2012 Volkswagen PASSAT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Volkswagen PASSAT has 660 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 8.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (45% of all complaints), specifically: pulling into a parking space, i felt a click vibration on the steering column and then a message flashed on the dash screen: airbag: error none of the electronic switches on the steering column function, no airbag availability, no horn. i took it to the onion creek dealership in austin, tx and . ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 12 crash reports 14 injuries

660

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

8.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

296 complaints

45%

• PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I FELT A CLICK VIBRATION ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE DASH SCREEN: AIRBAG: ERROR NONE OF THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES ON THE STEERING COLUMN FUNCTION, NO AIRBAG AVAILABILITY, NO HORN. I TOOK IT TO THE ONION CREEK DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN, TX AND
• THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH FROZE SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN THIS YEAR AFTER DOING IT THREE TIMES LAST YEAR. THE LATCH FROZE EVERY TIME THERE WAS MOISTURE (FOG, SNOW ,RAIN, ETC.) AND THE TEMPERATURE FELL BELOW 32 F. THE LATCH WAS FINALLY REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE SENSOR FOR THE AIRBAGS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPL
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE HORN BECAME INOPERABLE. THE PROBLEM RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 8 crashes

“PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I FELT A CLICK VIBRATION ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE DASH SCREEN: AIRBAG: ERROR NONE OF THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES ON THE STEERING COLUMN FUNCTION, NO AIRBAG AVAILABILITY, NO HORN. I TOOK IT TO THE ONION CREEK DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN, TX AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

95 complaints

14%

• VEHICLE DOE NOT SHOW THE TRUE SPEED OF THE CAR. SPEEDOMETER IS OFF BY 7-8 KMH. @ 100 KMS. VW DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
• THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER ACTUAL SPEEDS. IT IS PESSIMISTIC BY 4 MPH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VW'S OWN CLIMATIC CONTROL DIAGNOSTIC READOUT INDICATES A SPEED THAT IS 2 MPH GREATER THAN THE SPEEDOMETER READS. FURTHERMORE, THE TRIPOMETER AVERAGE SPEED READS 3 MPH GREATER THAN THE SPEEDOMETER. MULT
• I WAS IN VERY SLOW BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WHEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE AND NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND TURN OFF THE CAR. LIGHTS, RADIO AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS DID NOT SEEM TO BE IMPACTED. AFTER A MIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“VEHICLE DOE NOT SHOW THE TRUE SPEED OF THE CAR. SPEEDOMETER IS OFF BY 7-8 KMH. @ 100 KMS. VW DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

47 complaints

• SCENARIO: 1. CAR STATIONARY IN GARAGE 2. WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START 3. RADIO AND ACCESSORIES WORKING FINE 4. SMELT A LOT OF GASOLINE AND STOPPED CRANKING THE CAR 5. LARGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE HAD SPILLED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR ACTIONS: 1. TOW TRUCK DRIVER
• IN THE MORNING, I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO MY 2012 VW PASSAT S. I NOTICED A POOL OF FLUID THAT SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE ON THE ASPHALT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I ENTERED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND TURNED THE KEY FROM THE OFF TO ON POSITION. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO ON, A SOUND OF DRAINING FLUID COULD BE H
• VEHICLE STALLED ON BUSY SURFACE STREET, LOST ALL POWER. REFUSED TO RESTART. TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS FAILED HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“SCENARIO: 1. CAR STATIONARY IN GARAGE 2. WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START 3. RADIO AND ACCESSORIES WORKING FINE 4. SMELT A LOT OF GASOLINE AND STOPPED CRANKING THE CAR 5. LARGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE HAD SPILLED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR ACTIONS: 1. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

46 complaints

• CAR HAS CONSTANT PULL TO THE RIGHT. DRIVING REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE TO THE LEFT ON STEERING WHEEL. CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR ALIGNMENT AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADJUST IT, RIGHT PULL PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, STEERING HAS A FEEL AS THOUGH CAR IS ERRATIC. CAR NEVER SETTLES INTO TACKING IN A STRAIGHT L
• WHEN I STARTED MY CAR, A LOUD STRANGE NOISE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTROLS ON MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD NO LONGER WORK, AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR MY AIRBAG. AS MY HUSBAND DROVE US HOME, I SEARCHED THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. THE ERROR MESSAGE IS TO WARN THE DR
• UPON PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT OFF WITH AN AIRBAG ERROR. AT WHICH POINT ALL MECHANISMS WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED WORKING. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING WHEE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“CAR HAS CONSTANT PULL TO THE RIGHT. DRIVING REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE TO THE LEFT ON STEERING WHEEL. CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR ALIGNMENT AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADJUST IT, RIGHT PULL PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, STEERING HAS A FEEL AS THOUGH CAR IS ERRATIC. CAR NEVER SETTLES INTO TACKING IN A STRAIGHT L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

44 complaints

• OUR NEW PASSAT HAS PROBLEM CONTROLLING THE CAR WHILE USING REVERSE ON A HILL. IT APPEARS THAT VW HAS TIED THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKING FUNCTION TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT THE DRIVER MAY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN REVERSE. IF THE BRAKE IS PRESSED, THE ACCELERATOR IS DISENGAGED THUS ALLOWING TH
• IN THE MORNING, I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO MY 2012 VW PASSAT S. I NOTICED A POOL OF FLUID THAT SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE ON THE ASPHALT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I ENTERED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND TURNED THE KEY FROM THE OFF TO ON POSITION. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO ON, A SOUND OF DRAINING FLUID COULD BE H
• VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT FOUR TIMES ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASTIONS WHEN I COME TO A STOP. TOOK VEHICLE IN AND VW REPORTS CAR CHECKS OUT FINE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“OUR NEW PASSAT HAS PROBLEM CONTROLLING THE CAR WHILE USING REVERSE ON A HILL. IT APPEARS THAT VW HAS TIED THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKING FUNCTION TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT THE DRIVER MAY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN REVERSE. IF THE BRAKE IS PRESSED, THE ACCELERATOR IS DISENGAGED THUS ALLOWING TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 660 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I FELT A CLICK VIBRATION ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE DASH SCREEN: AIRBAG: ERROR NONE OF THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES ON THE STEERING COLUMN FUNCTION, NO AIRBAG AVAILABILITY, NO HORN. I TOOK IT TO THE ONION CREEK DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN, TX AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: VEHICLE DOE NOT SHOW THE TRUE SPEED OF THE CAR. SPEEDOMETER IS OFF BY 7-8 KMH. @ 100 KMS. VW DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: SCENARIO: 1. CAR STATIONARY IN GARAGE 2. WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START 3. RADIO AND ACCESSORIES WORKING FINE 4. SMELT A LOT OF GASOLINE AND STOPPED CRANKING THE CAR 5. LARGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE HAD SPILLED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR ACTIONS: 1. TOW TRUCK DRIVER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: CAR HAS CONSTANT PULL TO THE RIGHT. DRIVING REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE TO THE LEFT ON STEERING WHEEL. CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR ALIGNMENT AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADJUST IT, RIGHT PULL PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, STEERING HAS A FEEL AS THOUGH CAR IS ERRATIC. CAR NEVER SETTLES INTO TACKING IN A STRAIGHT L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)