Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2012 Volkswagen Passat — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2017 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is air bags problems (218 complaints). 13 complaints involved crashes. 3 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (11)
NHTSA Campaign: 19V389000
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
NHTSA Campaign: 18V329000
Component: 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 were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
NHTSA Campaign: 18V148000
Component: 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 pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
NHTSA Campaign: 17V309000
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.
Risk: If the leaking grease contacts a heated surface, such as the exhaust system and/or the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could increase the risk of fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft heat shield, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23W5.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V078000
Component: 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. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V483000
Component: 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 contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V125000
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Volkswagen Group of America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Passat vehicles manufactured January 2011 through November 2012. In the affected vehicles, the low beam headlight bulb may become loose and lose electrical contact.
Risk: A loss of low beam headlights may reduce the driver's visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen notified owners, and dealers will replace the bulb holder, free of charge. The recall began in May 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagens recall number associated with this campaign is 94G8/7V.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V171000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor, causing an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the electrical connectors of the sensor to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in September. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23T3.
NHTSA Campaign: 12V146000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 PASSAT VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 18, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 1, 2011. DURING ASSEMBLY, THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A DIESEL FUEL FILTER ELEMENT THAT MAY NOT SEAL CORRECTLY.
Risk: OVER TIME, OR AFTER CERTAIN DRIVING DISTANCES, THESE VEHICLES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER ELEMENTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V862000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
NHTSA Campaign: 24V834000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 480)
Air Bags →15 issues
Your 2012 Passat is subject to a recall because the airbag may deploy unexpectedly due to temperature or humidity changes. When you brought your car in for the recall repair, the dealership informed you that the replacement airbags are on back order due to tariff delays, leaving your vehicle unsafe and unrepaired. You've previously had to pay out of pocket for airbag replacement when parts weren't available, and you're concerned that your safety remains at risk while waiting for this recall to be addressed.
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You've tried multiple times to get your car serviced for an airbag recall, but Volkswagen says they don't have the necessary parts available due to tariffs. This means you can't get the recall work done, your vehicle registration may be suspended, and you're worried about your safety if the airbags don't work properly. Resolving this will require Volkswagen to obtain and install the recall airbag components.
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You received a safety recall notice in December about a faulty driver-side airbag inflator, but two VW dealers have not scheduled or completed the repair despite your follow-up attempts since then. With your family relying on this car for daily transportation and young children on board, the delay is understandably concerning. Getting this recalled part replaced at a dealership is essential to restore your airbag's safety function.
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Your car has been subject to a safety recall (NHTSA 24V834) for airbag issues, but the replacement parts are currently unavailable at dealerships. You've contacted two dealers and neither has an estimated delivery date for the parts needed to fix the problem. The repair will likely involve replacing or inspecting the airbag system components once parts become available.
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Your vehicle has a recall for a faulty driver-side airbag that may deploy unexpectedly and cause serious injury. You've contacted VW and local dealers, but the replacement part is on backorder with no estimated availability date. VW has refused to provide you with a loaner vehicle or rental reimbursement while you wait for the repair. The fix will require replacing the defective airbag module once the part becomes available.
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Your 2012 Volkswagen Passat has an active airbag recall (Campaign 24V834000), and your airbag warning lights are on. You've been waiting for the recall repair part to become available, but the dealer hasn't been able to complete the work yet. You feel the manufacturer has taken too long to provide the necessary replacement parts.
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Your airbag warning light came on and stayed on. You received a recall notice about your airbags, but the repair part wasn't available yet from the dealership. You feel the manufacturer has taken too long to provide the necessary parts for the recall repair. The repair will likely involve replacing or reprogramming the airbag system once the correct parts become available.
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Your 2012 Volkswagen Passat is subject to a safety recall (Campaign 24V834000) for the airbag system, but the required repair parts aren't available yet. You've contacted your dealer and confirmed the parts are on backorder. You feel the manufacturer has taken too long to provide these parts, though you haven't experienced any airbag problems so far.
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You received a recall notice for your airbag system (Campaign 24V834000), but when you contacted the dealer, you were told that the parts needed for the repair aren't currently available. Your airbags haven't failed, but the recall repair hasn't been completed yet. You'll need to follow up with your dealer or Volkswagen to find out when replacement parts become available so the recall can be addressed.
Parts you may need:
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After your airbag was repaired under recall, your airbag warning light started coming on and off intermittently. The dealer charged you for diagnostic testing but didn't actually diagnose or repair the problem. This likely means there's a wiring issue or sensor problem created during the recall repair work.
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Your 2012 Volkswagen Passat is subject to a recall (Campaign 24V834000) related to the airbag system. The manufacturer has notified you of the recall, but the replacement part needed to complete the repair is not yet available. You've had to wait longer than you feel is reasonable for the manufacturer to make this part available, though you haven't experienced any airbag failure so far. The fix will require installing the recalled airbag component once the manufacturer makes it available.
Parts you may need:
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Your air bag warning light came on while driving. The dealer told you they don't have the parts needed to fix it, and even though there's an official recall for this problem, the replacement parts aren't available. You've been waiting longer than expected for the repair to be completed.
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Your 2012 Volkswagen Passat was subject to a recall for the airbag system, but the replacement part needed for the repair has been on national backorder for longer than a reasonable time. You haven't experienced an airbag failure yet, but Volkswagen has confirmed the part shortage. The repair will likely involve replacing the affected airbag component once the part becomes available.
Parts you may need:
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Your airbag warning light came on while driving. Volkswagen issued a recall (Campaign 24V834000) for your vehicle's airbags, but the replacement parts needed to fix it aren't available yet. Your dealer confirmed the parts are still not in stock, and you feel the manufacturer has taken too long to make them available. The fix will require replacing the airbag components once the parts become available from the manufacturer.
Parts you may need:
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Your 2012 Volkswagen Passat is under a recall for airbag issues (Campaign 18V148000), but the replacement part needed to fix it has not been available at multiple dealers in your area. You haven't experienced an actual airbag failure, but the manufacturer has taken longer than expected to get repair parts distributed to dealerships. The fix will likely involve replacing an airbag component once the part becomes available.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System →1 issue
Your car may fail to start after being parked, briefly turning on before shutting down while the dashboard displays multiple error messages. You might be able to temporarily restart it by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery, but the engine warning light will remain on and the problem will likely happen again. This electrical issue could leave you stranded, especially in cold or remote areas without cell service. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and replacing a faulty electrical component, possibly the battery, alternator, or engine control module.
Parts you may need:
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Fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
You noticed a fuel smell inside your car that got progressively worse. After removing the back seat, you discovered the fuel pump had multiple small cracks causing fuel to leak into the cabin, which damaged the rear seat foam and created a serious fire hazard. The fuel pump will need to be replaced by a mechanic to stop the leak and eliminate the safety risk.
Parts you may need:
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Air Bags,unknown Or Other →1 issue
You're concerned about an airbag recall on your 2012 Volkswagen Passat, but the manufacturer hasn't followed up on their promise to contact you about it. You believe this is an urgent safety issue that needs immediate attention because a faulty airbag could potentially cause serious injury or death. The fix will likely involve the manufacturer inspecting and replacing or repairing the airbag system as part of the recall.
Parts you may need:
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Tires →1 issue
Your tires are experiencing tread separation, where the rubber tread is peeling away from the tire structure. This is happening on 235/45R18 size tires without any accident or impact that caused it. This is a safety issue that requires immediate tire replacement, as worn or separating tread reduces traction and increases the risk of a blowout.
Parts you may need:
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Unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your sunroof suddenly shattered without any impact or warning. This could happen while driving or parked, creating a safety hazard from broken glass and potentially allowing water to enter your vehicle.
Parts you may need:
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