2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

UPON PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT OFF WITH AN AIRBAG ERROR. AT WHICH POINT ALL MECHANISMS WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED WORKING. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING BROKE, BECAUSE OF THIS THE AIRBAG, HORN AND OTHER STEERING WHEEL MECHANISMS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL WITHOUT REPAIR. FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THIS HAS CONSISTENTLY BROKEN ON OTHER 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT BETWEEN 50K AND 60K MILES ON IT. I FURTHER ADDRESSED MY CONCERN WITH VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARES TO ASK WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART, THEY INDICATED THAT NOT ENOUGH CUSTOMERS HAVE SUBMITTED CLAIMS. BECAUSE THIS FAILS/BREAKS AT THIS MILEAGE IT IS OUTSIDE THE STANDARD WARRANTY, THERE IS "NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT." I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER MULTIPLE TIMES, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 24 HOURS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT VOLKSWAGEN DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WITH A RECALL.

VW HAS NO TRACTION CONTROL (NOT STABILITY CONTROL) BUTTON TO DEFEAT THE SYSTEM AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN THERE IS SNOW AND ICE ON AN INCLINE OF ANY DEGREE, THIS IS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. IT RETARDS THE POWER THE CAR DELIVERS BY APPLYING BRAKES TO WHEELS THAT ARE SLIPPING. I WAS ON A HILL AND THE CAR WAS REDUCED TO 3-6 MILES PER HOUR WITH CARS BEHIND ME AND ONCOMING. IT IS DESIGNED AS A SAFETY SYSTEM BUT IS DOING THE OPPOSITE ON SLICK INCLINES. PROBABLY A MONEY SAVING MEASURE, BUT PUTS DRIVERS AT RISK. *TR

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. THE BATTERY TERMINALS ARE OF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIAMETERS TO GUIDE YOU TO THE PROPER INSTALLATION BUT THE DIAMETER DIFFERENCE IS NOT LARGE AND IS EASILY ADJUSTED WITH A SCREWDRIVER WHICH I HAVE HAD TO ADJUST TO FIT ON CABLES THAT WERE NOT IMPROPERLY REVERSED IN THE PAST. NOT NOTICING THE REVERSED COLOR CODED CABLES PRIOR TO REPLACING THE BATTERY I HOOKED UP A NEW VW OEM REPLACEMENT BATTERY WITH REVERSED POLARITY AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER/REVERSED BATTERY CABLE COLOR CODES. THE CABLES WERE NOT TIGHTEND, JUST PLACED ON THE TERMINALS AT WHICH POINT THE HORN SOUNDED AND WOULD NOT GO OFF AT WHICH POINT I REMOVED THE CABLES AND LOOKED VERY CLOSELY FOR MARKINGS INDICATING THAT I MIGHT HAVE HOOKED THEM UP IMPROPERLY AND NOTICED THE AFOREMENTIONED VERY HARD TO FIND TINY HIDDEN STAMPINGS ON THE TERMINALS REVEALING THAT I HAD HOOKED UP THE BATTERY WITH REVERSE POLARITY. THIS RESULTED IN $3000 OF ELECTRICAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR - AND ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE, MELTING SOME OF THE HARNESS AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULES. ADDITIONALLY 2 OF THE 3 PROTECTIVE FUSIBLE LINKS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THIS CIRCUITRY MELTED TOGETHER SHORT CIRCUIT (INSTEAD OF FUSING OPEN CIRCUIT) NOT PROTECTING ANYTHING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS MULTIPLE DEFECT DESIGN THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE INJURY AND FIRE IN ADDITION TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND COSTLY REPAIRS. *JS

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 REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

UNABLE TO UNLOCK DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH KEY FOB. NO MECHANICAL SOUND HEARD ON DRIVERS DOOR WHEN KEY FOB PRESSED. ALL THREE (3) OTHER DOORS UNLOCKED WITH NO ISSUES. ON A COUPLE OF OTHER OCCASIONS, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE AND COULD NOT EXIT THE CAR (HANDLE ONLY MOVED A SMALL AMOUNT AND SEEMED 'JAMMED'). AFTER SEVERAL TIMES OF PRESSING THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON THE DOOR FINALLY OPENED. ONCE I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE INABILITY TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY MIND. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED PERIODICALLY (ONCE A MONTH?) AT LOW SPEEDS EVERY SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN (AUGUST?) 2012. OFTEN THE STALL OCCURS AT TIMES IN TRAFFIC WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAKES IT DANGEROUS. I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS OFTEN MOTIVATED ME TO SELL IT. IT IS A DIESEL. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY DIESEL FUEL CONTAMINATED WITH GASOLINE OR OTHER MATERIAL. SOME THINK IT IS CAUSED BY THE BOSCH HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT UPHOLSTERY BEGAN FALLING APART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

FOLLOWING A 40K SERVICE FOR MY 2012 PASSAT TDI MY WIFE CALLED ME AND SAID WHEN SHE PUSHED THE START BUTTON, IT TOOK AN EXTRA TRY BEFORE IT STARTED. I DISMISSED THIS AS I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE DIDN'T HAVE HER FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THEN LATER IN THE WEEK SHE SAID IT TOOK 4 PUSHES OF THE BUTTON BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START. I TOLD HER NEXT TIME VIDEO TAPE THE ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING WEEK HER CAR BROKE DOWN AT THE MALL - NOTHING WOULD WORK. WHEN I GOT THERE, I PLAYED WITH THE PARKING LEVER, NO GOOD. THEN I PUT IN NEUTRAL AND THE CAR STARTED. I DROVE TO VW AND THEY SAID THE CLEAN ALL THE CONNECTERS ON THE START/STOP SWITCH AND DIDN'T SEE ISSUE AS CAR WAS WORKING FINE, BUT WOULD ORDER NEW SWITCH AND COVER FOR ME. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DID IT AGAIN, AND I VIDEO TAPED THE INCIDENT AS WELL TO SHARE WITH THE DEALER. AGAIN, IT STARTED IN NEUTRAL. I TOOK A CHANCE AND WENT OUT AGAIN THAT EVENING FIGURING THIS NEUTRAL THING WOULD WORK AND GUESS, WHAT - WAS COMPLETELY STUCK AFTER THE DEALER TOLD ME THE ISSUE WAS REPAIRED AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART WAS JUST PRECAUTIONARY. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR A WEEK. THEY CHANGED THE SWITCH THIS MORNING AND GUESS THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THEY ARE NOW ORDERING A HPFP!!!! I KNOW IT IS POSSIBLE THAT 2 ISSUES COULD HAVE BEEN GOING ON, BUT THE WHOLE TIME I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T THINK THE SWITCH MADE SENSE. ANYWAY, CHALK UP ANOTHER HPFP FOR VW. FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER! *TR

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 36900 MILES, 900 MILES PASSED THE MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. THE ERROR CODE READ: P205C (REDUCTANT TANK TEMPERATURE SENSOR). IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE ADBLUE TANK FROM A TDI CAR. ALREADY LOTS OF OWNERS HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE HEEL OF HER SHOE WOULD BECOME STUCK IN THE FLOOR MAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY AND THE POTENTIAL RISK OF BECOMING INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10.