CSR

Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

27

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen have filed 27 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2016 and September 2024. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 6 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 70,000 miles, the median across the 18 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (1)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

16V078000 · February 10, 2016

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 659,493 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (2)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

EA18003

Still open engineering analysis · opened April 18, 2018

the air bags

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.An Engineering Analysis has been opened to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a thorough review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 10762670, 10760644, 10758777, 10749901, 10748922

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

RQ17009

Closed recall query · opened November 13, 2017 · closed May 4, 2018

the air bags

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.This Recall Query has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA18-003) to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 107626

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 27.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 22%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 19%
ENGINE 4 15%
POWER TRAIN 4 15%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 15%
SUSPENSION 4 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 15%
STEERING 2 7%
AIR BAGS 1 4%
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL 1 4%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 4%
SEAT BELTS 1 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 7.

2016 2020 2024
2016 to 2024

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

fire · 81,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HER BOYFRIEND HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IT IN HER DRIVEWAY; HER BOYFRIEND INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE AUTHORITIES WERE CALLED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO ACTIVE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. A FIRE REPORT AND POLICE REPORT WERE FILED, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DUE TO THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY INSURANCE TO AN INSURANCE AUTO AUCTION WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE; THEY

NHTSA complaint 11383693, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 115,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagon Jetta Sportwagen. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal became inoperable and the vehicle did not accelerate. The engine and power steering had failed. The glow plug warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The contact was informed that the failure was due to the high-pressure fuel pump which sent metal shards through the fuel line. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA complaint 11549605. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Cp4 high pressure fuel pump will self-destruct causing little pieces of metal to go throughout the fuel system and causing thousands in repair lots of manufacturers are doing recalls to this pump but nothing for Volkswagen I have contact the dealer no help if you go online thousands of people it's complaining about the CP4 high pressure fuel pump it has a design flaw from factory and needs to be corrected

NHTSA complaint 11614705. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was looking at the GMC Duramax diesel and it has the same problem as the Volkswagen Jetta TDI fuel pump failure due to American Diesel in the pump is designed for foreign diesel which is very expensive to repair can we please have some help with this where they can come out with a replacement pump that can resist American diesel

NHTSA complaint 11607161. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
HPFP fuel system failed while driving at speed causing car to stall on highway.

NHTSA complaint 11472561. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
VOLKSWAGEN KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR ABS MODULE BUT REFUSE TO CORRECT IT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. CODES: 01130 ABS OPERATION NOT A PLAUSIBLE SIGNAL. THEY NEED TO RECALL!!!

NHTSA complaint 11414557. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

89,000 miles

I HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR SPRINGS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE BROKEN. I'VE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VW. WHY ARE THEY NOT ADDRESSING THIS? THE CAR HAD ABOUT 89 THOUSAND MILES ON IT.

NHTSA complaint 11397193. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2014 34 1
2013 36 1
2011 33 1
2010 23 1

Other 2012 Volkswagen models

Every Volkswagen on this site — 152 vehicles, 256 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst