2012 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking an unknown fluid underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vacuum pump, oil pan, and the gaskets needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 193,211.

TWICE WHILE DRIVING, THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM FAILED LEAVING THE AUTOMOBILE DISABLED ON THE HIGHWAY. ON BOTH OCCASIONS IT WAS REPORTED THAT METAL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL PUMP AND ALL COMPONENTS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WERE REPLACED. THE TWO INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP AFTER THE CAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF STORAGE FOR THE EXHAUST/ EMISSIONS RECALL. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WITHIN 2 MONTHS AND WITHIN 2000 MILES. THE SECOND WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST 10,000 MILE SERVICE AND WITHIN 9 MONTHS FROM THE FIRST.

THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING ONCE IN A WHILE AND ABOUT A MONTH LATER BEGAN TO DIE WHEN IDLE WAITING AT RED LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. I WAS TOLD THE VACUUM SEAL NEEDED REPLACED BUT TO DO SO EVERYTHING WOULD NEED REPLACED AS YOU CAN'T JUST REPLACE A VACUUM SEAL. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT OF MY CAR STARTED TO GO HAYWIRE AND EVERY LIGHT, CLOCK WOULD GO OFF IF I TRIED TO START THE CAR. AFTER THAT AS FIXED THE BATTER WHICH WAS TESTED AND AT 99% DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THESE ISSUES HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ON A CITY STREET DRIVING AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH PEOPLE PASSING ME AND HONKING. I GOT THE CAR FIXED AT STEVEN'S CREEK VOLKSWAGEN IN SUNNYVALE, CA IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE AND I WAS OUT OF A CAR FOR WELL OVER A WEEK. NONE OF THESE WERE ISSUES CAUSED BY ME. I HAVE VERY LOW MILEAGE AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR.

ON MY 2012 TDI WHEN THE WEATHER GETS COLD ~ BELOW 10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT IS MISFIRING. IT USUALLY STARTS FINE, BUT IT STUMBLES/MISFIRED FOR THE FIRST MILE OR SO. THE CAR DOES NOT WANT TO GET UP TO SPEED, NOR WILL IT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR, THE ENGINE WILL REV TO 3000 RPM AND MORE WHEN COLD, WHICH IS VERY BAD FOR THE ENGINE. I WILL MANUALLY SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR AND THEN IT CHUGS AND MISFIRES AND STRUGGLES TO GET UP TO SPEED.

SUDDEN ENGINE HIGH VIBRATION WHILES DRIVING AND EVENTUALLY ENGINE AND BATTERY FAILURE AT THE SAME TIME AND DAY. VW TECHNICIANS IDENTIFIED PIECES OF METAL FROM ENGINE IN OIL FILTER. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ELSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. NOTE: CAR IS TAKEN CARE OF WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE USING VW SERVICE

CAR LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DIESEL FUEL ALL INSIDE THE ENGINE BAY, DEALERSHIP SAID A BOLT ON THE ENGINE HAD A STRESS FRACTURE AND BROKE. *TR

ENGINE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE INTERCOOLER

AFTER THE NOX SENSOR WENT IN THIS CAR EXACTLY A MONTH TO THE DAY LATER THE ADBLUE HEATER IS SHOT. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE MIL LIGHT CAME ON. A SCAN SHOWED IT IS THE ADBLUE HEATER. THIS IS THE 2ND EMISSIONS RELATED PART TO GO IN THIS CAR SINCE THE DIESEL SCANDAL BROKE AND THE 2ND ISSUE IN A MONTH.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A 200 MI. COUNTDOWN BEGAN INDICATING THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WE WERE OVER 500 MILES FROM HOME ON THE WEEKEND. WE HAD TO DRIVE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR HOME 10 HOURS TO NEAREST DEALER WITH THE THREAT OF STALLING IN TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE. WE COULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF, NOR STALL IT AS THE CAR INDICATED IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. IT WAS THE NOX SENSOR. I PAID $625 PLUS TAX TO FIX PART OF THE FRAUDULENT EMISSIONS SYSTEM.

AD BLUE REDUCTANT TANK FAILED. THUS MAKING THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM NOT WORK PROPERLY. PART # 561-198-970-A IS DEFECTIVE. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON MY 2013 PASSAT WITHIN LESS THAN A MONTH. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FROM VW. HERE IS A LINK TO A THREAD ON THE EXTENT OF THESE FAILURES. HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=438268

