Diagnostic trouble code · Volkswagen

P0401 on Volkswagen vehicles Not enough exhaust gas is being recirculated

P0401 is named on 21 Volkswagen model years (2017–2022): 262 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports in NHTSA’s files, across Atlas, Golf / GTI, Passat, Jetta, Tiguan and 1 more.

Powertrain 21 model years 262 manufacturer filings

Which Volkswagen model years name P0401

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Model year	Filed under	Bulletins	Owner reports
2021 Volkswagen Atlas	Engine	40	—
2020 Volkswagen Atlas	Engine	39	—
2019 Volkswagen Golf / GTI	Equipment	29	—
2021 Volkswagen Golf / GTI	Engine	24	—
2020 Volkswagen Passat	Equipment	15	—
2019 Volkswagen Passat	Equipment	15	—
2021 Volkswagen Jetta	Engine	13	—
2020 Volkswagen Golf / GTI	Equipment	11	—
2020 Volkswagen Jetta	Equipment	11	—
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan	Equipment	10	—
2019 Volkswagen Atlas	Equipment	10	—
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan	Equipment	10	—
2018 Volkswagen Atlas	Equipment	9	—
2021 Volkswagen Passat	Engine	6	—
2018 Volkswagen Jetta	Equipment	6	—
2022 Volkswagen Taos	Power Train	3	—
2021 Volkswagen Tiguan	Engine	3	—
2022 Volkswagen Jetta	Equipment	2	—
2022 Volkswagen Tiguan	Equipment	2	—
2018 Volkswagen Passat	Equipment	2	—
2017 Volkswagen Passat	Engine	2	—

A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.

Equipment 106 Engine 96 Power Train 22 Suspension 4

Volkswagen filings that name P0401

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Bulletins and campaigns Volkswagen filed with NHTSA whose summary names P0401. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

VIN4APIN20200608 Service bulletin
2020-06-08 · Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Gasoline
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with P2440 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states MIL-on with P02CC, P02CE, P02D0, P02D2, P02D4, and P02D6 P02D7 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on, HPFP mounting bolts loose/broken No crank, no start Customer states both headlights are cracked Customer states
VIN4APIN20200609 Service bulletin
2020-06-09 · Equipment — Electrical
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with P2440 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states MIL-on with P02CC, P02CE, P02D0, P02D2, P02D4, and P02D6 P02D7 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on, HPFP mounting bolts loose/broken No crank, no start Customer states both headlights are cracked Customer states
VIN4APIN20200617 Service bulletin
2020-06-17 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with P2440 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states MIL-on with P02CC, P02CE, P02D0, P02D2, P02D4, and P02D6 P02D7 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on, HPFP mounting bolts loose/broken No crank, no start Customer states both headlights are cracked Customer states
VIN4APIN20210728 Service bulletin
2021-07-28 · Structure
Customer states MIL-on with P013E in the ECM Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Customer states MIL-on with P0461 in the ECM Customer states front suspension noise while driving Customer states the rear view mirror is loose Hood release inoperative Customer states MIL-on with P0401
VIN4APIN20210802 Service bulletin
2021-08-02 · Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm)
Customer states MIL-on with P013E in the ECM Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Hood release inoperative Customer states MIL-on with P0401
VIN4APIN20210816 Service bulletin
2021-08-16 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Customer states MIL-on with P013E in the ECM Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Customer states noise during clutch pedal operation Hood release inoperative Customer states MIL-on with P0401
VIN4APIN20200710 Service bulletin
2020-07-10 · Equipment
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on, HPFP mounting bolts loose/broken No crank, no start Customer states both headlights are cracked Wind noise from front doors Customer states MIL-on w
VIN4APIN20200715 Service bulletin
2020-07-15 · Equipment
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on with P2407 Customer states MIL-on, HPFP mounting bolts loose/broken No crank, no start Customer states both headlights are cracked Customer states no
VIN4APIN20200720 Service bulletin
2020-07-20 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Customer states MIL-on with P2407 "Customer states MIL-on with P11A1/P11A2/P11A3/P11A4/P11A5/P11A6/P11A7/P11A8/ P11A9/P11AA/P11AB/P11AC/P11AD/P11AE/P11AF/P11B0" Customer states
VIN4APIN20210907 Service bulletin
2021-09-07 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Customer states noise during clutch pedal operation Customer states no crank/no start. Vehicle is towed in. Hood release inoperative Customer states there is a popping/clicking noise while operating temperature settings Customer states MIL-on with P0401
VIN4APIN20210909 Service bulletin
2021-09-09 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Customer states noise during clutch pedal operation Customer states no crank/no start. Vehicle is towed in. Customer states there is a popping/clicking noise while operating temperature settings Customer states MIL-on with P0401
VIN4APIN20210913 Service bulletin
2021-09-13 · Power Train
Customer states MIL-on with P0087 P0149 P053F in the ECM Customer states noise during clutch pedal operation Customer states no crank/no start. Vehicle is towed in. Customer states there is a popping/clicking noise while operating temperature settings Customer states MIL-on with P0401

What P0401 means

Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-II

Not enough exhaust gas is being recirculated.

A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Volkswagen and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.

From here

Get a model's new bulletins by email See what owners reported Look up a bulletin by its number Watch a VIN for new recalls

Common questions

Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standard

Is P0401 a known problem on Volkswagen vehicles?

It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 262 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports naming P0401 on 21 Volkswagen model years (2017–2022). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.

Which Volkswagen models does P0401 appear on most?

2021 Atlas (40 documents), 2020 Atlas (39 documents), 2019 Golf / GTI (29 documents).

Does P0401 on a Volkswagen mean it is recalled?

No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.