Which Volkswagen CC years should you avoid?

2013, 2012, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Volkswagen CC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Volkswagen CC?

2011 is the best-scoring Volkswagen CC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Volkswagen CC have?

10 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Volkswagen CC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Volkswagen CC years to avoid

Across 7 scored model years, the 2013, 2012 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Volkswagen CC Full report

Grade 2010–2016

2013 vs model median 2.5×

Model median3× median

Airbags & Restraints 71

Engine 11

Electrical 8

Avoid

2012 · 2013

Best

2011 · 2015

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Volkswagen CC
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2010	1.00×	49	C
2011	0.23×	12	B
2012	2.11×	82	F
2013	2.48×	119	F
2014	1.57×	78	D
2015	0.55×	24	B
2016	0.44×	20	B

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2012 F 82 reports · median 50,000 mi

Airbags & Restraints 17

My 2012 volkswagen cc sport airbag light came on after my husband adjusted the driver seat. I took it to the dealer and they told me it was the control unit ( clock spring) the dealership told me if I drove it and got… owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 16

The contact owns a 2012 volkswagen cc. The contact was driving 5 MPH when the horn was depressed repeatedly but the horn failed to sound. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 12

On 01/14/2013 at approx. 6:00pm after driving up to a drive thru, I engaged the autohold on my 2012 volkswagen cc lux plus. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 2 fire · 3 injuries

2013 F 119 reports · median 33,000 mi

Airbags & Restraints 71

2013 vw cc was a total loss in an accident with semi-truck. Side curtain airbag failed to deploy, after multiple impacts on driver side. Final moderate front overlap crash with guardrail failed to deploy driver airbag. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 11

The vehicle began showing signs of malfunction in august of 2012 (vehicle was leased the end of june) when it would take several attempts to start the vehicle and once started the vehicle would occasional cut off or run… owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 8

I have had vw cc's since 2009 and have been trading them in for a new model each year. Upon getting a 2013 vw cc I returned to the dealer the within 72 hours of purchasing the car as I have been having stalling issues… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 4 injuries

The best year for the CC

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2011 is the best-scoring CC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2011	0.23×	12	B
2015	0.55×	24	B
2016	0.44×	20	B

Recalls

10 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
16V078000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010–2014	659,493
15V483000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL	2010–2014	415,825
18V148000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010–2014	363,713
17V509000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	2010–2016	280,915
19V014000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2015, 2016	119,394
19V535000	AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE	2015, 2016	27,822
16V464000	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	2016	5,658
18V329000	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2012–2016	252
17V287000	SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT	2016	23
11V312000	TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS	2012	4

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2013 were reported at a median of 33,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Volkswagen CC years should you avoid?: 2013, 2012, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Volkswagen CC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Volkswagen CC?: 2011 is the best-scoring Volkswagen CC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen CC have?: 10 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Volkswagen CC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 CC

Complaints in window: 119
Severity-weighted: 164
Model median (weighted): 66
vs model median: 2.48×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 5
Open investigations: 1

Score 22 F