Reliable Auto DB

2020 Volkswagen Passat reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volkswagen Passat over 7 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Passat years here — under the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Cushion, Headlights, and Side and window.

2012 Volkswagen Passat
Photo by Alexander-93, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

18

Per year

1

Recalls

3

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (4 of 18), then Engine (4) and Electrical system (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Passat has 12 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Volkswagen Passat. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall air bags, passenger frontal, cushion 2020-09-02 · NHTSA campaign 20V533000
Summary 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."
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 exterior lighting, headlights 2019-05-22 · NHTSA campaign 19V389000
Summary 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.
Recall air bags, side and window 2019-03-20 · NHTSA campaign 19V218000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (18 total)

Air bags
4
Engine
4
Electrical system
3
Forward collision avoidance
3
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Service brakes
2
Steering
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Seat belts
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 4 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22020120211202232023520242202542026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "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"
    Electrical system, Wheels, Service brakes · filed 2026-09-10
  • "The front information center which is responsible for the rear camera system is shutdown due to the radio / entire screen being dead without reason"
    Electrical system, Visibility and wipers, Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-28
  • "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…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-24
  • "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 – insufficient airflow) that has resulted in…"
    Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-03-23
  • "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…"
    Steering, Air bags, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-12-18

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Passat 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 23 34 27 MPG $2400

Specs and fitment

B8 (NMS refresh), 2016–2022
Body styles Sedan
Oil VW 502.00/504.00 5W-30 or 0W-20 (engine dependent) , 4.8 qt capacity
Tire size 215/55R17

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 19V389000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that 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.". 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.

Compare

Previous year 2019 Volkswagen Passat See every Volkswagen Passat model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Volkswagen Passat reliable?

Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volkswagen Passat over 7 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Passat years here — under the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Cushion, Headlights, and Side and window.

What are common problems with a 2020 Volkswagen Passat?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (4 of 18), then Engine (4) and Electrical system (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2020 Volkswagen Passat more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Passat has 12 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Volkswagen Passat been recalled?

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Volkswagen Passat?

Owners have filed 18 complaints about the 2020 Volkswagen Passat with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Volkswagen Passat get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat is 27 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Volkswagen Passat use?

VW 502.00 5W-30 or 5W-40 (engine dependent)

What does NHTSA recall 19V-014 cover on the Volkswagen Passat?

NHTSA safety recall 19V014000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

What generation is the 2013 Volkswagen Passat?

B7 (NMS) (2012-2015).