Home · 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Hev · Complaints

What 526 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (526)Crash / fire / injury (33)Electrical system (144)Engine (88)Fuel system (62)Transmission & drivetrain (50)Steering (43)Brakes (41)Airbags (35)Fuel System, Diesel (25)Visibility & wipers (24)Speed control (14)

11 of 526 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 26, 2020Electrical systemEngineFire

CAR RAN HOT FIRST TIME AIR CONDITIONING GOT HOT CAR WAS GOING ANY FASTER WITH SMOKE FROM ENGINE. NO INDICATOR AT ALL CAR WAS RUNNING HOT. DEALERSHIP STATED THE BLOCK MESS UP. ADJUSTER CAME STATED THEROMAST WHICH NOT COVER WARRANTY FOR MY CAR. WHY WAS I NEVER AWARE MY CAR HAD THESE ISSUES

NHTSA ODI 11341492

Feb 12, 2020Electrical systemBrakesCrash

I'M STILL CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAR 2012 JETTA VOLKSWAGEN. UP IN TILL RECENTLY IT WAS FIXED ON A RECALL NOTICE THAT DISPLAYED VEHICLE RIGHT ROLL EVEN IF PLACED IN PART AND IGNITION TURNED OFF !! UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED TO MY SON DURING CHRISTMAS 2019. WHAT IF THERE WAS A BODY IN FROM THAT CAR. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE AND VOLKSWAGEN USA KNOWS IT. I TOOK IT IN AND WAS ADDRESSED OF NEW RECALL WHICH RELAYS THE SAME SAVAGENESS; IT WAS FIXED TILL WHEN ?? [XXX] THIS CAUSED ABOUT 1000-2000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AFTER WE HAD ALREADY FIXED THIS BUMPER WITH VOLKSWAGEN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11308656

Dec 1, 2019Electrical systemCrash

THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON AN INCLINE SUBURBAN CITY STREET. THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AFTER DRIVING AND PLACING GEAR IN THE PARK POSITION. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE IT AFTER I PUT THE VEHICLE IN THE NEUTRAL GEAR POSITION. HOWEVER, THIS PRESENTED A HAZARD AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD AND SIDE SWIPED A STATIONARY VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11283166

Jun 26, 2018SteeringElectrical systemAirbagsCrash

AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON. I HAD AN ACCIDENT BACK IN 2014 AND THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. THE STEERING COLUMN IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND MY KEY WAS STUCK WITH THE CAR STILL RUNNING ON IN A STATION PLACE. I WAS TRYING TO PARK THE CAR AND MY IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED AND WOULD NOT MOVED AND KEPT THE KEY LOCKED IN IT. I KEPT TRYING TO MOVE THE JIGGLE THE WHEEL AND TURN THE KEY BUT IT CAUSE THE KEY TO BREAK OFF IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. I HAD TO PAIR TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AND THE KEY REPLACED. ALSO AFTER THAT THE HORN STOP WORKING AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE CLOCK SPRING HAD TO BE REPLACED. I PAID AGAIN TO HAD THE CLOCK SPRING REPLACED HOWEVER THE HORN NOW IS GOING IN AN OUT. THE HORN WILL SOUND OFF ONE DAY AND THEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WILL NOT WORK. THIS HAPPEN ONLY 2 WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CLOCK SPRING FIXED. ALSO THE HORN IS NOT LOUD IT BARELY MAKES A NOISE. NOW THE SENSOR LIGHT IS ON FOR THE ENGINE AND I WAS ALREADY TOLD THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11103985

Aug 18, 2016Electrical systemCrash

LIKE THE RECALL ON 2011 JETTA HORN THE 2012 JETTA HORN HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT WAS HIT BY A DRIVER BACKING UP AND VOULD NOT WARN THE DRIVER DUE TO AHORN THAT DOES NOT WORK. TODAY I WAS ALMOST SANDWICHED BETWEEN A SEMI-TRUCK AND A CAR MOVING INTO MY LANE. LUCKILY FOR ME AND THEKID THE DRIVER IN THE CAR GOT BACK IN THEIR OWN LANE. IT APPEARS THE TRUNK LIGHT DOES NOT WORK EITHER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE HORN AND TRUNK LIGHT STOPPED WORKING, LAST TIME IT FIXED IT'S SELF THIS TIME IT SEEMS TO NEED HELP TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. HORN CLICKS NO SOUND, NO ALARM WARNING SOUNDS.

