2012 Volkswagen Passat problems and complaints
Owners have filed 483 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (295), Electrical System (95), Steering (46).
Key takeaways
- 483 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 14 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 10 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 295 | 61% |
| Electrical System | 95 | 20% |
| Steering | 46 | 10% |
| Engine | 40 | 8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 32 | 7% |
| Unknown Or Other | 31 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 17 | 4% |
| Structure | 17 | 4% |
| Power Train | 15 | 3% |
| Fuel System | 15 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3% |
| Diesel | 12 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Volkswagen Passat 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags - filed 2026-08-03
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer refused to perform the repair until the contact paid for a diagnostic test f...
Air Bags - filed 2026-07-29
Car accident and all left side airbags deployed but not the drivers airbag which we had the recall repaired on.
Power Train,electrical System - filed 2026-05-15
I own a 2012 Volkswagen Passat [VIN [XXX] ] with approximately 1315xx miles. On December 17, 2025, I took the car to Rockwall County Volkswagen for three recalls. The car was running and was driven 9.5 miles to the dealership under its own power. I left the engine running when I left the it with the service advisor. W...
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More for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.