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 7/14/16. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON 7/15/16 AND LEARNED THAT THE CAR'S ADBLUE HEATER HAD GONE AND WILL COST JUST OVER $1,000 TO REPLACE. THE ADBLUE HEATER HEATS THE ADBLUE TO REMOVE NO2 FOR EMISSIONS, HOWEVER VOLKSWAGEN IS CLAIMING THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY. THE ADBLUE SYSTEM HAS NOT OTHER PURPOSE THAN FOR EMISSIONS AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL WARRANTY, AS THE EMISSIONS WOULD FALL OUTSIDE OF THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS WITHOUT THIS COMPONENT. PROPER EMISSIONS HELP TO KEEP OUR ENTIRE POPULATION SAFE AND HEALTHY FROM THE HARMFUL POLLUTANTS GENERATED BY VEHICLES. NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF THIS FALSE EMISSION SENSOR READING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. THE TURBOCHARGER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. RATHER THAN OFFER TO REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS WITH THE UPDATED PART THEY REDESIGNED BEFORE THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS CONTAMINATED WITH METAL FILINGS THEY ALLOW THEIR CUSTOMERS TO ATTEMP TO DESTROY THEIR ENGINES FIRST. IF MY CAR COULD NOT SURVIVE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE TURBO NO CAR LIKE THIS WILL SURVIVE. AFTER RECEIVING THE WARRANTY EXTENSION I WAS RELIEVED THAT I HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING BY ALWAYS CHANGING THE OIL AT ONE HALF THE RECOMMENDED INTERVAL AND ALWAYS DRIVING LIGHT FOOTED FOR OPTIMAL MILEAGE. I SUPPOSED THAT SINCE I HAD TAKEN PERFECT CARE I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR THIS TRAGIC FAILURE. I WAS STRANDED AT NIGHT ON THE SIDE OF AN INTERSTATE AND HAD TO BE FLATBEDDED TO MY HOME AND THEN FURTHER TO THE DEALER, WHO KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND CHARGED 5000 TO TRY TO UNDO THE DAMAGE DONE BY THIS TURBOCHARGER SELF DESTRUCTING UNDER MY FEET. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF REPEATED OIL FLUSHES AND ALL NEW OIL SYSTEM PARTS WILL BE ENOUGH TO SECURE MY CAR'S MECHANICAL FUTURE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO REMOVE THE TURBOCHARGER BEFORE THE CATASTROPHIC END OCCURS YOU WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET. ONLY AFTER YOUR CAR IS RUINED WILL THEY STEP IN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE STRANDED AS PART OF THE PROBLEM. THE OWNER'S MANUAL CLEARLY STATES YOU MUST PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR WHEN THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT BLINKS. THIS WILL OCCUR WITH NO PRIOR NOTICE FROM THE CAR. MANY PEOPLE ARE KILLED AND INJURED AFTER PULLING OVER IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. HAVING DONE THE CORRECT THING IMMEDIATELY DID NOT LESSEN THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR. THE LIGHT ONLY COMES ON AFTER THE DAMAGE IS DONE!

I OWN A 2012 VW PASSAT TDI (DIESEL). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THE FIX APPARETLY IS OVER 1000.00 AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM FOR MANY 2012 VW PASSAT TDI VEHICLES WHICH ARE RIGHT OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FIX IS A KIT FOR THE ADBLU EMISSIONS SYSTEM. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED FREE OF CHARGE FROM VW. CODE P203B REDUCTANT LEVEL SENSOR CIRCUIT RANGE/PERFORMANCE

TURBO FAILURE, WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND TURBO FAILURE. WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD SAFELY.

WAS ON RAMP ENTERING I-5 SOUTH OFF CLAIREMONT (SAN DIEGO) WHEN ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED WITH NO WARNING LIGHT OR PREVIOUS SIGNS. STEERING AND BRAKES STOPPED BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE. THE CAR DID NOT START RIGHT UP RIGHT AWAY. MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND I HAD JUST STOPPED TO GET GAS; SHE GOT OUT OF CAR TO CHECK GAS CAP. IT WAS ON TIGHTLY. SHE GOT BACK INSIDE CAR AND THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, DOORS UNLOCKED ON IT'S OWN WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 8.21.2015 AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND NOTHING RECORDED IN THE CAR'S SYSTEM. THEY KNOW I AM VERY CONCERNED AND THIS IS VERY DISTURBING.

