Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
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.
FUEL TANK DOOR DOESN'T OPEN.
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.
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.
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.
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS NOT AT FAULT, BUT I WAS T-BONED WITH ALMOST OVER $11,000 IN DAMAGE. THE CASE WAS SETTLED BUT THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF IN THE ACCIDENT AND I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL FOR A STEERING WHEEL ELECTRONIC CLOCK ISSUE THAT COULD PREVENT THE AIR BAGS FROM GOING OFF. I ACCRUED OVER $7,000 IN MEDICAL BILLS, AND I OWE OVER $15,000 ON THE VEHICLE. I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I FEEL I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT ISN'T SAFE
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.
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.
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
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.
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
THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH FROZE SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN THIS YEAR AFTER DOING IT THREE TIMES LAST YEAR. THE LATCH FROZE EVERY TIME THERE WAS MOISTURE (FOG, SNOW ,RAIN, ETC.) AND THE TEMPERATURE FELL BELOW 32 F. THE LATCH WAS FINALLY REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE SENSOR FOR THE AIRBAGS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT NIGHT. NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME TO KICK UP A ROCK, NO OVERPASSES FOR SOMETHING TO BE THROWN FROM. COMPLETELY RANDOM EXPLOSION. I HEARD A LOUD GUNSHOT SOUND, THEN SMALL GLASS PIECES RAINED DOWN ON MY HEAD AND FACE AND ALL OVER MY THREE CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. LOOKED UP AND HEARD THE SOUND OF WIND AND SAW THE HOLE IN MY SUNROOF. SO FAR THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THEY WON'T REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO VW DIRECTLY AND THEY ARE DENYING THE CLAIM AS WELL. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THEY ARE NOT STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT. THEY ARE LUCKY NOBODY WAS INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT. HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN FOR THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
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
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
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.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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