2012 Buick VERANO
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2012 Buick VERANO has 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 146. The most common issue is engine problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: the engine of this new 2012 buick verano stalled four times. the first time was in freeway. the second time was in front of a red light. the third time was in a local street at ~35 miles/hour. the fourth time happened when the dealer service department was driving it. similar problem every time: the. There are 3 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
146
Total Complaints
3
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
ENGINE
50 complaints- • THE ENGINE OF THIS NEW 2012 BUICK VERANO STALLED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME WAS IN A LOCAL STREET AT ~35 MILES/HOUR. THE FOURTH TIME HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS DRIVING IT. SIMILAR PROBLEM EVERY TIME: THE
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT
- • WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A 4-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, MY ENGINE QUIT, AND ALL GAUGES WENT DARK. I HAD STEERING, BRAKES, TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHTS, AND TELEPHONE. I WAS LOSING SPEED, AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I
“THE ENGINE OF THIS NEW 2012 BUICK VERANO STALLED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME WAS IN A LOCAL STREET AT ~35 MILES/HOUR. THE FOURTH TIME HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS DRIVING IT. SIMILAR PROBLEM EVERY TIME: THE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2012 Buick VERANO
Based on 103 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 56K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.
ELECTRICAL
STEERING
SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE
AIR BAGS
TRANSMISSION
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (3)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.
Charging Cost Calculator for 2012 Buick VERANO
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2012 Buick VERANO
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Buick New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Buick. If you're buying a used 2012 VERANO, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Buick dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
EV Incentives for 2012 Buick VERANO
Updated 2026-07Federal Tax Credit (Section 30D) — Expired 2025-09-30
Section 30D new clean vehicle credit ($7,500 max) expired for vehicles acquired after Sept 30, 2025 per Public Law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Vehicles acquired on or before that date remain eligible on the buyer's 2025 return. No federal purchase credit exists for post-9/30/2025 acquisitions.
State-Level Incentives (Still Active in 14 States)
Source: US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center + state DOR / DEQ program pages. Program details and eligibility limits change frequently — always verify with the linked source before purchase.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 146 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: THE ENGINE OF THIS NEW 2012 BUICK VERANO STALLED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME WAS IN A LOCAL STREET AT ~35 MILES/HOUR. THE FOURTH TIME HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS DRIVING IT. SIMILAR PROBLEM EVERY TIME: THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: I HIT A PARKED CAR. MY FRONT, RIGHT TIRE WENT FLAT AND WAS TWISTED. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR. MY CAR ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, BUT COULD NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, I REALIZED THAT MY AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE AT ALL. AL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: THIS BUICK VERANO HAS CASCADING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS LEFT MY WIFE WITH ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION JUST PAST THE CREST OF A BRIDGE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WOULD BIND SLIGHTLY IN ONE SPOT AND REQUIRE EXTRA FORCE TO CORRECT NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIFT.THIS CAUSED OVER CORRECTION. DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. CALLED BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE AND STEERING RACK WAS CHANGED RIGHT AWAY. SECOND STEERING RACK WAS CHANGED FOR SAME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Buick dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Buick VERANO — Year Comparison
How does 2012 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 146
- Recalls
- 3
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 8
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 146
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2012 Buick VERANO