2012 Volkswagen Passat problems and complaints
Owners have filed 484 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (296), Electrical System (95), Steering (46).
Key takeaways
- 484 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 | 296 | 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,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2026-09-30
I received a recall for the airbag. No lights were on in my car, so I brought in in for the service. I picked up my car, it seemed ok. I went to the gym. When I restarted my car every single light was on on the dashboard. When I brought it back to the dealer they said "oh its the ABS module they just go" and they a...
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.
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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.