2021 Volkswagen Passat problems
NHTSA has received 28 complaints about the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, and 18% of them involve brakes. After that come lane departure (18%) and air bags (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 28 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 2
- Injuries and deaths
- 0 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 2 complaints mention a fire.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 23rd most-complained-about out of 31 model years of the Volkswagen Passat with enough data (28 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I am requesting that Volkswagen open a formal case regarding a fire involving my 2021 Volkswagen Passat. On May 6, 2026, at approximately 9:30 PM, after driving about seven miles, I came to a complete stop and the vehicle began smoking before catching fire. The vehicle has been declared a total loss and is currently being stored at a salvage yard pending investigation. I am requesting that Volkswagen investigate the cause of the fire and advise whether an inspection of the vehicle will be conducted.
The forward collision was not working on my car when someone pulled down in front of me and I hit the wall so I wouldn’t hit them.
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 contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while stopped at a red traffic light, the engine stalled. The low oil pressure and the battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the piston ring and engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,995.