⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›Volkswagen›Passat› 2017
Volkswagen · Midsize Sedan

2017 Volkswagen Passat

Gas
Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
62 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
Recalls1 critical 7
Complaints9 crash · 1 fire · 3 injured reported 110
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg
2022202120202019201820172016

The 2017 Volkswagen Passat is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Passat, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 110 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Volkswagen Passat — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Volkswagen Passat · Photo: Jengtingchen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
PassatGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl turbo233427$2,500
PassatGasFWD3.6L 6-cyl202823$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37726, 37725.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Passat8–9 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / PZEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Passat6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / LEV-II ULEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement1.8 L

Engine Output

Horsepower170 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Blind-spot monitoring, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: R-Line, S, SE, SEL Premium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length191.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.4 in
Height57.9 in
Wheelbase110.2 in
Track, front61.4 in
Track, rear60.2 in
Curb weight3,172–3,446 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear59/41 to 60/40

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 1.8L Tsi 4-door Sedan, VR6 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2017 Passat
Other years The 2022 Passat Recalls Volkswagen recalls
Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Volkswagen Passat is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (7)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Air Bags

69EG,69GQ,69E6
248,330 vehicles 29% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. Risk An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V834000 reported Oct 30, 2024 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Unknown Or Other

01F1
46 vehicles 37% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Risk Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire. Fix Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V321000 reported May 5, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Unknown Or Other

01E9
23 vehicles 74% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Risk Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V561000 reported Sep 16, 2020 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Unknown Or Other

01D7
113 vehicles 18% reported repaired built Jul 15, 2016 – Aug 31, 2016
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements. Risk If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V679000 reported Sep 25, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Exterior Lighting

94L9
662,185 vehicles 69% reported repaired built Apr 20, 2015 – Jan 14, 2019
Problem 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, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix 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 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V389000 reported May 22, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

46H6
8,416 vehicles 96% reported repaired built Oct 26, 2016 – Jun 12, 2018
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2017-2018 Volkswagen Passat vehicles. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently. Risk The loose brake bracket bolts can allow the caliper to move, reducing braking ability or causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of charge. For Passat vehicles, dealers will also inspect the parking brake cable for proper connection, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volksw
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V536000 reported Aug 15, 2018 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

47N3
1,007 vehicles 92% reported repaired built Jan 12, 2017 – Jan 30, 2017
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Passat vehicles. Brake fluid may leak slowly from the some of the brake line connections, resulting in a low brake fluid level. Risk A low brake fluid level may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47N3.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 17V075000 reported Feb 8, 2017 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Passat

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Passat →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
110complaints filed

9 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

14 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 78,367 Passat built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 8 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 10 · 2021: 21 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 4

Most-cited components

Air Bags 28
Unspecified 21
Forward Collision Avoidance 19
Electrical System 18
Service Brakes 17
Steering 16

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Ever since we purchased our Passat we noticed issues with alignment and uneven braking. After several attempts to address the issue with the service department of university Volkswagen in albuquerque, we learned that our vehicle would need the rotors and brake pads replaced after 40,000 miles.
Service Brakes at 40,000 miles May 10, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11206810
Access start module failed. Car refused to detect key fob and dashboard was off when entering vehicle. Could not press on brake to push start ignition. Car battery was at full 12-12 vdc. Checked fuses and nothing was blown. Had vehicle towed to dealer to check up.
Electrical System at 20,129 miles Nov 2, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11144847
Both side mirrors are automatic. The side mirrors are supposed to fold in when turning the car off, and fold out when the car is on. One or both of the mirros either fail to fold out when the car is started, or fold in unexpectantly while driving. This creates a highly dangerous life and safety hazard when it happens.
Visibility/Wiper at 35,000 miles Oct 27, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11143383
2017 Volkswagen Passat. Consumer writes in regards to issue with rearview backup camera. The consumer stated the vehicle was damaged while it was in possession of the dealer. The consumer stated it has been over a year and there wasno solution for the camera failure. The manufacturer was notified
Back Over Prevention Aug 2, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11114830
I was hit from behind in stopped traffic and pushed into the car in front of me. I was stopped in heavy traffic on a two-way road when hit. The driver airbag didn't deploy and the collision inspector told me that my seat belt didn't either! I AM lucky I wasn't hurt worse.
Air Bags at 12,000 miles Apr 13, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11084887
I preface this by saying this is my first keyless car and I don't like it. It is sometimes confusing as to whether the car is running or off and the ignition button looks identical in both scenarios. On june 12, I parked my car (it was stationary) and took my dog into her day care center.
Structure at 5,100 miles Jun 13, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10994931

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Volkswagen itself: 31 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 32 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 40 per 100,000 built. Every Passat model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 35k

miles, typically

Half the 48 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 12,000 and 50,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 11
10k–20k 5
20k–30k 6
30k–40k 5
40k–50k 8
50k–60k 3
60k–70k 2
70k–80k 2
80k–90k 0
90k–100k 1
100k–150k 4
150k + 1

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Volkswagen warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 667
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 653 service bulletins, 11 others, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

  • V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Engine
  • Suggested fuel additive
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
  • 2026-08-21 · Engine
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward.
  • 2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
  • Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
  • V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
    2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • Differences between a leak and seepage
  • VOS-26-42 Service bulletin
    2026-07-15 · Electrical System
  • This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) – No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.
  • V1718062017813_24 Service bulletin
    2026-07-09 · Engine
  • Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
  • TT 13-20-01_3 Service bulletin
    2026-06-18 · Engine
  • Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0420
P0420 on Volkswagen →		The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.Equipment · Catalytic converter →23 bulletins
P0430
P0430 on Volkswagen →		The catalytic converter on bank 2 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.Equipment · Catalytic converter →23 bulletins
P0496
P0496 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment20 bulletins
P11AD
P11AD on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment13 bulletins
P11AE
P11AE on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment13 bulletins
P11AF
P11AF on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment13 bulletins
P013E
P013E on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment12 bulletins
P2407
P2407 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment12 bulletins
P0456
P0456 on Volkswagen →		A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Equipment · Gas cap →11 bulletins
P0116
P0116 on Volkswagen →		The engine coolant temperature sensor reading does not track the engine's actual warm-up.Equipment8 bulletins
P0111
P0111 on Volkswagen →		The intake air temperature sensor is reporting a temperature that does not fit the conditions.Equipment7 bulletins
P0197
P0197 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment7 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Volkswagen Passat failed the emissions check on 1.9% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 1.9%

failed emissions

1,959 initial inspections of 1,908 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 PassatEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check1.9%3.7%1,949
Failed the safety inspection2.6%2.1%1,959
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.31%0.25%1,959
Miles driven a year10,45210,048odometer at inspection
Average odometer97,02893,238odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Passat by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2022 A 0 13 28 mpg2021 A 1 18 28 mpg2020 B 3 18 27 mpg2019 A 1 12 29 mpg2018 C 4 46 Do not drive2017 this page D 7 110 27 mpg2016 C 5 106 29 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 Passat

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Volkswagen Passat have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 24V834000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Volkswagen Passat 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (62/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

Transport Canada measured it at 191.7 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.9 in tall, on a 110.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,172–3,446 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, most often about air bags, unspecified, forward collision avoidance. Of those, 9 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat runs 6 to 9 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, LEV-II ULEV, PZEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat?

The manufacturer has filed 667 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Volkswagen Passat, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Volkswagen Passat do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Volkswagen Passat failed the emissions check on 1.9% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls7NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints110NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings1 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins667NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2022 Passat The Passat model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Volkswagen recall on file All campaigns filed against Volkswagen vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Passat by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API