NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen GTI.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4 cyl Automatic (S6) | 24 | 33 | 27 | $2,550 |
| 2.0L 4 cyl Manual 6-spd | 21 | 31 | 25 | $2,750 |
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover |
Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Consequence: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
ABS Control Module short and failure occurred. Trouble codes generated include 01325 - Tire Pressure Monitoring Control Module No signal/communication and 01130 - ABS Operation Implausible signal static. Upon visiting an Authorized Volkswagen dealer service center was charged $200 for ABS diagnostic fee and told the ABS Control Module has failed and I will need to pay >$2900 to replace. ABS, ESP/ASR, airbag, and parking brake lights are now permanently active as a result and not certain these systems are functioning.
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant level warning light illuminated. The contact stopped and refilled the coolant reservoir bottle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed water pump. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been persistent, and the water pump had been replaced three times previously. The contact was informed that oil leaked onto the gasket and caused the housing of the water pump to crack, which caused the engine to overheat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
My Air bag light came on. Plus all the controls on my steering column do not work, including the horn. I called the VW dealer. They knew exactly what it was. The Clock Spring. This happened in early May. I was told the part has been on back order for 6 months. The dealer does not have any cars to give me until the part comes in. I was told 6 other cars have the same problem This to me is a major safety issue. I HAVE to drive my car, and I am not comfortable with that.
The 2012 Volkswagen GTI has 2 NHTSA recalls and 40 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of Not Rated out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
A MONTH AGO I NOTICED MY GTI WAS STALLING WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AFTER A STOP. WENT ON A DRIVE WITH A LOT OF HILL CLIMBING AND THE CAR STARTING TO STALL ON THE UPHILL PORTIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICEABLY WORSE AFTER THAT, SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP. THEY WEREN'T ENTIRELY SURE BUT PUT IN A NEW FUEL FILTER. THE PROBLEM DID NOT GET BETTER. TODAY, A MONTH LATER, I TOOK MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT SHOP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP/CAMSHAFT FAILURE. THE CAR IS NOT PERFORMING SAFELY DUE TO STALLING AND A LAG IN ACCELERATION.
THE CLOCK SPRING IN MY STEERING WHEEL HAS BROKEN/QUIT WORKING, VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO REPLACE IT UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT FLAGGED DURING THE RECALL, THE AIRBAG LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ARE ALL ON, MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT TO BE THE CLOCK SPRING CAUSING THE ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, IT RATTLED INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEMONTROND VOLKSWAGEN (14101 NORTH FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77090, (281) 872-3855) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE TIMING TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 190-669-582. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.
WHILE CAR WAS STOPPED BUT RUNNING THE VACUUM PUMP 'BROKE' WITH A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND OIL STARTED LEAKING EVERYWHERE. PUTTING THE CAR IN MOTION WASN'T A PROBLEM DISPITE THE GRINDING SOUND BUT BRAKES WERE *VERY* HARD TO PRESS AND WAS *VERY* DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR. DECIDED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP AT MY EXPENSE.
WHEN THE SUN BEATS DOWN ON MY PASSENGER DOOR OR ON A VERY HOT DAY, AND THE DOOR IS THEN OPENED, IT WILL NOT LATCH.IT WILL SWING OPEN WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE TO HOLD SHUT WITH A ROPE. IF THE CAR IS PARKED WITH SUN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. APPARENTLY THE CABLE STRETCHES WHEN IT GETS HOT PREVENTING THE LATCH FROM OPERATING. IT WILL RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION WHEN PARTS COOL DOWN EITHER DURING THE RIDE OR ONCE AT HOME IN DARK GARAGE. AT THAT POINT THE LATCH WILL WORK AND DOOR WILL CLOSE. THIS HAS PREVIOUSLY HAPPENED ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. I AM NOW PAST MY MAXIMUM MILEAGE WARRANTY SO IT WILL NOT BE COVERED.
