2018 Volkswagen Passat: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
4 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer.
Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.
Known problems on the 2018 Volkswagen Passat
No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.
2018 Volkswagen Passat recalls
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volkswagen Passat. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Recall
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
Details 20V561000
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.
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.
- Lights
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Details 19V389000
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."
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.
- Brakes
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Details 18V369000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
- Brakes
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.
Details 18V536000
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.
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 Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46H6.
2018 Volkswagen Passat safety investigations and free repairs
No open safety investigations.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Warranty extension: These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement
- Steering: The model year chat was removed for VWP-18-11 for the Steering Wheel Clock Spring Limited Warranty Extension
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2018 Volkswagen Passat safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
45 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, about average.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
What a 2018 Volkswagen Passat is worth
Rough trade-in values — roughly what a dealer would pay — by mileage, from published trade-in guides. Private sales and dealer prices run higher. For the exact car, add its VIN.
| Mileage | Trade-in (rough) |
|---|---|
| 80,000 mi | $10,000 |
| 120,000 mi | $9,800 |
From new to now
What each Volkswagen Passat model year trades in for today at typical mileage.
Typical mileage = 12,000 miles a year; values between two published mileages are estimated in a straight line.
Other Volkswagen Passat years
Printable inspection checklist · Out-the-door price calculator