Volkswagen Passat · model year

2021 Volkswagen Passat

26 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
26
Recalls
1

The verdict

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat pairs top-10% complaint standing with a strong NHTSA safety rating.

Top 9%
fewest complaints, own model years
4/5
NHTSA overall rating
1
recall campaign

The 2021VolkswagenPassat carries 26 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 3/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2021 Passat is service brakes with 5 filings, followed by lane departure: assist (4) and air bags (3). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2021 Passat, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

26
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
2021 Volkswagen Passat - NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 3.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.
A-
PlainCars Safety Score
80/100
2021 Volkswagen Passat

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating A-
4/5 ★
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash C+
3/5 ★
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash A+
5/5 ★
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance A-
4/5 ★
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk B+
10.7%
Lower than 77% of 2,516 rated model-years.

Total Complaints

26 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 - Strong NCAP rating · Front: 3/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES5
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST4
AIR BAGS3
STEERING2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: AUTOMATIC STEERING1
TIRES:SIDEWALL1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT1
EQUIPMENT1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1

Recalls (1)

21V81200015/10/2021

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.

Recent Complaints

20251124AIR BAGS

I was parking my car and then I heard a loud crack. Then I noticed my car's airbag malfunction warning notice came up on the dashboard along with other failures. I can see on the edges of the horn panel on the left that its slightly detached, so it seem the airbag has somewhat inflated. I haven't taken it to the dealer yet, but will later after work. I didn't notice any issues prior to this happening

20251008SERVICE 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.

20251008FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

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.

20250822EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

See attached document for complaint.

20250822EQUIPMENT

See attached document for complaint.

20250805ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

Mileage: 37,995

20250313AIR BAGS

Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)

20250313ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)

20250313STEERING

Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)

20241126STRUCTURE:BODY

There is a headlight chrome accent piece right above the left headlight that one day just blew off the vehicle when driving down the highway. Oddly enough, I live in a small town of Mason City, IA and I saw another VW Passat (same year) missing the same exact piece so I know this is a vehicle defect. You also can not just replace this one part, it costs over $1,000 to replace the full headlight assemble. I hope others report this defect as this is very dangerous when you have chrome pieces flying off your vehicle when it is not even windy and the vehicle has never had any other damage.

20240725CrashAIR BAGS

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.

20240725CrashEXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

20240725CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

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.

20240205TIRES:SIDEWALL

I own a 2021 Volkswagen Passat R-Line that has GITI 235/40R19 Comfort tires, I have had bubbles on two of the tires that blew out going down the interstate. I now have a third tire with the same issue.

20231009SERVICE 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.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.

20231009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

20230903SERVICE BRAKES

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

20230903SERVICE 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

20230705SERVICE 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, 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.

Mileage: 5,000

20221117LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

The vehicle lane assistance feature for my 2021 Volkswagen Passat nearly caused me to collide with another vehicle on two separate occasions. While driving home on my regular route, there are many cross streets where intersecting traffic may cross in order to facilitate a left turn. On one such occasion a vehicle pulling a utility trailer crossed in front of me but did not proceed through entirely, leaving the trailer sticking out into the lane ahead of me. As I approached I attempted to pilot the car into the right lane adjacent to me, in order to avoid a collision. The lane assist feature took control of the vehicle's steering, pulling me back on a collision-course toward the trailer and other vehicle. I was forced to wrest control of the wheel in order to avoid the other vehicle resulting in a near-miss. Several days later a similar occurrence happened, causing me to lose confidence in the vehicle entirely. This feature can not be permanently disabled, meaning that each and every

Compare 2021VolkswagenPassat to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat have?
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat has 26 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat?
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 3/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat?
Yes, the 2021 Volkswagen Passat has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Volkswagen Passat?
The most-complained component for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat is SERVICE BRAKES with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2021 Volkswagen Passat safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2021 Volkswagen Passat has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.