Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2016 Ford Fusion vs 2016 Volkswagen Passat

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2016 Ford Fusion2016 Volkswagen Passat
NHTSA complaints1,600106
Recall campaigns135
Service bulletins (TSBs)153828
Investigations40
Crash reports574
Fire reports60
NCAP overall rating5/5
EPA MPG (combined)25–4123–29
Median reported incident mileage78,003 mi37,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord FusionVolkswagen Passat
Engine43917
Power Train3095
Steering17619
Electrical System14522
Engine and Engine Cooling1082
Back Over Prevention1030
Fuel/propulsion System8315
Service Brakes8315

Symptoms owners describe

Check engine light2270
Overheating1790
Misfire / rough idle1200
Stalling1087
Vibration / shaking635
Loss of power600
Hesitation / surging300
Steering problems240

Compare all Ford Fusion vs Volkswagen Passat years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.