ON 8 TO 10 OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE LOST POWER, I.E. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, BUT ACTED AS THOUGH IT WERE IN NEUTRAL WITH HIGH RPM?S. SOMETIMES IT IS INTERMITTENT AND RECOVERS POWER BUT ON THREE OCCASIONS ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IT HAS LOST ALL POWER AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND IT STARTS NORMALLY WITH FULL POWER. THE DEALER CHECKED THE ENGINE CODES AND ONLY FOUND ENGINE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH TRANSMISSION AND SAID THE VW DID NOT HAVE ANY NOTICES ON THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS TO VW AND THEY SAY IT HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE. QUICK GOOGLE SEARCHES SHOW SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH LOTS OF VW TDI ENGINES SHOWING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. LOSS OF POWER IN 65 MPH TRAFFIC IS VERY DANGEROUS AND INEXCUSABLE. VW SHOULD BE LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT THIS PROBLEM.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD CODES READ. THE CODE WAS P205C AND THIS INDICATES THE EMISSIONS ADBLUE HEATER AND SENSOR HAD A PROBLEM. THE UNIT (HEATER AND SENSOR) IN THE ADBLUE TANK IS A NON SERVICEABLE UNIT AND MUST BE REPLACED. OVER $750.00 TO REPLACE. ALL THE EFFICIENCY OF TDI JUST WENT UP IN SMOKE. HAPPENED AT 4,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY AND DEALER HAD NO HELP EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF TDI'S ARE HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN, MANY MANY TDI'S ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND HEARD A LOUD POP LIKE A TIRE BLEW OR BELT BROKE OR SOMETHING, THEN I SAW A LOT OF SMOKE, SO I PULLED IN A PARTY STORE PARKING LOT AND IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES BURNT THE ENTIRE ENGINE UP TO A CRISP. I HAVE VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THIS TRAUMATIC EVENT. SO PLEASE INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I NEED ANOTHER CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANKS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO VYLETEL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IN STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN. *TR

ON JULY 16, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:00 PM, MY 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI SEL PREMIUM LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE FAILED AND SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95 NORTH AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY SURROUNDED BY CARS TRAVELING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 65 MPH. THE ENGINE FAILURE PUT MY LIFE, MY COLLEAGUE'S LIFE AND MY FETUS'' LIFE IN DANGER AND COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS FOR OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES AS WELL. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE CENTER, WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND FOUND A BROKEN BOLT. THIS BOLT HELD THE FUEL RAIL AND FUEL INJECTORS IN PLACE AND WHEN IT BROKE, CAUSED THE INJECTORS TO POP OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND THE SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FAILURE. THE INSTALLED BOLT WAS PART OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT REPAIR THAT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER, CLOSER TO MY HOME, PERFORMED BACK IN APRIL 2014. I''VE HAD THREE MAJOR INCIDENTS WITH MY VW NOW, ALL WITHIN THE LAST 3 MONTHS AND IT SEEMS TO BE STEMMING FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT. WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, THE SERVICE CENTER BLAMED IT ON A "BAD BATCH OF DIESEL FUEL" FROM A LOCAL GAS STATION. THEY SAID THAT WITHIN 3 WEEKS, THEY'VE HAD AROUND 25 CARS COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 44,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. BECAUSE OF THESE INCIDENTS, THE LAST ONE OF WHICH PUT MY LIFE AS WELL AS 2 OTHER LIVES IN GRAVE DANGER, I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT, IN CASE IT IS A MORE WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. *JS

HEARD A WHISTLE SOUND FOLLOWED BY SOME SORT OF PUFF AND LOSS OF POWER. TON OF WHITE SMOKE, THOUGHT CAR ON FIRE, PULLED OVER. PEOPLE PASSING BY CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. AFTER CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNED OIL, EXHAUST PIPE COVERED IN OIL, AND OIL DROPS ON THE EXHAUST PIPE. TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP NEW TURBOCHARGER IS NEEDED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED SURGING AND REVVING HIGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND EPC LIGHT CAME ON. ITS DRIVABLE BUT NOT SAFELY AND NEEDS FIXED ASAP. *TR

VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT FOUR TIMES ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASTIONS WHEN I COME TO A STOP. TOOK VEHICLE IN AND VW REPORTS CAR CHECKS OUT FINE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

IN THE MORNING, I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO MY 2012 VW PASSAT S. I NOTICED A POOL OF FLUID THAT SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE ON THE ASPHALT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I ENTERED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND TURNED THE KEY FROM THE OFF TO ON POSITION. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO ON, A SOUND OF DRAINING FLUID COULD BE HEARD AND A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE COULD BE SMELLED. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR, AND IT DOES TURN OVER, BUT WILL NOT START. I DECIDED NOT TO ATTEMPT TO START IT AGAIN, AFRAID THAT THE IGNITION WOULD START A FIRE. SINCE THIS OCCURRED ON A SUNDAY MORNING, ALL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT VW DEALERSHIPS ARE CLOSED. ABOUT 5 HOURS LATER, I UNLOCKED THE PASSAT AND OPENED THE DOOR TO GET SOME ITEMS FROM THE CAR. AGAIN, THE SOUND OF DRAINING FLUID COULD BE HEARD AND A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AGAIN, AND A FRESH POOL OF GASOLINE HAS FORMED. THE GAS IS DRIPPING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, NEAR THE REAR WHEEL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING, AS THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN 1,000 MILES. *TR