NHTSA ODI 10896998

Nov 12, 2015Electrical systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE. THE HORN MALFUNCTIONED AND FAILED TO ALERT THE OTHER PERSON. AS A RESULT, THE OTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 10789940

Sep 5, 2015Electrical systemFire

THE FIRST TIME MY RADIO CAUGHT ON FIRE, IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2014. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHILE I WAS AT WORK. WHEN I ENTERED THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME, I TURNED STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A EXTREMELY LOUD SOUND, MUCH LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THE MIDDLE DASH WHERE THE RADIO IS LOCATED BEGAN POURING SMOKE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO "FIXED" THE PROBLEM (THEY REPLACED THE STOCK RADIO FOR ANOTHER VW STOCK RADIO). SPRING OF 2015, THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. MY CAR WAS PARKED AT WORK, I STARTED THE CAR AND THE RADIO BEGAN POURING SMOKE. I AGAIN, HAD THE ISSUE "FIXED" BY THE DEALERSHIP. AUGUST 2015, AGAIN THIS HAPPENED AND SEPTEMBER 2015 AGAIN. WHEN I INSISTED THAT VW MUST FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE UNDERLYING ISSUE, THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM AFTER THE AUGUST 2015 INCIDENT. WITH THIS INCIDENT NOT ONLY DID THE RADIO BURN OUT, MY BATTERY WAS DRAINED OUT. THE EXPLANATION I WAS GIVEN WAS THAT THE POWER LINE TO THE RADIO WAS NOT SHUTTING OFF, THEREFORE THE RADIO WAS OVERHEATING AND THE BATTERY WAS BEING DRAINED. WITH THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK ON A MONDAY AND THE RADIO AGAIN CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED OUT ON THE FRIDAY OF THAT SAME WEEK.

NHTSA ODI 10761778

May 12, 2015Electrical systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP ON AN INCLINE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THERE WAS A TWO SECOND DELAYED RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC HILL START ASSISTANCE FEATURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 10715916

Jan 7, 2015Electrical systemEngineFire

UPON RETURNING HOME ON SUNDAY 12/21 AT 3 PM, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM OUR GARAGE. WE OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR TO DISCOVERY MY CAR ON FIRE AND A GARAGE FULL OF SMOKE. WE CALLED 911 AND REQUESTED FIRE ASSISTANCE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE USING 5 COMMERCIAL SIZE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND DRAGGED THE CAR FROM THE GARAGE. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670597

Aug 20, 2012Electrical systemBrakesCrash

HELLO, PURCHASED A VW JETTA SE ON 7/20/12 AND ALMOST 1 MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY AT APX. 50 MPH AROUND 5:30PM WHEN CAR HEADLIGHTS BLINKED AND CAR DIED (STALLED). ATTEMPTED TO RE-START A CAR WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. SINCE VW DEALER WAS CLOSED ALREADY - CALLED A LOCAL AUTO SHOP AND THEY TOWED A CAR TO A SHOP TO FIND AN ISSUE. MECHANIC COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS SO HE RE-SET A COMPUTER IN MY CAR AND HE WAS ABLE TO START IT. DROVE HOME. LATER IN THE EVENING - DROVE TO PICK-UP SOME FOOD AND ON THE WAY HOME (INSIDE A DEVELOPMENT) - WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APX. 15-18 MPH - PRESSED BRAKES AND REALIZED I HAD NONE AND AT THE SAME TIME CAR STALLED AND SINCE IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS ALREADY SLIGHTLY TURNING LEFT - CAR SLID IN THE DIRECTION ON MY TURN AND RIGHT REAR TIRE HIT THE CURB, TIRE FALL OFF, CAR HIT A STREET SIGN AND AN ELECTRIC POOL (BOTH FELL TO THE GROUND) AND BROUGHT ME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE GRASS. POLICE WAS CONTACTED AND A CAR WAS TOWED TO A NEAREST BODY SHOP. FILING A COMPLAINT WITH VW - WILL SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471541

Jan 24, 2012Engine & coolingElectrical systemFire

DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK FRIDAY 1/13, WEATHER WAS BELOW FREEZING CAUSING ICE BUILD UP. PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE ~45 DEGREES. ICE BEGAN MELT, AND WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT TURNED 1/4 TURN AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ENGINE INHALED WATER CAUSING A HYDRO-LOCK, I CONTINUED TO TRY TO START THE VEHICLE A TOTAL 5 TIMES (IT TURNED OVER ONCE AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND DIED ONCE). THE LAST TIME TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE I SMELLED SMOKE, I POPPED THE HOOD TO FIND THE STARTER AND WIRING ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE ATTACHED TO MY HOUSE THIS COULD HAVE EXTREMELY CATASTROPHIC IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *** THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE HARD / NO START PROBLEM, THIS ONE HOWEVER RESULTED IN THE FIRE. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT FOLLOW THE BELOW TSB SINCE THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER WIRING AND STARTER REPLACEMENT. ISSUE MIRRORS TSB # 21 11 06 / 2025464, WHICH INCLUDES ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER, "DEAD BATTERY" STARTER ACTION (DUE TO HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE IN CYLINDER), AND STARTER/ELECTRICAL FIRES (DUE TO STARTER OVERHEATING DURING ATTEMPTS TO START LOCKED ENGINE). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10445020

Working with the data? Download all 526 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Hev verdict →