10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,350 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems

electrical problem

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2012 Volkswagen Passat Owner Comments (Page 3 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #51

Sep 252017

Passat

  • 125,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Clock spring on my vehicle broke for a second time disabling my horn and steering wheel controls. My airbag light is also on. Not only is this a costly fix, but my safety is in jeopardy again due to a part that is widely known to be defective for years. For some reason my car is not included in this voluntary recall and it is very upsetting. Please include this VIN in your recall or even the defective replacements. I don't want to die over a car part.

- Hamburg, NY, USA

problem #50

Jul 052017

Passat

  • 60,000 miles
Defective door latch assembly that caused the locks to initiate every time the vehicle passed 10 mph. Caused the driver door to no longer lock, and disengaged the alarm even when other doors locked.

- Kirkland, WA, USA

problem #49

May 102017

Passat

  • miles
I had taken my car to get the spring wire replaced back when the recall came out. I wasnt having any trouble with it then. They fixed it with what I assume was a faulty spring wire. So now all my components on my steering wheel do not work, my horn does not work and my airbag light is on with it reading airbag error. I have looked it up and it says faulty spring wire, which is weird because I thought they replaced it with a good part and now because ive already gotten the recal done they wont do it again under recall.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #48

Jun 062017

Passat

  • 72,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag light indicator light on on dash. No horn, clock or steering wheel controls working; maybe air bag not working.steering column control module needed to be replaced, along with clock spring. Winter/spring 2017.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #47

Jan 092017

Passat

  • 40,000 miles
Battery ground cable is marked red instead of black. The new battery was hooked up with the red to the positive battery terminal and blew the main fuse and ruined the amplifier to the sound system. The battery was stationary in sears roebuck shop as the battery was being replaced by a mechanic. The car is still in the shop so I have no pictures as yet. This could produce serious physical damage if the battery should blow up because of this wiring. Reported to VW on January 20, 2017.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #46

Oct 012016

Passat

  • 75,000 miles
Electronic locks are constantly trying to re-lock when vehicle reaches about 10 mph. For example, if bringing vehicle to a stop at a street light or stop sign, then proceeding forward, the locks will try to re-lock again once vehicle reaches about 10 mph. If you are in stop and go traffic, this can go on literally hundreds of times during a single commute.

- Wausau, WI, USA

problem #45

Oct 062016

Passat

  • 105,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Key gets stuck in ignition when turning off the engine.

- Crossville, TN, USA

problem #44

Sep 212016

Passat

  • 65,000 miles
First the glow plugs were bad. Within the same year I had an issue with diesel particulates and now the adblue heating element!!! all issues occurred while the car was in motion, literally felt my life was in jeopardy. However after having to come out the pocket with now thousands of dollars I feel like the company is raping me!!!

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #43

Nov 012015

Passat

  • miles
"takata recall" we are driving around in a death trap!! when are we going to get this repaired or given another vehicle to drive in the interim"????!!!! electrical - another death trap!! when are we going to get this repaired or given another vehicle to drive????"!!!!! sounds like another lawsuit!!!

- Pleasant Hill, OH, USA

problem #42

Sep 012014

Passat 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. While operating the vehicle, the air bag sensor light illuminated and all the other electronics on the steering wheel would not operate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag clock spring was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred after approximately 34,000 miles. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000. Updated 10/04/16

- Mobile, AL, USA

problem #41

Jul 212016

Passat

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was parking my car in a space at a local shopping center, as I was about 18-24 inches from the median separating the cars in the row across from me, my car started revving up, jumped the median sideswiped a car that was parked one space over, I was lucky there was not a car opposite me, in that row and was headed towards a the next row of cars. I swiftly the brakes did not stop the car, so I had to quickly jerk the wheel to the left, it stopped 90 degree angle and cut off. I have since been informed that just repaired a Chrysler car that did something similar. That car and mine have a drive - by - wire design. Chrysler has recalled their cars to reprogram them. I contacted my VW dealer and of course they have not heard about this problem before. I am just I only hit a car and not a person walking in the parking lot! why is that someone has to die before these car companies will recall a vehicle?

- Petersburg, VA, USA

problem #40

Jul 302016

Passat

  • 59,400 miles
If the vehicle is parked and I am trying to leave and lock it up by using either the drivers side door switch or the remote, it will not lock the driver side door, but they will both lock the other three doors. Upon starting the vehicle and moving only a few yards, the door locks engage as normal for the passenger side door and both rear side doors. But not the driver side door. When driving down the road and slowing down to 5 - 10 mph (stop & go traffic), all three other door locks opened on their own and relocked again as I speeded up. The driver side door still remained unlocked. I feel this can be an extreme safety hazard in case of an accident if all the doors don't remain lock while the vehicle is moving.

- St. Charles, MO, USA

problem #39

Apr 302016

Passat

  • miles
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V078000 (air bags) and 16V171000 (electrical system); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Dalton, GA, USA

problem #38

May 132016

Passat 5-cyl

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. After the vehicle was serviced under a recall, it began to hesitate and the epc warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiring and harness needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage and recall details were unknown. Updated 09/22/16

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #37

Jun 032016

Passat

  • 43,000 miles
My 13 Passat SE 2.5 started having an issue with the rear passenger door lock about three weeks ago. The normal operation of the locks is that when the vehicle hits 10mph the door will automatically lock. After this has happened and I come to a stop light or slow down below 10mph and then speed up again, the rear passenger lock tries to lock itself again.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #36

Jun 022016

Passat

  • 41,000 miles
Takata recall a couple months ago I had recall 15V483000 completed on my 2012 Passat. I was experiencing electrical issues such as cruise control not working, wipers turning on for no reason. It seemed to be connected to the steering column since both of these features are connected to the steering column. After the recall was completed no further issues until today. I made a U-turn and my airbag light came on and hasn't went off sense. I'm concerned after reading about shrapnel and airbag deployment.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #35

May 062016

Passat

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. After the vehicle was started, the steering wheel failed to maneuver without warning. In addition, the ignition key was unable to be removed from the vehicle and caused the key to fracture inside the ignition switch. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #34

Mar 242016

Passat

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. While attempting to start the vehicle, it failed to start and several warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the battery was charged; however, the vehicle would not start. The contact also stated that the key was stuck in the ignition, but was able to be removed after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.

- Wilmington, NC, USA

problem #33

Nov 022015

Passat

  • miles
Safety risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal airbag will prevent the airbag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash my light has come on warning me my airbags are not working

- Mt Pleasant, SC, USA

problem #32

Nov 152015

Passat

  • 40,000 miles
October 2014 was turning into driveway from the street at slow speed and heard a crunch while turning the wheel. After completion of the turn the light for the airbag came on and none of the steering wheel controls worked.had dealer repair clock spring and associated items in column.November 2015 we were making a U-turn on a public road, at slow speed, at the completion of the turn there was a resistance in the column and a crunch, followed by the airbag light coming on and no steering wheel controls working. The airbag light is still on, there is constant crunching sounds from the column and the dealer says its been more than a year its not covered under warranty(the previous replacement at more than $500) and that they know of no recall or safety issue with the clockspring or airbag on these cars.

- Lakeside, CA, USA

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