Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The clock spring has failed in my car unexpectedly and rapidly, exposing me as a teenage driver in college to complete unsafely while driving my car, as the airbags and brake assist that my parents wanted in my car to keep me safe do not function. There have been recalls on volkswagens for the clock spring before, and there should be one now. The car is 7 years old and has a little less than 73,000 miles on it - the clock spring should not be failing.
EPC light came on within a week of buying car from dealer,took it to have it looked at and plugs and coil packs were shot,got that fixed and drove home and EPC came back on and was running bad,shaking and everything,made me lose speed drastically in heavy traffic and almost caused accident,now car has been sitting in driveway for the last few months because I'm afraid to drive it and I can't really get rid of it because I owe way to much on it!
On turning my car on my airbag light came on and non of the buttons worked on my steering wheel. Later that afternoon as someone all most backed up into my car I tried to hit my horn but it did not work. After finally returning home I ran the code stating the Airbag resistance was too high. This puts a huge safety to myself and anyone who can be in my car because I have no horn and my airbag is malfunctioning.
The vehicle has been alerting error codes 16352 for failing to communicate with ABS module causing warning lights for ABS, brake and the ESC systems to illuminate. The brake system related vehicle stabilizing functions (ABS/ESC) is not be available, increasing the risk of a loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Please reference Safety Recall Code: 45F2
The clock spring system failed, rendering all of the cars' steering wheel functions non-functional. The airbag light is on and the steering wheels airbag does not operate as well as the cars horn and auto cruise controls. The instrument cluster is malfunctioning as well. The safety risks associated with the malfunctions could result in great harm to the driver and passengers in the vehicle.
I believe my clockspring has malfuncioned and though it has had multiple recalls my car is not listed for recall. My horn is no longer working, as well as all the buttons in my steering wheel including cruise control and my airbag light is on. This is all directly correlated to a clockspring malfunction and I believe my vehicle should be recalled for saftey reasons.
Steering column makes noises when turning. Airbag Light is on and the none of the steering wheel controls for the radio, phone etc are functioning properly. This is my college age daughter's car and I fear the airbag won't deploy in the event she was in a collision.
After several attempts to identify the cause of my vehicle's excessive oil consumption, white smoke out of tail pipe and illumination of my low oil and EPC lights, the VW dealership has diagnosed my vehicle with a failed air oil seperator/PCV stuck in the open position. During the times the EPC light illuminated, I had a loss of engine power which potentially could have led to engine shut off and caused an accident. I often drive on the highway with construction with my children so sudden engine shut off is a safety risk. On 12/18/20, I took my vehicle to the VW dealership for excessive oil consumption, low oil and EPC lights and white smoke out of tailpipe. The technician diagnosed and repaired a blown upper timing gasket. The problems persisted and I dropped off the vehicle at the dealership on 01/19/21. Dealership advised computer update was needed and was performed. …
I own a 2016 VW Passat that I'm thinking of painting yellow and I don't like yellow. I was driving going about 75 mph on freeway in Idaho and a truck from the slow lane started merging over into my lane I went to hit horn and it didn't work. I hit my brakes and I mean hard because he obviously didn't see me and he merged over into my lane but had I not braked as hard and when I did it would of been a collision. That's how I discovered my horn didn't work. I'm not a person who pulls up to someones house and taps the horn nor do I use it if someone is sitting at an intersection after the light turns green as if to say, "Come on, pay attention, the light's green, now go" I don't like to do that because it makes everyone look and can cause confusion. I use it to prevent an accident! My clock spring went out on me a year ago. I'm told that's why horn doesn't work. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. While driving approximately 20 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The passenger in the rear passenger seat sustained whiplash and injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center and was currently being repaired for the body damage. The contact also stated that the driver's side view mirror indicator failed to detect the oncoming vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000.
Electrical complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Volkswagen Passat, 21% of the model year's 106 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 Volkswagen Passat, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 6,000 miles, and 71% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.