Problems · NHTSA complaints

2016 Volkswagen CC problems

Owners filed 26 complaints about the 2016 Volkswagen CC with NHTSA between Nov 2017 and May 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (11).

Complaints
26
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags11
  2. Fuel/propulsion system7
  3. Electrical system4
  4. Structure2
  5. Exterior lighting2
  6. Service brakes2
  7. Power train1
  8. Engine1
  9. Visibility/wiper1
  10. Steering1
  11. Suspension1
  12. Vehicle speed control1
  13. Fuel system, gasoline1
  14. Other / unknown3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20174
20184
20197
20201
20214
20224
20232

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

11 reports2 related recalls
“I purchased my Volkswagen CC in 2019. It hasn't been officially 4 years of owning the vehicle, and the clock spring or air bag light comes on in which it seems every 1.5 years. It costs over $800 to repair, and the first repair was replaced by certified VW OEM parts. I can't get an inspection and pass because the horn will not work. My safety is put at risk as I can't warn other drivers who aren't paying attention that I am close by. I actually ended up getting a ticket for switching lanes so fast due to getting out of the way of a vehicle on the interstate who almost ran into me. There is no warning when this happens, it just decides to stop at any given time. This page will not allow me to upload the other scanned diagnosis that was repaired from 2020. Please advise.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2023Air bagsODI 11520704

Fuel/propulsion system

7 reports
“SEVERAL TIMES NOW WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OUT INTO TRAFFIC MY CAR STUTTERS AND CAUSED ME TO ALMOST GET HIT. RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC MY CAR STOPPED RECEIVING GAS AND STARTED COASTING. IT LITERALLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH MYSELF AND CHILD IN THE CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2020Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11327163

Electrical system

4 reports
“My 2016 VW CC (VIN: [XXX]) has a clock spring failure. I brought my car in to Riverhead Bay Motors on 2/12/2019, with the hope of diagnosing and fixing the part. They had to order the part, so only diagnosis was done. Diagnosis confirmed that the clock spring (in VW’s own words from the bill): “Upon further diag found clock spring defective”). I was told in conversations prior to bringing the car in, with corporate, if they identified a torn clock spring as the cause, a case manager would look into and consider if my car perhaps had a faulty part and the fix could be covered by Volkswagen. After many days spent waiting for the opportunity to speak to a supervisor, I finally was able to on 2/15/2019. Volkswagen is refusing to acknowledge that my clock spring issue is the same as what prompted: both a recall, and an extended warranty, and is peer to of an active investigation—escalated to an engineering analysis--by the NHTSA (EA18-003). They are insisting I pay out of my own pocket to replace their defective product. Since the supervisor was unwilling to give any info on who made the part and whether the relation was causal, I spent some time this weekend using…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2021Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11439051

Structure

2 reports
“When I put my car in drive (to move forward) from a cold start, the vehicle hesitates, does not respond to the accelerator pedal, and does not move. During this time, the transmission does not engage, and the vehicle shakes and produces a loud clunking sound from underneath. After that faulty start, the vehicle operates normally, until the next cold start (vehicle is at rest for 30 or more minutes). Here is an example that shows the danger of this situation. When I back out onto my street, and I put the car in drive, a driver behind me expects me to move. That driver is not expecting a stationary car (stalled, in park, or anything else like the situation I am describing). That creates a safety issue because the driver behind me may not slow down. That driver could then collide with my stationary vehiclle. That could result in injuries or loss of life, to me, or to the driver or passengers in the car that hit me. I spoke to a VW dealer about this, Cherry Hill Volkswagen. They looked up information, and then replied to me "that's normal for that vehicle". The problem is this. That's not normal for any vehicle. That's a bad answer. I have been driving for 50…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2023Power train, StructureODI 11500563

Exterior lighting

2 reports
“unknown”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2022Exterior lighting, Engine, Visibility/wiperODI 11496005

Service brakes

2 reports1 crash
“IT LOOKS LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ALL MY LIGHT AND SENSORS CAME ON INCLUDING AIRBAGS ETC.. IT HAPPENS WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON TO GO TO WORK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2019Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakesODI 11279682
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.