There are 13 stored owner reports matching the powertrain & transmission leading-label group for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 13 of 13 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)MY 2012 PASSAT HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE FLYWHEEL AS IT WAS STARTING TO COME APART AND CAUSE A RATTLE NOISE LIKE AN EXHAUST PIPE RATTLING IT WENT AWAY WHEN I TOOK RPM TO A LITTLE HIGHER NUMBER HAD IT FIXED BY DEALERSHIP I WONDER WHY THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THIS AS IT HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE I HAD IT REPLACED IN TIME BUT WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO CATCH IT IN TIME IF I HADN'T AND IT BROKE AS I WAS DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE STOPPED THE ENGINE CAUSING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE AND AT 75 MPH COULD POSSIBLY GET INTO A SERIOUS WRECK THIS FLYWHEEL DIDN'T WEAR OUT IT WAS COMPLETELY COMING APART AND FOR A 2012 WITH 80,000 IT SHOULDN'T BE COMING APART THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN MISTREATED AND HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE SINCE NEW ALL RECOMMENDED BY FACTORY. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE NO RECALLS ANYWHERE FOR THIS FLYWHEEL PART ON A TDI 2.0 PASSAT.
THEY VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IS MY 2ND VEHICLE FOR OCCASIONAL DAYS SO FOR THE MOST TIME STAY AT HOME. ONE DAY I JUST TURNED ON TO WARM UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. I WENT TO AUTO ZONE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE ERROR CODE READ P2432 SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM AIR FLOW / PRESSURE SENSOR CIRCUIT LOW BANK 1. I CHECKED ON INTERNET AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2011 VW JETTA 5 CYLINDER 2.5L THAT EXACTLY THE SAME ENGINE.
THE CAR WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND GLOW PLUG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. ALSO A WINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN ACCELERATING WHICH DID NOT ACCELERATE VERY WELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD NEED A TURBO WHICH WAS JUST REPLACED 20,000 MILES AGO, MECHATRONIC UNIT ,, AD BLUE HESTER KIT ,PARTICULATE FILTER PART . THE CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD I PUT ABOUT 35K MILES ON A YEAR. I SERVICE THE CAR RELIGIOUSLY NEVER HAVE MISSED REQUIRED SERVICE. OVER $6,000 DOLLAR REPAIR
THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO PARKWAY VOLKSWAGEN, SANTA CLARITA CA 91355, FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDED TRANSMISSION SERVICE. REPORTED MECHATRONIC GASKET LEAKING AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. OFFERED TO DO SO AT A REDUCED PRICE. AFTER DEALER REPAIR CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL RANDOMLY FROM DRIVE MODE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. CLAIMS FAILURE IS A COINCIDENCE AND NOT RELATED TO THEIR WORK ON THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND, THE GEARS SHIFTED, AND THE VEHICLE DECREASED SPEED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
VEHICLE DEVELOPED A ," LOSS OF POWER" ISSUE AT APPROXIMATELY 1.5 YEARS AGO AROUND 50,000 MILES. IT USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN THE FIRST 10- 15 MINUTES AFTER COLD START UP AND WHEN VEHICLE IS TRAVELING BETWEEN 10 AND 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL BE OPERATING NORMALLY, THEN INSTANTLY LOSE POWER AND START SHUDDERING. WHEN MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THEN, THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO BE STRUCK BY OTHER VEHICLES. ALONG WITH LOSS OF POWER, THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE ODOR OF DIESEL FUEL WHICH COMES FROM THE OBSERVED FUEL POOLING ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD ONLY WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WILL NOT LET ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF THEIR SAFETY. MANUFACTURER DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT NOT RESOLVE IT. THE MANUFACTURER ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL DEPT HAS BEEN INVOLVED BUT STILL NOT ABLE TO SOLVE AFTER 1.5 YEARS AND NUMEROUS SHOP VISITS.
