Volkswagen Passat Passenger Airbag May Deploy Too Forcefully

NHTSA campaign 20V533000 · Reported Sep 2, 2020 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

high How serious is it? About this label

An airbag that deploys with too much force increases the risk of injury to the passenger. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	20V533000
Reported to NHTSA	Sep 2, 2020
Manufacturer	Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Part affected	AIR Bags:passenger Side Frontal:cushion
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2020
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

Volkswagen is recalling certain Passat vehicles because the passenger front airbag may have been folded incorrectly. This mistake can affect how much force the airbag uses when it inflates during a crash. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet federal safety standards for protecting occupants in a crash. An airbag that deploys with too much force can injure the passenger it is meant to protect, instead of keeping them safe as designed.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your vehicle is affected.
2. Contact a Volkswagen dealer, or call Volkswagen customer service at 1-888-241-2289, to schedule the repair.
3. The airbag replacement is free of charge.

Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?

Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 20V533000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2020 Volkswagen Passat

Who to contact

Volkswagen — official Volkswagen recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-893-5298

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Volkswagen Air Bag Recalls: Deployment Failures and Inflator Risks · all 16 Volkswagen recalls in this area

Other Volkswagen Passat recalls

Oct 15, 2021VW Atlas and Passat Front Wheel Bolts May Loosenhigh
Sep 16, 2020VW Atlas, Golf R, Passat May Not Meet Safety Rulesmedium
May 22, 2019Volkswagen Passat and Atlas headlight aim may be adjustablemedium
Mar 20, 2019VW Atlas, Passat May Have Wrong Side Airbaghigh
Aug 15, 2018VW Atlas And Passat Loose Brake Caliper Boltshigh
Jun 1, 2018VW and Audi Brake Calipers May Reduce Brakingcritical

Official notice

Component: AIR BAGS:PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL:CUSHION
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Passat vehicles. The passenger frontal air bag may have been folded incorrectly affecting its deployment force. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Safety risk: An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AY.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.