Recall 20V561 covers 23 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, and Atlas vehicles sold without regulatory confirmation. Volkswagen will repurchase them.
Volkswagen is recalling 23 2016-2018 Passat, Golf R, Atlas, Golf Alltrack, and Egolf vehicles sold from internal-use inventory without confirmation that they met all applicable regulatory requirements after modification before sale. A vehicle that fails to meet those standards has an increased risk of a crash or injury to occupants, and Volkswagen dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
For this recall, the issue is the vehicle's build record, not one broken part. That record is supposed to confirm how the 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, and Atlas vehicles were built, whether they were changed during internal use, and whether they met required safety standards before sale.
Volkswagen found that its internal process was not followed for certain company-use vehicles. Because the build status or later modifications were not fully verified, Volkswagen cannot confirm that each vehicle was built to every required Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. The recall is based on incomplete compliance documentation, not a confirmed single mechanical failure.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner will not see a dashboard light, noise, smell, or driving symptom that proves this compliance issue is present. Volkswagen is handling the affected vehicles through repurchase, so there is no dealer repair part or software update that fixes the recall.
Who's affected?
The list spans five Volkswagen models across the 2016, 2017, and 2018 model years.
| 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack | Unknown or other |
|---|---|
| 2017 Volkswagen Egolf | Unknown or other |
| 2018 Volkswagen Passat | Unknown or other |
| 2018 Volkswagen Golf R | Unknown or other |
| 2018 Volkswagen Atlas | Unknown or other |
| 2016 Volkswagen Passat | Unknown or other |
| 2017 Volkswagen Passat | Unknown or other |
| Units affected | 23 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
Because these vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, the risk of a crash or injury to occupants is increased. There is no listed warning sign, so do not rely on symptoms to decide whether the recall applies. If your VIN is included, schedule the remedy promptly and follow Volkswagen dealer instructions. Repair is free at any franchised Volkswagen dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, or Atlas is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Volkswagen dealer to arrange the repurchase because the vehicle was sold without confirmation that it met required safety standards.
- Bring the recall notice if Volkswagen mailed one. If not, reference recall number 20V561 when you call.
- Call Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 with questions about the repurchase process.
- Avoid assuming the vehicle meets all safety standards until Volkswagen completes the repurchase.
What happens at the repair
For included 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, and Atlas vehicles, the dealer process is a repurchase instead of a parts repair. Volkswagen will notify the owner, confirm the vehicle is included in campaign 20V561, and handle the buyback under the recall. There is no technician repair to schedule for this campaign. Volkswagen is not offering reimbursement for this recall, so prior out-of-pocket repair claims are not part of this remedy.
| Reimbursement | No separate reimbursement |
|---|
Timeline
| September 16, 2020 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| October 6, 2020 | Owner notification mailed |
| November 13, 2020 | Dealer notification began |
| November 13, 2020 | Dealer notification ended |
| November 13, 2020 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 20V561?
Recall 20V561 covers 23 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, and Atlas vehicles that were sold without confirmation that they met all required federal safety standards. Volkswagen's remedy is to repurchase the affected vehicles.
What should I do if my 2016-2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Egolf, Passat, Golf R, or Atlas is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 20V561. If it is, contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or a franchised Volkswagen dealer and reference recall number 20V561 or Volkswagen recall 01E9. Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicle.
Does the recall remedy cost anything?
No. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to provide the recall remedy at no cost, and Volkswagen's remedy for recall 20V561 is a repurchase. The recall began October 6, 2020, so affected owners can contact Volkswagen now.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the vehicle was sold without confirmation that it met all applicable federal safety standards. A vehicle that does not meet those requirements has increased crash or occupant-injury risk. The remedy path is a Volkswagen repurchase, not a standard part replacement.
What if I bought this Volkswagen used?
The recall still follows the VIN. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific Volkswagen is included, even if you never received the original owner notice. If it is included, reference recall 20V561 or Volkswagen recall 01E9 when you contact Volkswagen or a franchised dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/20V561000 |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen customer service | 1-800-893-5298 |
| NHTSA recall # | 20V561 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 20V561000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 23, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →