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2012 Volkswagen Passat Body & Structure Problems

13 owner-reported body & structure complaints from NHTSA data

13
Complaints
1
Fires
Jan 2015Dec 2019
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (13)

mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Dec 2019

DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND VW WANTS A TON TO REPAIR IT. ON THE FORUMS & INTERNET THEY STATED WE SHOULD BE OPENING A CASE HERE AS ITS A KNOWN ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA #: 11291102
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Dec 2019

I KEEP HAVING A PROBLEM IN FREEZING WEATHER WITH MY VEHICLE DOOR MECHANISM FREEZING LOCKED. I CAN NOT GET INTO OF OUT OF THE CAR ONCE FROZEN. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I HAVE LOOKED UP THE ISSUE AND PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DOOR ACTUATOR. VW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO THE DEALERS BUT NO RECALL. THERE IS OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND VIEWS ON YOUTUBE RELATED TO THIS ISSUE AND I DOUBT PEOPLE ARE JUST WATCHING THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE BORED. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS I CAN NOT GET INTO MY VEHICLE WHEN BELOW FREEZING AND IF IT IS REALLY COLD I CAN NOT GET OUT UNTIL THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE RAISES ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE ON COLD DAYS. THIS HAS CAME UP QUITE A BIT WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED OUTSIDE ON REALLY COLD DAYS. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT SEEMS WATER CAN GET INTO THE ACTUATOR AND THEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS. USUALLY THE HEATER IN THE CAR WILL THAW THE DOOR BY THE TIME I GET TO WHERE I AM GOING BUT IF THE TEMP IS REALLY COLD I WILL STILL BE LOCKED IN THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS STARTED LAST YEAR BUT I TRIED GREASE AND OIL HOPING IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THIS IS ON GOING.

NHTSA #: 11290596
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Dec 2019

FUEL TANK DOOR DOESN'T OPEN.

NHTSA #: 11286728
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Nov 2018

I WENT TO OPEN MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR, AND IT WOULDN'T UNLOCK. I CLIMBED ACROSS FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE DOOR WOULD OPEN. WHEN I PULLED THE LEVER FROM THE INSIDE THE DOOR OPENED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. BUT NOW IT WOULDN'T LATCH TO FIRMLY CLOSE. IT WOULD JUST HIT AND POP OPEN A LITTLE BIT. I WENT TO BOMMARITO VOLKSWAGON IN ST. PETERS, MISSOURI AND THEY REFUSED SERVICE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT CAUSED BY USER ERROR. WARRANTY OR NOT, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE DEALER, ABOUT PRICING AND THEY REFUSED SERVICE AND FORCED ME TO DRIVE OFF THEIR LOT WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE WHERE I HAD TO MANUALLY HOLD THE DOOR SHUT. I ALSO REQUESTED THE TAKATA AIRBAG BE REPLACED AND THEY FORCED ME TO LEAVE WITH THREAT OF CALLING THE POLICE FOR AN ISSUE THEY REFUSED TO FIX DESPITE NEVE RAISING MY VOICE AND JUST TRYING TO TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION WITH THE DEALER.

NHTSA #: 11151357
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2018

DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. DOOR LOCK LATCH MECHANISM FAILED. CANNOT DRIVE CAR IF DOOR WON'T STAY LATCHED. INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED MECHANISM. BASED UPON INTERNET SEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT DOOR LATCH FAILED SEEMS COMMON WHICH WAS A SURPRISE.

NHTSA #: 11065414
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2016

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR LATCH FAILS WHILE I'M DRIVING THE CAR. THE DOOR HAS OPENED ON ITS OWN NUMEROUS TIMES AS I AM DRIVING THE CAR AT SPEED. THE LATCH FAILS AT REST WHILE THE CAR IS ON OR OFF, AND AS THE CAR IS MOVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE DOOR QUITE LITERALLY FLIES OPEN WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND WILL NOT LATCH UNLESS THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA #: 10821611
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Sep 2015

WHEN MY CAR REACHES 10 MPH, IT AUTO-LOCKS THEM DOOR BY DEFAULT. THE ISSUE IS IT TRIES TO LOCK THE DOORS WHENEVER IT SLOWS DOWN TO 10 MPH AND ACCELERATES UP ABOVE 10 MPH. THE DOWNSIDE IS, THE CHILD LOCK FAILS WHENEVER THIS SCENARIO HAPPENS. BASED ON ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS IS A "COMMON" ISSUE.

