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2020 Volkswagen Passat Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2020 Volkswagen Passat, and owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
18
owner complaints to NHTSA
1 / 0
complaints citing a crash / fire
27
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Cushion (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V533000 Reported 1,829 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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…

  2. Headlights (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 19V389000 Reported 662,185 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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,…

    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…

  3. Air bags: side/window

    NHTSA 19V218000 Reported 3 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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…

18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2020 Volkswagen Passat have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 4,175 miles. Complaints peaked in 2024 with 5 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 10, 2026 · Service brakes

“The front information center which is responsible for the rear camera system is shutdown due to the radio / entire screen being dead without reason”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 28, 2026 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined27 mpg
City / Highway23 / 34
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Compare Volkswagen Passat model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Passat model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1988 Volkswagen Passat10
1989 Volkswagen Passat10
1990 Volkswagen Passat234
1991 Volkswagen Passat124
1992 Volkswagen Passat139
1993 Volkswagen Passat368
1994 Volkswagen Passat125
1995 Volkswagen Passat193
1996 Volkswagen Passat140
1997 Volkswagen Passat037
1998 Volkswagen Passat4331
1999 Volkswagen Passat5664
2000 Volkswagen Passat3507
2001 Volkswagen Passat3430
2002 Volkswagen Passat3636
2003 Volkswagen Passat6628
2004 Volkswagen Passat3279
2005 Volkswagen Passat3148
2006 Volkswagen Passat7576
2007 Volkswagen Passat7262
2008 Volkswagen Passat4168
2009 Volkswagen Passat4146
2010 Volkswagen Passat4163
2011 Volkswagen Passat016
2012 Volkswagen Passat11484
2013 Volkswagen Passat9748
2014 Volkswagen Passat10594
2015 Volkswagen Passat7243
2016 Volkswagen Passat5106
2017 Volkswagen Passat7110
2018 Volkswagen Passat445
2019 Volkswagen Passat112
2020 Volkswagen Passat318
2021 Volkswagen Passat118
2022 Volkswagen Passat013

Checking a specific 2020 Volkswagen Passat

How do I know if my 2020 Volkswagen Passat has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2020 Volkswagen Passat; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 19V218000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.