Most common 2016 Volkswagen CC problems
Share of the 26 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen CC complaints by model year
Best CC years: 2017, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2009. Compare all years →
2016 Volkswagen CC recalls (6)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019.
Unknown or other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Seats › Front assembly › Head restraint
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2017 CC vehicles. Incorrect front seat head restraints (rests) may have been installed, possibly resulting in the seat occupant's head being inadequately restrained in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seat head restraints, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Latches/locks/linkages
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016.
What 2016 Volkswagen CC owners say
Air bags
I purchased my Volkswagen CC in 2019. It hasn't been officially 4 years of owning the vehicle, and the clock spring or air bag light comes on in which it seems every 1.5 years. It costs over $800 to repair, and the first repair was replaced by certified VW OEM parts. I can't get an inspection and pass because the horn will not work. My safety is put at risk as I can't warn other drivers who aren't paying attention that I am close by. I actually ended up getting a ticket for switching lanes so fast due to getting out of the way of a vehicle on the interstate who almost ran into me. There is no warning when this happens, it just decides to stop at any given time. This page will not allow me to upload the other scanned diagnosis that was repaired from 2020. Please advise.
Clock spring broke, now NO airbag and nothing on the steering panel works including the horn and airbag. First I was told by the dealship that it was a California car so they would fix it, today I was told they would not. So we are driving a car with NO airbag. They want $700 to replace this part with a long waiting period.
Fuel & propulsion system
There have been 3 incidents in which my vehicle suddenly, without warning shuts down (absolutely no power) while I am driving on the highway, approximately 30 MPH. I was fortunate that there was significant traffic and the vehicle had enough momentum to get to the emergency lane. I placed the vehicle in park and let it sit for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. I then pushed the start button and it started without incident. I took the vehicle to riverside Volkswagen where they conducted a diagnostic check and stated there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. After informing them of the safety recall, they said there was nothing they can do and declined to provide me with a loaner vehicle. The service representative could not confirm or deny if the issues reported were related to the safety recall. …
Several times now when attempting to turn out into traffic my car stutters and caused me to almost get hit. Recently while driving in traffic my car stopped receiving gas and started coasting. It literally stopped working in the middle of traffic almost causing an accident with myself and child in the car.
Electrical system
My 2016 VW CC (VIN: [redacted]) has a clock spring failure. I brought my car in to Riverhead Bay Motors on 2/12/2019, with the hope of diagnosing and fixing the part. They had to order the part, so only diagnosis was done. Diagnosis confirmed that the clock spring (in VW's own words from the bill): "Upon further diag found clock spring defective"). I was told in conversations prior to bringing the car in, with corporate, if they identified a torn clock spring as the cause, a case manager would look into and consider if my car perhaps had a faulty part and the fix could be covered by Volkswagen. After many days spent waiting for the opportunity to speak to a supervisor, I finally was able to on 2/15/2019. …
What happens is exactly what is described in other models and years of the same model. Failure of the steering power and airbag failure due to failure of clockspring. This is a new car and it would be quite a coincidence to have this same issue with the same manufacturer and not have it be causally related based on the same defect which caused a similar recall. The airbag sensor light wen ton, horn wouldn't work, electrical components on wheel won't work. Bringing for replacement of clockspring (same as in other recall).
2016 Volkswagen CC engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 32 / 25 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Volkswagen CC a good car?
Based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 CC rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the CC at the same age. It is one of the best CC years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Volkswagen CC?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (8) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen CC have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2016 Volkswagen CC, the most recent from July 17, 2019 (air bag/restraint control module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen CC?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2009. See the full Volkswagen CC years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Volkswagen CC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 75% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.