Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2017 Ford Fusion vs 2017 Volkswagen Passat

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2017 Ford Fusion2017 Volkswagen Passat
NHTSA complaints1,101108
Recall campaigns47
Service bulletins (TSBs)254674
Investigations10
Crash reports378
Fire reports81
NCAP overall rating5/5
EPA MPG (combined)20–4223–27
Median reported incident mileage72,445 mi35,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord FusionVolkswagen Passat
Engine3897
Power Train3055
Electrical System12417
Engine and Engine Cooling1340
Steering5116
Service Brakes5015
Air Bags2828
Service Brakes, Hydraulic492

Symptoms owners describe

Check engine light2560
Overheating1540
Misfire / rough idle1190
Stalling910
Vibration / shaking710
Loss of power320
Hesitation / surging300
Won’t start220

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.