3 inches in length on the side wall near the rim. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer for inspection, and the tire dealer informed the contact that there was no issue with the integrity of the tire. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 123,393. The tire failure mileage was 30,000.
- AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Clock spring on vehicle has failed. This is a known issue with many VW vehicles, but I have been told my vehicle is not on the extended warranty program. 2017 VW Passat - approximately 150,000 miles. This eliminates all steering wheel controls, horn, cruise control, and air bags.
- POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
On 6 separate occasions while operating my vehicle it randomly stops running. The first two were at 40 mph and I was told it was a battery issue. It happened twice less than 4 days after the battery was replaced, once at 25 mph and once at 15 mph. I then had the fuel pump replaced. Less than 4 days later it happened twice again. Once at 10 mph and another time at 45 mph.
- STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
Our 2017 VW Passat had the clockspring replaced last year under warranty number [XXX] at Barnes Crossing Volkswagen in Tupelo, MS. The airbag stopped working and safety features such as adaptive cruise control were also not available. Not realizing the airbag would NOT deploy in the event of an accident, Volkswagen asked us to drive an hour to have it repaired which was considerably dangerous. As of today the clockspring they replaced once again failed with the same associated problems. I am submitting a report due to how dangerous this problem is considering they supposedly fixed the issue however it seems multiple people have reported the issue coming back. The fact the airbag could stop working at anytime due to a defective clockspring is very troublesome and make me worry in the event of an accident if the clockspring will fail thus not allowing the airbag to deploy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Checking a used Volkswagen Passat before you buy
The recall, complaint, and safety data above describes the 2017 Passat in general. To know the condition and history of the specific vehicle you're looking at, check it by VIN. A VIN check shows whether this particular Passat's recalls are still outstanding, and a full history report adds accident, title, and ownership records the data above can't show.
Before you buy a 2017 Volkswagen Passat in Alberta:
- Run a free VIN check on the exact vehicle for its own recalls and safety data.
- Run an Alberta Personal Property Registry lien search so you don't inherit debt.
- Get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- If it's a dealer, confirm their AMVIC licence.
See other model years of the Volkswagen Passat, or browse more Volkswagen models.
2017 Volkswagen Passat — questions and answers
Does the 2017 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?+
Our check found 7 NHTSA recalls associated with the 2017 Volkswagen Passat. Check the specific vehicle by VIN to see which remain outstanding, since some may already have been repaired. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.
How many complaints does the 2017 Volkswagen Passat have?+
NHTSA lists 15 owner complaints for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat in our results. Complaints are problems reported by owners and don't always lead to a recall, but a pattern of similar complaints is worth weighing before you buy.
Is the 2017 Volkswagen Passat safe?+
The 2017 Volkswagen Passat has an overall NHTSA crash-test rating of 5. Review the front-crash, side-crash, and rollover ratings above, and pair safety ratings with a mechanical inspection of the specific vehicle.
How do I check a 2017 Volkswagen Passat VIN?+
Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN into our free VIN check to see recalls, complaints, and safety ratings for that exact vehicle, then run an Alberta Personal Property Registry (PPR) lien search before you pay.
Are recall repairs on a Volkswagen free?+
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed at no cost by a franchised Volkswagen dealer, even for a used vehicle and even if you're not the original owner. Confirm the required parts are in stock before relying on the fix.
Get the full vehicle history report
SPONSOREDAccident & damage records, liens, title brands, ownership history, and odometer verification.
Provided by our vehicle-history partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.