Volkswagen Golf Complaints (2012)

48 consumer complaints on file.

#11736484May 8, 2026
AIR BAGS, SEATS
Heated seats get extremely hot. Smell of burning. Possible to catch fire or burn people Vw patrick volkswagen auburn ma confirmed that electrical inspection to rule out seat recall No. No recall has been submitted yet When i first bought the car in 2025
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690351September 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS pump and module have failed according to my mechanic. ABS lights and traction control lights are on all the time. If I were to drive this car on the road, and I would have to make an emergency stop, my brakes would lock up and I would slide. This is an extreme safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11465640May 22, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
At first, my vehicle dashboard warning light came on saying I have 9 different lights out(headlight, high beam, brake light, turn signals, etc). I thought it was odd for all these to go out at once, so I took it to the dealership for them to look at it. They couldn’t find anything and gave it back. It went off for a while but then the warning lights came back on. I again took it to the dealership, they told me I would have to leave it for an unknown amount of time for them to look at it. I wasn’t able to do that because it was my only motive transportation. After looking online to see if anyone else had the same issue I found multiple people who said they have the same issue. The fuse box under the hood has begun to melt, which affected the green 30 fuse which was almost completely melted. I replaced that fuse with a new one and that fixed the warning lights. I feel it is still a safety issue because the fuse box is going to continue to melt which could produce a fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11422285June 25, 2021
AIR BAGS
My vehicle struck a car from behind moving about 35 mph. Air bags did not deploy and I had a proceeding next injury. Why did the airbags not deploy? I have read that "A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury" for 2011-2014 Golf. I would like confirmation that this was supposed to happen, no airbag deployment. My car was totaled.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11266012October 3, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERMITTENTLY, DASHBOARD MFD WOULD INDICATE THAT ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. SHUT OFF ENGINE AND PULLED OUT KEY. INSERTED KEY AND RESTARTED AND ALL WOULD BE FINE. GOT TO THE POINT THAT LIGHTS WERE IN FACT NOT WORKING. PULLED OUT FUSES AND WHEN I PULLED THE 30A FUSE (F16?) I NOTICED THE FUSE AND FUSE BOX WAS MELTED. I CLEANED THE CONTACTS ON THE FUSE WITH SANDPAPER AND A WIRE BRUSH. I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRUSH ON THE FUSE BOX BUT TO NO AVAIL. I INSERTED THE FUSE BACK IN AND THE LIGHTS WORKED. NEXT MORNING, I TURNED THE KEY ON AND MFD INDICATED ALL THE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FUSE BOX AND WIGGLED THE FUSE. WORKED ALL THE WAY TO AND FROM WORK. FOUND TWO VW FORUMS DISCUSSED THIS SAME ISSUE. MOST WERE TIGUANS. PICTURES ARE THE FUSE BOX AND THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS BEFORE I CLEANED THE FUSE. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN I WAS WORKING ON IT.*DT *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11231324July 12, 2019
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PASSENGER IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DUBLIN VOLKSWAGEN (LOCATED AT 6085 SCARLETT CT, DUBLIN, CA 94568, (925) 829-0800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,522.*BF *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11155220November 30, 2018
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11143467October 28, 2018
POWER TRAIN
DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL FAILED AT 81,200 MILES RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. FAILURE WAS 21,200 MILES AFTER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND BEGAN TO SHIFT VERY STRANGELY, WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME AND PARK IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11113169July 23, 2018