UPON TURNING MY CAR ON TODAY I RECEIVED 9 SEPARATE BULB OUT WARNINGS. AFTER A LITTLE WHILE WENT AND TRIED THE CAR AGAIN AND ALL THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I COME TO FIND THAT ONE OF MY FUSES IS NOT BLOWN BUT MELTED AND SO IS THE FUSE BLOCK UNDER THE HOOD. HAVE SEEN THAT OTHER VOLKSWAGEN GTI HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE FUSE BLOCK IN THE PAST FOR 2009 GTI BUT NOT FOR MINE EVEN THOUGH I AM CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS THAT ONE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG MIGHT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VOLKSWAGEN NORTH SCOTTSDALE (LOCATED AT 7001 E CHAUNCEY LANE, PHOENIX, AZ 85054) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
AT 68,000 MILES ON MY 2012 VW GTI, I HAD TO HAVE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER REPLACED. HOWEVER, WHEN I TRIED TO REPORT MY REPAIRS FOR COST REIMBURSEMENT PER THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THESE PARTS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY VIN REVISITED AS CLEARLY, THOSE FAULTY PARTS WERE INCLUDED WITHIN MY VEHICLE AS THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 68,000 MILES. THE NEED FOR THE REPAIR WAS DETERMINED WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN GREENVILLE, SC. ALL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE HAVE BEEN DONE AT THIS DEALERSHIP SINCE THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ME.
MY CAR IS DISPLAYING THE SAME SIMPTOMS LISTED AT SEVICE CODE 19K5 BUT VW IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I TALKED TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM VW AND SHE SAID MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. PLEASE ANY HELP OR ADVISE 407-790-5101. THE WATER PUMP IS LEAKING
ENGINE IS MISFIRING AT 84K MILES CAUSING THE CAR TO NEED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE REBUILD. I HAVE GOTTEN THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY TO PREVENT SUCH ISSUE. FUEL INJECTORS, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD WERE REPLACED ON 2/21/18 AND I ALSO HAD A CARBON CLEANING THIS DAY AS WELL AT 79K. ALL FOUR SPARK PLUGS, AND IGNITION COILS HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED. WITH ALL THESE PREVENTATIVE REPAIRS I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TO REPLACE MY ENGINE ONLY 5K MILES ARE ALL THOSE REPAIRS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR GENERAL FAILURES EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
CRUISE CONTROL & DISENGAGING FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ON TUESDAY, MARCH 27TH, 2018 I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-15 COMING FROM MESQUITE, NEVADA AND HEADED BACK INTO THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY. AS I PASSED THE EXIT TO TAKE THE GREAT BASIN HIGHWAY WEST TOWARDS THE TOWN OF PIOCHE, NEVADA THERE WAS A LONG SEMI TRUCK IN THE #2 LANE AND I WAS IN THE #1 LANE ON THIS TWO LANE HIGHWAY. THE SEMI TRUCK MADE A LANE CHANGE INTO MY LANE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GET AROUND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM, AFTER THE TRUCK CAME INTO MY LANE I HAD TO ADJUST MY SPEED. AT THAT MOMENT, I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON DOING 77 MPH, I APPLIED MY BRAKE PEDAL TO DECREASE MY FOLLOWING DISTANCE NOW THAT THE TRUCK WAS IN FRONT OF ME. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WASN'T BRAKING AND STARTED TO GO FASTER TOWARDS THE BOTTOM BUMPER OF THE TRUCK. I COULDN'T STOP MY VEHICLE OR MAKE IT SLOW DOWN AND EVENTUALLY ENDED UP RUNNING INTO THE BACK BUMPER OF THE TRUCK. DEBRIS FROM THE IMPACT STARTED FLYING ALL OVER THE ROADWAY AND THEN MY ENGINE HOOD FLEW BACKWARDS AND INTO MY FRONT WINDSHIELD. I THEN TRIED TO SAFELY PULL MY VEHICLE OVER TO THE RIGHT AND ONTO THE SHOULDER . THE ENGINE HOOD CAME BACK FURTHER AND WAS RESTING AGAINST THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHERE MY VISION WAS TOTALLY BLOCKED. PRIOR TO THAT I SAW THE DRIVER OF THE SEMI MOVING ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, BUT WHEN THE ENGINE HOOD WAS FIRMLY AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD I JUST STOPPED ROLLING FORWARD FOR THE FEAR OF RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AGAIN BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE IF AND WHERE EXACTLY HE STOPPED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I CAME TO A FULL STOP, I HAD MY PASSENGER MAKE A CALL TO THE NEVADA HIGHWAY PATROL AND GIVE OUR LOCATION AND THE DETAILS OF WHAT OCCURRED. LUCKILY WE WERE SAFE AND ALIVE, ALTHOUGH A BIT SHAKEN.
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