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2012 Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems

138 complaints (28% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 60,000. 7 crashes reported.

owner complaints
138
of this car's complaints
28%
typical mileage
60,000
crashes
7
recalls
1

Which part fails

  • Horn
    8
  • Instrument panel: fuel gauge
    1
  • Ignition
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems in other years

19901995200020052010201520202027

Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta electrical

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Fire or smoke 12

Related recalls

Electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control moduleReported August 22, 2019 · 679,027 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
Risk
Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

Recall number 19V615000 · Recall details

What 2012 Volkswagen Jetta owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jun 14, 2026 · Electrical · PA

A microswitch malfunction. My car will not lock and while I am driving it there is clicking on the doors for locking and unlocking. My night lights will not shut off when I park the vehicle. There is a pinging noise when the vehicle is shut off and in park and the door is open with no lights on.

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Electrical, Steering · 131,260 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that for the past eight months, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition. Several warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that to start the vehicle, the contact had to plug in the two fuse boxes and connect the battery cable. The contact feared the vehicle might catch on fire. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V615000 (Electrical System, Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that pre-existing repairs needed to be performed before the recall repair could be performed. The contact stated that the dealer had not provided an official repair estimate, however the total repair cost was provided. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer confirmed that the pre-existing repairs needed to be performed prior to the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 131,260. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed May 2, 2025 · Electrical · NY

This is my 4th volkswagen jetta 2.5L I've own that has had the same issue with the charging system the car would just shut off while driving due to dead battery almost causing an accident this needs to be addressed 2011 to 2018

Filed Mar 15, 2025 · Electrical · GA

Seller sold vehicle without a working horn and hasn’t fixed it

Filed Jun 21, 2024 · Electrical, Fuel system · UT

I was driving on the road going up a hill and my fuel was just alittle low about 120 miles my car sputtered and died and didn't start back up stuck on the road with barley any gaurd rail so I'm partially in the lane and I got it looked at and my high pressure fuel pump failed and sent metal scrapes all throughout my fuel system so it's estimated around 10k to replace I got told it's because the pump barley lost fuel and it uses that to lubricate itself so somthing as simple as one of the pumps going out and this problem can occur or a slight short im just reporting because many others have had this issue with the pump and mine shouldn't have even had nothing going on at 120 miles 1/4 of a tank and I did look in my tank and confirmed I had fuel that I filled up at my local gas station in the middle of the city so it's not bad diesel I own a 2012 volkswagen jetta 2.0l tdi cjaa

Filed Nov 27, 2023 · Electrical, Steering · 140,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V615000 (Electrical System, Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while using the key to start the vehicle, the key spun around in the ignition cylinder and failed to start the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Sep 29, 2023 · Acceleration, Electrical · TX

Horn only occasionally works when honking and/or locking car, which increases the risk of a crash since I can’t always use my horn to alert other drivers of presence. One front headlight only occasionally works (lightbulb is not the issue), which increases the risk of a crash since other drivers may not be able to see me as well & I am not able to see the road as well in the dark. Cruise control does not work at all, which increases risk of speeding and therefore increases risk of crash. Dealer has inspected horn/headlight issue but could not determine cause. No warning signs. Issues first appeared a couple years ago.

Filed Feb 12, 2023 · Electrical · IL

The passenger side door actuator/wiring is not locking appropriately. Through the use of the key fob locking the car doesn't lock the passenger door and every time the vehicle is in motion at 10mph it tries to initiate the auto-locking but fails to lock the passenger door. This enables the passenger to open their door at any rate of speed without automatic safety protection. I have seen this be an issue with other Volkswagen Jetta cars online through car parts stores and online forums, but no recalls as of yet. As of right now, I have not had the vehicle inspected but will be looking to do so this week. There were no warning lights or messages that appeared. It just started two days ago and the only way I realized it was a problem is when I would stop and continue driving it would try to auto-lock when I hit 10mph. Concerns arose when I was driving my 8-month-pregnant wife around town.

Filed Jan 13, 2023 · Airbags, Electrical · OH

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic linked the failure to an electrical failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V483000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jan 11, 2023 · Electrical · 122,000 miles · ID

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a burning odor and smoke coming from the vents into the cabin of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that he pulled apart the heater and noticed that the wiring had melted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was only able to leave a voicemail. The call was not returned. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

Questions about the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta electrical

Does the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta have electrical problems?

Owners have filed 138 complaints about the electrical of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, 28% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.

At what mileage do 2012 Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 60,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta electrical?

Yes, 1 recall: 19V615000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Volkswagen Jetta have the most electrical problems?

The Volkswagen Jetta model years with the most electrical complaints are 2010 (233 complaints), 2011 (186 complaints) and 2019 (154 complaints).

Other 2012 Volkswagen Jetta problems

Engine 91Fuel system 80Transmission 46Steering 42Brakes 37Airbags 34Visibility 24Acceleration 14Lights 13Driver assistance 11Suspension 10Wheels 10Seat belts 9Tires 9Body 7Locks 2Seats 2

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