Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

2012 Volkswagen Passat

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

11
Open recalls
480
NHTSA complaints
3
Defect investigations
1,561
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Consumer complaints

480 filed
13
Crashes
3
Fires
10
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • AIR Bags
    289
  • Electrical System
    92
  • Steering
    45
  • Engine
    40
  • FUEL/PROPULSION System
    32
  • Unknown OR Other
    31
  • Exterior Lighting
    16
  • STRUCTURE:BODY
    15

Recalls

12 campaigns
24V834000·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2024-10-30

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

RiskAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

FixDealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.

19V862000·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2019-12-04

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

RiskAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.

19V389000·EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS2019-05-22

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

RiskWithout the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.

18V329000·UNKNOWN OR OTHER2018-05-16

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

RiskIf the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

18V148000·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2018-03-06

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

RiskIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

17V309000·POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT2017-05-11

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.

RiskIf the leaking grease contacts a heated surface, such as the exhaust system and/or the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could increase the risk of fire.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft heat shield, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23W5.

17V309000·ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL2017-05-11

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.

RiskIf the leaking grease contacts a heated surface, such as the exhaust system and/or the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could increase the risk of fire.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft heat shield, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23W5.

16V171000·ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING2016-03-24

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor, causing an electrical short.

RiskAn electrical short can cause the electrical connectors of the sensor to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in September. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23T3.

+ 4 more recalls. Pagination is on the roadmap.

NHTSA investigations

8 actions
EA18003·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE2018-04-18

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

EA18003·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2018-04-18

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

EA18003·AIR BAGS2018-04-18

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

RQ17009·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2017-11-13 → 2018-05-04

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

RQ17009·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE2017-11-13 → 2018-05-04

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

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