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. MOSS BROTHERS VOLKSWAGEN OF MORENO VALLEY (27750 EUCALYPTUS AVE, MORENO, VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 92555, (951) 485-4188) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 180-76-1675. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,986.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11012343August 2, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHES ABOVE 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE PASSENGERS DOOR WILL NOT LATCH CLOSED PROPERLY. IF YOU TRY TO CLOSE THE DOORS, THEY JUST BANG AGAINST THE FRAME AND SWING OPEN. ONCE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE DOOR COOLS DOWN, THE DOOR WILL EVENTUALLY LATCH. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO WAIT TILL MORNING TO PROPERLY CLOSE THEM SHUT. THE DEALERSHIP IS ASKING $600 TO REPAIR THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE DOORS SHOULD LOCK PROPERLY BEFORE DRIVING AWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11011753July 31, 2017
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
MY LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP STATED THERE IS A RECALL ON CERTAIN VW MODELS FOR THE CLOCK-SPRING LOCATED INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, WHICH VW ATTRIBUTES TO THE CLOCK-SPRING. THEY TOLD ME THE 2012 GOLF TDI MODEL IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT APPARENTLY THIS CLOCK-SPRING PROBLEM IMPACTS OTHER MODELS. THEY WARNED THE PROBLEM WILL GET WORSE AND EVENTUALLY IMPACT THE STEERING, AIRBAG, TURN SIGNALS, HORN, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL. THEY QUOTED THE COST TO REPLACE THE CLOCK-SPRING IS $890. SO MY QUESTION IS CAN THE RECALL BE BROADENED TO INCLUDE 2012 GOLF TDIS AS WELL?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11000351June 21, 2017
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL - RECEIVED NOTICE OVER 18 MONTHS AGO THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT A NEW AIRBAG IS AVAILABLE. WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG? THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10983886May 7, 2017
STEERING
READING SOME ONLINE FORUMS, MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING A CREAKING SOUND COMING FROM COMPONENTS RELATED TO THE STEERING SYSTEM. IT OCCURS WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE EXACT DIAGNOSIS IS NOT POSTED ON ANY OF THE FORUMS BUT IT DOES MAKE VW OWNERS NERVOUS. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION, REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10899593August 30, 2016
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL I SPOKE WITH VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO FIX CURRENTLY AVAILABLE DUE TO A LACK OF PARTS. FURTHERMORE, THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVING MY DEFECTIVE CAR AND THEY WILL NOT DISABLE THE FAULTY AIR BAG. SO I'M LEFT DRIVING A CAR THAT MAY KILL ME. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10882668July 5, 2016
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IN APRIL OF 2016. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10871728June 1, 2016
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
GLOW PLUG LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE LOST POWER. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. TOW TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND OTHER PARTS. COST OF WARRANTY REPAIR WAS ABOUT $7000.00.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10871349May 28, 2016
POWER TRAIN
LIKE MANY OWNERS OF VOLKSWAGEN TDI VEHICLES, THE 1-2 SECOND HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP IS VERY UNNERVING. IT CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. IT HAPPENS DAILY AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIX IT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. VW UPDATED THE SOFTWARE ON THE TRANSMISSION BUT THAT "FIX" DIDN'T LAST MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10854895April 11, 2016
POWER TRAIN
CV JOINTS FAILED AT UNDER 38K MILES ON AUTOMOBILE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10845836March 9, 2016
ENGINE
SMOG CONTROL FRAUD WITH DIESEL ENGINE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10822361January 26, 2016
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM LONG TRIP AND HAVE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COM ON AND DISAPPEARED BY SELF. I MADE APPOINTMENT FOR REGULAR 60K MAINTENANCE AND ADDRESSED LIGHT ISSUE AND DIRTY TAIL PIPE TO THE SAN TAN VW DEALER AND THEY RESPONSE WAS THAT "CAR IS DIESEL AND FOR DIESEL IS NORMAL TO SMOKE AND LIGHT WILL NOT COME AFTER SOFTWARE UPDATE. NOW AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED I HAVE DIAGNOSIS THAT WHOLE EXHAUST SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACE (EXHAUST SYSTEM IS UNDER RECALL INVESTIGATION). ESTIMATE TO FIX EXHAUST IS $6000. VW OF AMERICA REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE, CAR IS NOW POLLUTING, SMOKING AND CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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