2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I FELT A CLICK VIBRATION ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE DASH SCREEN: AIRBAG: ERROR NONE OF THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES ON THE STEERING COLUMN FUNCTION, NO AIRBAG AVAILABILITY, NO HORN. I TOOK IT TO THE ONION CREEK DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN, TX AND THEY QUICKLY FOUND WHAT WAS A QUICK, BUT EXPENSIVE FIX CAN BE DONE. $700 TO FIX. WHEN I INQUIRED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND REQUESTED THEY COVER THE COST, THEY BALKED. I CONTACTED VW USA, THEY EVENTUALLY AGREED TO COVER 75% OF THE COST, THEN LATER RESCINDED THE OFFER BECAUSE THE LADY AT VW USA DECIDED SHE DIDN'T WANT TO COVER IT AND I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER. WHEN THEY DID OFFER TO PAY THE 75%, I HAD AGREED TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE FOR GREATER COVERAGE, I SUPPOSE SHE DID NOT LIKE THAT. *TR

I WAS IN VERY SLOW BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WHEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE AND NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND TURN OFF THE CAR. LIGHTS, RADIO AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS DID NOT SEEM TO BE IMPACTED. AFTER A MINUTE, I TURNED THE CAR ON AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN 3 MONTHS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING FROM SAN DIEGO, CA TO LOS ANGELES, CA ON I-5 AT 9PM ON OCTOBER 20TH, THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM AND ONLY LIGHT UP ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE READ ON CAR FORUMS, PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR HEADLIGHTS. ONE INDIVIDUAL FRONTED $800 TO HAVE THE OEM FOG LIGHTS ADDED TO HIS PASSAT, WHICH HE CLAIMED HELPED. VW NEEDS TO FIX THIS HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS OR ADD THE FOG LIGHTS TO EVERY 2012+ PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING DURING THE NIGHT ON STREETS WITH LIMITED STREET LIGHTS, ITS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT ESPECIALLY PEDESTRIANS, UNLESS I DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON, WHICH I CANT BECAUSE OF ON COMING CARS. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY/HESITATION UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION (2.5L). THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING INTO OR ACROSS TRAFFIC. IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

LOSS OF EITHER DAYLIGHT RUNNING LAMP(S) AND/OR LOWBEAM HEADLAMP(S) DUE TO LAMP SOCKETS MELTING IN HOUSINGS. 3 TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED, ONCE WITH THE DAYTIME LAMPS AND TWICE WITH THE L/S HEADLAMPS. *TR

I DRIVING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN I GOT A FLASHING LIGHT ON MY DASH, QUICKLY THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FEEL SHAKY AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET BUT THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER START. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CLOSEST VW DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TELLING ME IT WAS A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE (HPFP) THAT CAUSED THE ISSUE AND THAT BECAUSE A PART HAD TO BE ORDERED AND THE WORK REQUIRED WAS EXTENSIVE, IT WOULD TAKE THEM ABOUT A WEEK. I DID GET MY CAR IN ABOUT 5 DAYS AND ALL REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER HOW MUCH THE JOB WOULD HAVE COST WITHOUT WARRANTY AND HE SAID IT WAS ABOUT A $5,700 JOB! IT APPALLED ME THAT HE HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE HPFP FAILED SO EARLY INTO THE CAR'S LIFE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE IS A SENSE OF UNEASINESS THAT I HAVE NOW WONDERING IF THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 67 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE. THE BATTERY LIGHT FLASHED ONCE, NO OTHER WARNING OTHER LIGHTS FLASHED AND THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS WARNING LIGHTS TO FLASH. SUDDENLY THE CAR HESITATED AND THEN MY SPEED DROPPED TO 0 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. LUCKILY, THE TRANSPORT TRUCKS BEHIND ME WERE PAYING ATTENTION AND ACTUALLY BLOCKED THE TRAFFIC UNTIL I COULD GET THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO SAFELY ROLL ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE; I WAS LUCKY. WHAT GOOD IS IT TO HAVE A CAR THAT YOU NOW FEEL IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE! VW SHOULD HAVE TO BUY THIS CAR BACK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL SUNK INTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,500. *TR

IF I AM DRIVING WITH NO ACCELERATION (COASTING) AND STEP ON THE GAS TO ENTER TRAFFIC THERE IS NO POWER; NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE GAS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BOTH IN TOWN WHEN TRYING TO ENTER TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS ON THE FREEWAY TRYING TO CUT IN BETWEEN CARS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF ONE DOES NOT HAVE LOTS OF ROOM BETWEEN CARS. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM FOR ME BECAUSE I AM NOT USED TO DRIVING A CAR WITH A DIGITAL THROTTLE. *TR

METAL SHAVINGS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. FUEL WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO BE DIESEL FUEL. NO OTHER FUEL HAS EVER BEEN USED OR PUMPED INTO THIS VEHICLE. *TR