2020 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Recalls & Reliability
24 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 3/100 on the trouble index — too lightly reported for a fair score.
Few reports
Where 2020 sits among all Passat years
What owners report
Recalls (3)
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
Technical service bulletins
447 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2020 Passat TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2020 Volkswagen Passat reliable?
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat drew 24 complaints in federal safety records — too lightly reported for a fair score. Its trouble index is 3/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).
What are the most common 2020 Volkswagen Passat problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat are engine (5 complaints), other (4), and driver assistance (4).
Does the 2020 Volkswagen Passat have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 Volkswagen Passat. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.