2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

NOX SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED OUT OF RANGE CODE. WAS QUOTED 655 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. NOX SENSORS ARE NOT REQUIRED BY FEDERALLY MANDATED 80K EMISSIONS WARRANTY SO VW WON'T INCLUDE VOLUNTARILY. ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING THIS FIXED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AGAIN WITH CODE P203B, REDACTANT LEVEL RANGE/PERFORMANCE. SPEAKING A FEW TIMES WITH TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP, THIS LIKELY MEANS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AD BLUE HEATER UNIT AND TANK WHICH IS OVER 1000 DOLLARS. AGAIN, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

THIS CAR HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND FROM DAY ONE I WASN'T UN-HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT YOU COULD TURN THE ENGINE OFF, WITHOUT HAVING SWITCHED THE TRANSMISSION TO P. EVERY AUTOMATIC CAR I EVER HAD AND I HAVE DRIVEN MANY INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF RENTAL CARS OVER THE YEARS. I REPORTED THIS IN 2012 TO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW BUT WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS AS DESIGNED. I, IN BETWEEN, MOVED AND DID THE SAME AT 2 OTHER DEALERS AND GOT THE SAME ANSWER. IN 99% OF THE CASES I WILL NOT FORGET TO PUT THE CAR IN P, BUT OVER THE YEARS SEVERAL TIMES I DID. WHEN I LEFT THE VEHICLE AND SAW IT STARTED TO MOVE I ALWAYS WAS SO LUCKY TO JUMP BACK IN THE CAR AND BUT IT IN P, OR PULLED THE HAND BREAK OR PUSHED THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY 2 WEEKS AGO I HAD IT AGAIN, TRIED TO JUMP BACK IN THE CAR (I WAS AT THE TRUNK) WAS HALF IN THE CAR BIT IT ACCELERATED INTO A DITCH (IN FRONT OF THE CAR) AND MY LEFT LEG WAS PULLED OVER THE ROAD WITH VERY SERIOUS SCRAPE WOUNDS. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS PRETTY BAD DAMAGED. I HAVE NEVER REPORTED THIS TO VW USA SERVICE BECAUSE THE DEALERS TOLD ME IT HAD NO SENSE. THIS MUST BE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX, BECAUSE THE CAR HAS DST TRANSMISSION WHICH MEANS EVERYTHING IN COMPUTER CONTROLLED.

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 GO ON THE "-" TERMINAL ON THIS MODEL. THERE ARE NO OBVIOUS POLARITY MARKINGS ON THE CABLES. IF ONE LOOKS VERY CAREFULLY YOU CAN FIND A TINY - STAMP ON THE RED CABLE TERMINAL AND THE TINY + STAMP IS HALF COVERED BY INSULATION AND HIDDEN ON THE BLACK CABLE TERMINAL.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE SEAT BELT AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

HEARD A SMALL SNAP IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE HORN AND STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS QUIT WORKING. THIS IS DEFINITELY THE CLOCKSPRING UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE INCLUDING NTSB LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AS A RECALL. IF ACCIDENT OCCURRED RIGHT NOW THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT WORK. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE

MY VEHICLE JUST STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT ON. ALL IT SAYS IS "ERROR: AIR BAGS" "ERROR: BRAKES"

WAS ON RAMP ENTERING I-5 SOUTH OFF CLAIREMONT (SAN DIEGO) WHEN ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED WITH NO WARNING LIGHT OR PREVIOUS SIGNS. STEERING AND BRAKES STOPPED BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE. THE CAR DID NOT START RIGHT UP RIGHT AWAY. MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND I HAD JUST STOPPED TO GET GAS; SHE GOT OUT OF CAR TO CHECK GAS CAP. IT WAS ON TIGHTLY. SHE GOT BACK INSIDE CAR AND THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, DOORS UNLOCKED ON IT'S OWN WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 8.21.2015 AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND NOTHING RECORDED IN THE CAR'S SYSTEM. THEY KNOW I AM VERY CONCERNED AND THIS IS VERY DISTURBING.

THE TDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND AS A RESULT, ALSO CAUSED THE GAS LINE AND FUEL INJECTORS TO FAIL BECAUSE METAL WAS SENT THROUGH THE CAR. THE CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND WILL NO LONGER TURN ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, A LOUD CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN CONTROL MODEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,500.