2012 Volkswagen Passat Owner Complaints

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 for an internal communication error code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

NHTSA ID

11754408

Incident

Jul 31, 2026

Mileage

185,000 mi

Car accident and all left side airbags deployed but not the drivers airbag which we had the recall repaired on.

NHTSA ID

11753554

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

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. When I returned to retrieve the car the following day, the service advisor informed me the car would not start. Their explanation shifted within the same conversation — first that someone had shut it off and it would not crank, then that it would crank but would not start. They claimed they had to pushed it into the service bay, replaced the airbag, and "code the computer for the clock-spring." The dealer refused to repair the no-start condition that occurred in their custody. I towed the car home at my own expense - $161. I performed my own diagnostic work using VW scan tools. The vehicle exhibited a textbook immobilizer or component protection rejection pattern: it would crank, start briefly for 1–2 seconds, then shut off, with three instrument cluster chimes and the coolant fan activating. The scan tool could not communicate with all vehicle modules, consistent with a failed module programming. After contacting the dealer's service manager, I towed the car back to the dealership [$64]. The dealer kept it from December 2025 through April 7, 2026 — approximately four months. During this time, they replaced the battery (charging me) and replaced the engine control module with a used unit they sourced and reprogrammed (charging me a total of $804.38). On April 7, 2026, I drove the car home. The vehicle was driven less than 35 miles after pickup before failing again. On April 27, 2026, my daughter — who had just undergone a serious medical procedure — was driving the car home and was stranded on the side of the road in 90+ degree Texas heat when the car suddenly stopped running with no warning or indication of impending failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

NHTSA ID

11738147

Incident

Dec 17, 2025

The tire size is 235/45r18 and the tread is coming off, we just noticed it and there has not been any accident nor incident

NHTSA ID

11721277

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Sunroof shattered without warning

NHTSA ID

11708435

Incident

Dec 30, 2025

We would have been in a life threating situation (very cold) if we would have not walked down highway to get internet service to look up the issue. What happened. We drove up from Phoenix to the mountains in Arizona. When starting the car after a stop (to look at a heard of Elk in a pasture) the car would not start. It would briefly start for a second then die. The dash lit up with many errors. We were stranded with no cell phone service with night approaching. We walked down the road and got cell service again and called family. Found out from online video while waiting for family to arrive you could disconnect the battery and reconnect to get the car started. We did this and it worked but engine light still was on. Car would not start again next morning and dash lit up. We would have been in a really bad situation (very cold) if we would have not walked down highway to get internet service to look up the issue. More internet research shows thousands of people have this problem.

NHTSA ID

11703929

Incident

Nov 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000(Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bags warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11692378

Incident

Oct 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V148000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11689492

Incident

Sep 24, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11687307

Incident

Sep 15, 2025

I received a a notice of recall from Volkswagen for my airbag. In my 2012 Passat. I made an appointment with AutoNation Mall of Georgia Volkswagen service department for repair. I brought my car in on my appointment date and was informed upon my arrival that there is a back order of these airbags. Their recall says that the airbag May deploy at any time due to temperature and or humidity changes. I was not given a solution for repair, just told" the tariffs have impacted the arrival of the airbags for this recall. " This is not the first time this has happened to my vehicle. I've even had to pay out of pocket to get the airbag replaced because Volkswagen did not have the part in stock. At this point I'm frustrated and feel that my safety is being put at risk.

NHTSA ID

11680844

Incident

Aug 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (AIR BAGS). The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were available for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts not being made available. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11679945

Incident

Oct 30, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that soon after an unknown air bag recall repair was performed on the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11672668

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

I noticed a fuel smell in the cabin area that continued to get worse. After pulling the back seat I was able to visually see the fuel pump that had lots of micro cracks which was causing a fuel leak. The leak was very dangerous and caused major foam damage to my rear seat and was a major hazard had anything caused an ignition in the cabin, it certainly would have burned the vehicle. I saved the fuel pumped after having a local shop replace it.

NHTSA ID

11671362

Incident

Jun 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11670227

Incident

Jan 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11668090

Incident

Jan 20, 2025

Mileage

70,000 mi

I have contacted VW repeatedly to have recall service and I have been advised that no parts, due to tariffs..even prior to tariffs.. I can’t inspect my car and my registration will be suspended.. I am also concerned about my safety..

NHTSA ID

11666890

Incident

Nov 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V148000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable, and was on national backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was on a national back order. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11662332

Incident

Mar 15, 2018

Hello, I received a letter in the mail in December about safety recall 69E6 Driver Frontal Airbag Inflator. I contacted two separate VW dealers since then and both said they would get back to me and now we are almost in June and it is my family's main transportation vehicle and I have two babies under [XXX] and with the temperatures rising more and more it's extremely stressful when my wife and daughters are in the car with me. If we can please resolve this problem as soon as possible I would be so grateful. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11662275

Incident

Dec 14, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11662110

Incident

May 20, 2025

Received Important Safety Recall letter dated December 2024 from VW. NHTSA: 24V834. Safety Recall 69EG. Today is May 16th, 2025. Dealers have no parts, BUT this is a safety recall. How can this be remedy asap, before accidents occurs? No ETA as to when parts are available according to 2 dealership I've contacted. Thank you for your help.

NHTSA ID

11661492

Incident

May 16, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V148000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. After contacting other dealers in the area, the contact was informed that parts were not available for the recall repair. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11659694

Incident

May 8, 2025

I've repeatedly tried to contact manufacturers about this recall in which they state they will call back and never due , i feel this is a immediate problem and should be fixed due to it may cause harm or death

NHTSA ID

11649841

Incident

Mar 18, 2025

I have recall on my vehicle for driver frontal airbag. I contactes both my local dealerships and VW USA. I have been told that the part needed in on backorder and they have no ETA for availablity. I feel extremely unsafe driving a car with malfunctioned driver airbag which may explode any time and cause fatal injuries. I asked VW to provide me a loaner or to reimburse me for rental but they didn’t accept.

NHTSA ID

11648397

Incident

Mar 10, 2025

The manufacturer and their authorized dealer have been unable to fix this for me. VW Customer Care has no answers, and my local dealer (Southpoint Volkswagon) will not have the parts until May. Basically everyone is saying there's nothing to do but wait, while there's a part of my car that could explode causing injury or death.

NHTSA ID

11647328

Incident

Mar 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11635867

Incident

Jan 14, 2025