NHTSA #: 10775318
mediumSTRUCTURE,ENGINE
FireFiled: Jan 2015

2012 VW PASSAT WITH NO PREVIOUS SIGNS OF PROBLEMS BEGINS SPUTTERING/FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT. CAR WAS DRIVEN APX. 1/4 MILE BACK HOME, WHERE IT BEGAN SMOKING AND CAUGHT FIRE. ENTIRE ENGINE BURNT OUT. CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. NHTSA INVESTIGATED PASSAT'S FAULTY IGNITION COILS YET DID NOT ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SAFETY ISSUE...BUT IF THE ENGINE CATCHES ON FIRE...WITH ALL THE COMBUSTIBLES IN A CAR...ONE WOULD THINK THAT WAS A LITTLE UNSAFE. GLAD MY 4 YEAR OLD WAS NOT WITH ME. *TR

NHTSA #: 10676697
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, THE DOOR FAILED TO CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA #: 10670884
mediumSTRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Filed: Jan 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 03/04/15*LJ UPDATED 10/15/2015*JS

NHTSA #: 10670598
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2014

I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST US WHERE IT TENDS TO GET COLDER THAN 0 DEGREES CELSIUS CONSTANTLY DURING WINTER. EVERYTIME IT IS BELOW FREEZING MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH GETS STUCK. THIS IS DEFINITELY A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR VW PASSATS, BUT VW RESPONSE TO FIXING IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO DECEMBER 16TH AND EXPLAINED THAT I NORMALLY WARM UP THE CAR FOR OVER 20 MINUTES(WHILE I WALK MY DOG). THE INITIAL RESPONSE WAS THAT ITS NOT AN ISSUE AND I SHOULD EITHER PARK THE CAR IN A GARAGE WHERE IT WON'T FREEZE OR WARM UP THE CAR LONGER (I FIND THAT ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS). SO I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE GARAGE FOR DECEMBER 16TH. LUCKILY THE WEATHER FORCAST FOR TEMPERATURES BELOW -4 CELSIUS ALL WEEK. HAD THE TEMPERATURE BEEN ABOVE 0 CELSIUS THE LATCH WOULD HAVE WORKED FINE AND YOUR GARAGE WOULD HAVE SAID THERE IS NO ISSUE. THE REASON WHY I HIGHLIGHT THE TEMPERATURE HERE IS BECAUSE THAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE, AND YOUR GARAGES TROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSTIC METHODS ARE MY BIGGEST CONCERN. I GUARANTEE THAT THERE ARE EVEN MORE CASES OF THIS ISSUE THAT ARE BEING DISMISSED. THE FACT THAT THERE IS NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10559530, FILED BY SOMEONE ELSE PROVES IT. I'M SURE THE FACT THAT I CAN FIND THIS ON NHTSA (NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10559530) MEANS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE JUST NOT REPORTING IT OR DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO. I WILL ALSO BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA, AS WELL. IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH, AND THE SERVICE GARAGE TELLS ME THERE IS NO PARTS AVAILABLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS AND IF ITS TRUE I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I ALSO HOPE THAT DURING THE WINTRY WEATHER THE NORTHEAST HAS EXPERIENCED THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS NO ONE WAS INJURED IN A PASSAT WHERE EMERGENCY WORKERS WERE NOT ABLE REACH THE VICTIM (POSSIBLY DUE TO A STUCK DOOR LATCH). THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND THE LACK OF RESPONSE IS CONCERNING. *TR

NHTSA #: 10560918
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2014

EVERY TIME IT IS COLD OUTSIDE MY DOOR LATCH STOPS FUNCTIONING SO I CANT OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. I SPRAYED LUBRICANT IN IT WHICH HELPS SOMETIMES BUT I THINK A NEW CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE A ISSUE LIKE THAT. ALSO WHEN I CAN GET IT OPEN SOMETIMES IT WONT CLOSE. THE ISSUE IS THE ACTUAL LATCH WHICH OF COURSE ISN'T COVERED. PRETTY EMBARRASSING CLIMBING THROUGH A PASSENGER DOOR TO GET IN THE DRIVER SEAT . WHAT HAPPENS IF IM IN A WRECK AND MY DOOR WONT OPEN? WILL I OWN A PART OF VOLKSWAGEN? *TR

NHTSA #: 10559530
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2012

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHARP OBJECT LOCATED NEAR A HANDLE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE ROOF ON THE INTERIOR, THAT CUT HIS FINGER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THE CUT ON HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER. THE RENTAL FACILITY WAS NOTIFIED AND REMOVED THE VEHICLE FROM ITS FACILITY. A REPORT ABOUT THE INCIDENT WAS ALSO FILED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE RENTAL FACILITY SINCE THE INCIDENT AND DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA #: 10445445

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