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1 safety recall. 480 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE…
THIS CAR IS BUILT WITH REVERSED COLOR CODED BATTERY CABLES WITHOUT PROPER, EASILY IDENTIFIABLE POLARITY IDENTIFICATION. THE FACTORY BATTERY HAS CONVENTIONAL MARKINGS, RED +, BLACK -, HOWEVER THE BLACK CABLE IS DESIGNED TO GO ON THE "+" TERMINAL AND THE RED CABLE IS DESIGNED TO…
CAR LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DIESEL FUEL ALL INSIDE THE ENGINE BAY, DEALERSHIP SAID A BOLT ON THE ENGINE HAD A STRESS FRACTURE AND BROKE. *TR
HEATER CORE ON A 2012 PASSAT HAS CORRODED AND CLOGGED WITH FACTORY FLUIDS INSIDE STILL. CAUSES THE HEAT TO NOT COME OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
OVER TIME, OR AFTER CERTAIN DRIVING DISTANCES, THESE VEHICLES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 480 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 228 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 480 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.