2013 Volkswagen CC Reliability
The 2013 Volkswagen CC has 148 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with nearby CC model years (2011–2015), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the CC's typical year, while the 2015 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
148
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
7
Complaints citing a crash
0
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Volkswagen CC complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2012 and 2023. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 89 | 60% |
| Engine | 19 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 17 | 11% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 16 | 11% |
| Steering | 8 | 5% |
| Wheels | 7 | 5% |
| Speed control / throttle | 6 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 3% |
2013 Volkswagen CC recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V483000 | Aug 4, 2015 | Air bags — frontal | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may… |
| 16V078000 | Feb 10, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles.… |
| 17V509000 | Aug 16, 2017 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail. |
| 18V148000 | Mar 6, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal… |
| 18V329000 | May 16, 2018 | Unknown or other | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby CC years
Verdicts compare these CC model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 86 | 4 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2012 | 230 | 6 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2013 (this page) | 148 | 5 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2014 | 80 | 5 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2015 | 30 | 4 | Fuel / propulsion system | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Volkswagen CC
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Volkswagen CC can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Volkswagen CC reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Volkswagen CC reliable?
The 2013 Volkswagen CC has 148 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with nearby CC model years (2011–2015), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the CC's typical year, while the 2015 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Volkswagen CC problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen CC are air bags (89), engine (19), electrical system (17), fuel / propulsion system (16). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen CC have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 Volkswagen CC, including 15V483000 (air bags — frontal) and 16V078000 (air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Volkswagen CC compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 230 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid); the 2014 has 80 complaints and 5 recalls (solid). The 2013 has 148 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Volkswagen CC?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Volkswagen CC research
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 CC, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.