THE CAR HESITATES TO THE POINT THAT IT COMES CLOSE TO CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN PULLING OUT AFTER BEING STOPPED. IT HESITATES AND THEN SURGES FORWARD. THE CAR WILL ROLL FORWARDS AND/OR BACKWARDS DEPENDING WHETHER YOU ARE FACING DOWNHILL OR UPHILL WHEN SITTING ON A HILL AND YOU TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. TO PUT IN GEAR--VERY SCARY. I JUST HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER AND THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THESE CARS--IT IS A DIESEL NOT GASOLINE. I LOOKED ON SOME COMPLAINT WEB SITES AND THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2006 ABOUT THESE VERY SAME ISSUES--WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS--DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN ONE FOR A LONG TIME. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS AS I DO NOT WANT MY KIDS OR FAMILY TO DRIVE THIS CAR DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS--I COULD NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ONE OF THEM AND I KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM-- THE DEALERS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE--READ THE COMPLAINTS FOR YOURSELF AND WHAT CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERS WHEN THEY REPORT THE ISSUES--YOU ARE OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HELP IN THIS SITUATION-PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS VERY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS--THANK YOU--[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS
WHINING SOUND WHEN DRIVING FORWARD NOT WHEN IT'S COASTING AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SLIPPING. CAUGHT BEFORE COMPLETE TURBO FAILURE. CAUSE REPORTED BY DEALER: VERIFIED, FOUND METALLIC WHINE NOISE UNDER BOOS. RAN GFF AN FOUND P02900 - TURBO UNDER BOOST. *TR
WHEN I START THE CAR, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PROCEED TO PUT THE CAR IN D (DRIVE) OR R (REVERSE). THE CAR ACCELERATES IMMEDIATELY EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES. THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IS TO ALLOW THE CAR TO WARM-UP FOR 30 TO 45 SECONDS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IT. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD AS LONG AS IT DOES GO OVER 11 RPMS IT SHOULD BE OKAY. THEN WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ASK THEM TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. SEVERAL TIMES, I HAVE FORGOT TO LET THE THE CAR WARM-UP AND ALMOST RAN INTO MY GARAGE DOOR OR WHATEVER OBJECT THAT WAS IN FRONT OR BEHIND ME. ALSO, BECAUSE MY SPOUSE DOES NOT DRIVE THE CAR OFTEN, HE TENDS TO FORGET TO LET THE VEHICLE WARM-UP AND AS A RESULT ALMOST HIT A CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF HIM. IF I LET ANYONE DRIVE THE CAR, I TELL THEM TO LET THE CAR WARM-UP BEFORE THEY DRIVE OFF. I DO THIS BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED THAT THE DRIVER WILL BE OVERCOME BY THE IMMEDIATE ACCELERATION AND LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY AND SHOULD BE RE-EVALUATED. ALSO, THE BRAKES SQUEAK AND I HAVE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THEM OUT EVERY TIME I TAKE THE CAR FOR THE 10K MAINTENANCE. EACH TIME, THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR. I HOPE THAT IF THERE IS A DEFECT OR DESIGN PROBLEM, IT CAN BE RESOLVED. IF NOT, I WILL TRADE THE CAR FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, I WOULD HATE FOR THIS AUTOMOBILE TO BE SOLD TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH THE EXISTING DESIGN. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT FROM MY HOUSE TO MY DESTINATION, MY TRANSMISSION FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE STREET. I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR EIGHT DAYS EARLIER WHICH WAS A NEW CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHICH ONLY HAD 2 MILES ON THE CAR. THE AMOUNT OF MILES I HAD PUT ON THE CAR WAS 500 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION INSIDE OF IT. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY DEALERSHIP HAD TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION INTO MY CAR BECAUSE OF THE OLD ONE HAD DEFECTED PARTS INSIDE. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2012 PASSAT TDI. I REALLY LIKED THE CAR. HOWEVER, I HAVE A SAFETY SUGGESTION THAT MAY SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE IN THE FUTURE. LET ME TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE. I TOOK POSSESSION ON FEBRUARY 9, 2012. ON MARCH 15, I CAME HOME TO LUNCH AND PULLED IN MY GARAGE. APPARENTLY, I DID NOT HAVE THE BACK TIRES ALL THE WAY IN. OUR DRIVEWAY HAS A SLIGHT INCLINE. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WAS WATERING SOME FLOWERS. IN A FEW MOMENTS MY CAR ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVE, CURVED AND WENT OFF AN EMBANKMENT AND HIT TREES ON THE WAY DOWN. IT WAS TOTALED. I HAD IT ONE MONTH AND ONE WEEK. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS SICK. NOW I REALIZE THAT I DID NOT HAVE IT IN PARK. THIS CAR WAS DIFFERENT THAT ANY CAR THAT I HAVE DRIVEN IN THE PAST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AN IGNITION TO PUT THE KEY IN. YOU JUST HAVE A BUTTON TO TURN IT ON AND TURN IT OFF. BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT, I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PUSHING THE BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF. IN ALL OF MY OTHER CARS YOU COULDN'T GET THE KEYS OUT UNLESS YOU HAD IT IN PARK. I HAD MADE THIS MISTAKE A FEW TIMES BUT WAS ALWAYS ON A FLAT AREA-USUALLY IN MY GARAGE. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT YOU HAVE A FEATURE ON THESE PUSH BUTTON VEHICLES THAT WILL SOUND SOME KIND OF ALARM WHEN IT IS TURNED OFF AND NOT IN PARK. MY HEART CRINGES WHEN I THINK THAT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT IN THEIR CAR SEATS. THIS CAR HAS MANY FEATURES AND IS VERY TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED, BUT I STRONGLY FEEL THAT A FEATURE SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON THESE CARS. *TR
THE VEHICLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY/HESITATION UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION (2.5L). THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING INTO OR ACROSS TRAFFIC. THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN TO OTHERS AND IS REPORTED ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB. HTTP://WWW.PASSATWORLD.COM/FORUMS/111-VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-B7-DISCUSSION/344045-MY-REVIEW-2012-PASSAT-SOMEWHAT-LONG-READ.HTML (SEE PERFORMANCE NOTE). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AND THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED IN THE TEST VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,500. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.