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2021 Volkswagen Passat

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Lane Departure. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Driving home from work around 1:00 am at night with street lights and no other cars in the vicinity the auto brake engaged, causing an abrupt stop. Once the auto brake ceased I was able to complete my trip. There was a light coating of water in a spot on the road but nothing else and no reason for this to occur.

NHTSA ODI #11692184

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2023
Electrical SystemService Brakes

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 94014 (650) 756- 9000 www.serram…

Read full complaint

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 94014 (650) 756- 9000 www.serramontevw.com To provide context, the vehicle began experiencing unresolved electrical problems at just 7,000 miles. Despite repeated attempts for repairs at the dealership, these issues persist. Additionally, at only 9,000 miles, abnormal wear on the rear brake pads and rotors was discovered, requiring replacement. The dealership acknowledged the unusual nature of this problem, stating that it typically occurs after 30,000 miles in a typical car. The combination of these issues in a new vehicle with such low mileage is concerning and raises questions about the vehicle's quality and safety standards.

NHTSA ODI #11549058

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2023
Service Brakes

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

NHTSA ODI #11542363

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2023
Service Brakes

Rear brakes needed to be replaced at 17,000 miles. Same thing happened to my wife’s 2021 Passat.

NHTSA ODI #11542362

5,000 miles · Jul 5, 2023
Service 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 vehicle was taken to the dealer, …

Read full complaint

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 vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an uneven brake wear as the rear brakes were prematurely worn while the front brakes were in very good condition. The dealer notified the manufacturer, who informed the dealer that there would be no assistance as the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ODI #11530411

Official recalls

1

21V812000 · Suspension:front:wheel Bearing ; Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

Oct 15, 2021

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Consequence: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

Suspension:front:wheel Bearing

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Consequence: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.