Before buying a used 2012 Volkswagen Golf, check whether recall repairs were completed, how it scored in crash tests and what owners report most often. Ask the seller for service records covering any recall listed below.
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48 complaints filed with NHTSA (4 involving a crash, 0 a fire). Most-reported areas:
Source: NHTSA owner complaints. Complaints are unverified reports, not confirmed defects.
2012 Volkswagen Golf 4 DR FWD
2012 Volkswagen Golf 2 DR FWD
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
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.
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
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.
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…
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.
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 IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2009-2012 JETTA AND JETTA SPORTWAGEN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2008 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 AUDI A3 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L TDI COMMON RAIL DIESEL ENGINE/CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE. THE FUEL INJECTION PULSES COULD COINCIDE WITH THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF THE INJECTOR LINE #2, IN SPECIFIC LOAD AND RPM CONDITIONS. THIS RESONANCE CREATES ADDITIONAL STRESS IN THE…
Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
Source: U.S. NHTSA. Canadian-market vehicles can have different recalls — check Transport Canada's recall database. Always confirm recall status for a specific VIN with a dealer.
| Version | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf — Auto (S6), 5 cyl, 2.5 L | 9.8 L/100 km (24 mpg) | 7.6 L/100 km (31 mpg) | 9 L/100 km (26 mpg) |
| Golf — Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Diesel, Turbo | 8.1 L/100 km (29 mpg) | 6.4 L/100 km (37 mpg) | 7.4 L/100 km (32 mpg) |
| Golf — Man 5-spd, 5 cyl, 2.5 L | 10.2 L/100 km (23 mpg) | 7.1 L/100 km (33 mpg) | 9 L/100 km (26 mpg) |
| Golf — Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Diesel, Turbo | 8.1 L/100 km (29 mpg) | 6 L/100 km (39 mpg) | 7.4 L/100 km (32 mpg) |
| Golf R — Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 12.4 L/100 km (19 mpg) | 8.7 L/100 km (27 mpg) | 10.7 L/100 km (22 mpg) |
Source: U.S. EPA / fueleconomy.gov. Converted to L/100 km for Canadian buyers.