The passenger airbag indicator goes on and off with person in passenger seat. We first noticed this Summer 2023. It has gotten worse. Now a passenger can shift weight slightly one way or another and cause the indicator status to change which disables the airbag. Dealer also confirmed (4/16/24) DTC code B0081(internal malfunction with passenger presence module). I have recently learned there was a warranty extension for this failure (which had expired) which I was unaware of. I now have a vehicle which I feel is unsafe to travel with a passenger! If GM is aware of the problem and the dealer (imperial Chevrolet) has charged me $160 diagnostic fee for a known problem and tells me it will cost approx. $1,800 to repair/replace the sensor and module.
2012 Buick Verano airbags problems
27 complaints (25% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 61,500. 7 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 27
- of this car's complaints
- 25%
- typical mileage
- 61,500
- crashes
- 7
- recalls
- 3
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Buick Verano airbags problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Buick Verano airbags
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Air bags
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1‑800‑222‑1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1‑800‑521‑7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V‑522 and 13V‑023.
Recall number 14V300000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑521‑7300.
Recall number 13V023000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Remedy
- General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑521‑7300.
Recall number 12V522000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Air Bag Non-deployment
General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were built on several specific production dates broadly ranging from December 1, 2011 to August 2, 2012 (see the federal safety agency recall 14V‑300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (the federal safety agency recalls 12V‑522 and 13V‑023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
RQ13002
What 2012 Buick Verano owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
This airbag is supposed to last the lifetime of the vehicle and it has not. On top of it not lasting I am being charged to fix the airbag issue replacement and it is at fault of General Motors for not offering a lifetime lasting airbag.
The contact owned a 2012 Buick Verano. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, another vehicle was traveling in the opposite direction and struck the front driver side of the contact’s vehicle causing damage to the front end of both vehicles. The air bags did not deploy in the contact's vehicle but in the other vehicle, the air bags did deploy. No major injuries and no one seeking medical attention. The police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed total lost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
I was in a traffic jam and had a blowout. My airbags didn't go off no accident was able to pull over. Got it towed to get a new tire. Now I took my car in to get the aribag light off and it's $2000 for seatbelt sensor and another sensor from a blowout that's redicilous. The airbags didn't go off. Now I don't have any air bags because of a tire blowout. No damage to the car either. Please help and thank you for your time!
Says service aig bag this is not safe..
While pulling into my home driveway, when I applied brakes . And the car started to accelerate causing me to hit my other vehicle and then the car proceeded into the side of my house . I just 2 days prior had my car inspected at firestone, I also just had new brakes and rotors replaced less than 5 months prior, also the airbag light came on earlier that day, I was coming home from firestone and noticed the car was accelerating and deceleration while driving which was less than 10 mile from my home .
The passenger side air bag light goes off when engine is running. Does this while driving or parked. This makes air bag light in the information center of dash come on or turn off.
The system air bag notices keeps coming in the car, when you put your seat beat on it goes away. Also the oil button doesn't come on , the car constantly shakes and the check engine like keeps coming on after even being repaired. I needed a fuel pump and that's been fixed but the problem is happening again
Service airbag light comes on occasionally when passenger gets in car. Goes off once passenger buckles seatbelt and vehicle is in drive, most of the time. A couple times it has stayed on for part of a day even without a passenger and after several times of turning the car off and restarting.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 buick verano. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. Joseph buick gmc 8700 colerain ave, cincinnati, oh 45251, (513) 741-1000, was contacted by phone. The contact was given incorrect information that the vehicle was subjected to a free warranty repair. The contact was instead quoted $858.35 for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Questions about the 2012 Buick Verano airbags
Does the 2012 Buick Verano have airbags problems?
Owners have filed 27 complaints about the airbags of the 2012 Buick Verano, 25% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2012 Buick Verano airbags problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 61,500 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Buick Verano airbags?
Yes, 3 recalls: 14V300000, 13V023000, 12V522000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Buick Verano have bad airbags?
The Buick Verano model years with the most airbags complaints are 2012 (27 complaints), 2016 (23 complaints) and 2013 (18 complaints).
Other 2012 Buick Verano problems
Engine 50Electrical 16Steering 9Acceleration 7Transmission 7Visibility 6Brakes 4Driver assistance 4Fuel system 4Suspension 3Body 2Tires 1Wheels 1
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