2012 Volkswagen Passat: doors won't lock, open or latch

Filed Nov 4, 2020 · Electrical · 77,000 miles · IL

Door lock actuator breaks without the operator realizing it, resulting in a threat to the safety of the operator and security of the vehicle. The only way to diagnose the issue is using vw code scanners, otherwise, there are no obvious traits to an unsuspecting owner that the door locks are inoperative. Vw dealer near by estimates the repair at $400 and regularly keeps the part in stock due to this issue.

Filed Jul 18, 2020 · Airbags, Electrical · 152,000 miles · CA

When I was driving on the fwy my airbag light came on and my door lock are keep going off as if im hiting the lock button

Filed Dec 24, 2019 · Body · 142,000 miles · NJ

Drivers door handle will not open from the inside and vw wants a ton to repair it. On the forums & internet they stated we should be opening a case here as its a known issue and should be recalled.

Filed Mar 5, 2019 · 43,000 miles · NJ

Front driver side door will not open nor will it unlock. Lately, (december 2018), I cannot open the door in the morning. Sometimes cold dry mornings, other mornings mist that has frozen, other mornings just cold. I have to go through the passenger side door and work my way over to drivers seat. Takes up to 20 minutes for the door to open. I found it easier if I have defrost on high heat with vent pointed to door. I find this a dangerous situation as I drive to work knowing something could happen and I could not get out.

Filed Oct 9, 2018 · Electrical · 81,301 miles · TX

Door lock actuators fail to lock car doors. Have had to replace 3 door lock actuators on a 2012 vw passat over approximately 4 years. There is no option to lock the door with a key or manually from within car. The door does not lock when using key fob or lock switch. The car alarm does not go off when door is opened after the car has been locked with fob. When driving the car, after every stop, the doors try to lock again when car moves. Safety issue that door is not locked when driving and also safety issue cannot lock car to keep people and property safe from someone outside..

Filed Jan 27, 2018 · Body · 69,996 miles · MD

Driver side door would not close. Door lock latch mechanism failed. Cannot drive car if door won't stay latched. Independent shop replaced mechanism. Based upon internet search, it appears that door latch failed seems common which was a surprise.

Filed Aug 8, 2017 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · WA

Defective door latch assembly that caused the locks to initiate every time the vehicle passed 10 MPH. Caused the driver door to no longer lock, and disengaged the alarm even when other doors locked.

Filed Aug 6, 2016 · Electrical · 59,400 miles · MO

If the vehicle is parked and I am trying to leave and lock it up by using either the drivers side door switch or the remote, it will not lock the driver side door, but they will both lock the other three doors. Upon starting the vehicle and moving only a few yards, the door locks engage as normal for the passenger side door and both rear side doors. But not the driver side door. When driving down the road and slowing down to 5 - 10 MPH (stop & go traffic), all three other door locks opened on their own and relocked again as I speeded up. The driver side door still remained unlocked. I feel this can be an extreme safety hazard in case of an accident if all the doors don't remain lock while the vehicle is moving.

Filed Jun 3, 2016 · Body, Electrical · 43,000 miles · DC

My 13 passat se 2.5 started having an issue with the rear passenger door lock about three weeks ago. The normal operation of the locks is that when the vehicle hits 10mph the door will automatically lock. After this has happened and I come to a stop light or slow down below 10mph and then speed up again, the rear passenger lock tries to lock itself again.

Filed Jan 22, 2016 · Body · 35,000 miles · IL

The passenger side front door latch fails while I'm driving the car. The door has opened on its own numerous times as I am driving the car at speed. The latch fails at rest while the car is on or off, and as the car is moving down the road. The door quite literally flies open while the car is in motion and will not latch unless the car is shut off and restarted several times.

Filed May 11, 2015 · Electrical · 17,931 miles · PR

On april 14, 2015, I went to vw kennedy service center in puerto rico because of problems with my 2012 passat driver's door lock and rear door's locks, that sometimes failed to open or lock, and have weird sounds when I open them with the power locks button or when the car reach 10 miles. On april 16, they made a diagnostic of a problem with the rear left door latch but they only make an adjustment to it. On april 21, I returned to the service center with the same problems. This time they replaced the rear left door latch, but told me that there is no problems with the driver's door lock. Since then, the problems with this door lock continues on a random basis, sometimes failed to open or close, but the vw service center told me that there is no problems. I think that a door lock that failed to close or open on a random basis represents a security problem.

Filed Jan 12, 2015 · Electrical · 49,865 miles · MD

Drivers side door would not open with door unlocked. Spoke to vw service and they said it's a common issue on this car. Cold temperatures freeze up the door latch mechanism. Had to open the door from within the vehicle. Vw service advised me to stop opening the door because the latch mechanism could fail completely and the door will not latch to close. They said bring the vehicle in so they could look at it. Brought the vehicle in and they said yes it's a failing door latch mechanism and the replacement cost would be $480.00. This seems to be a general issue with this vehicle with many customers complaining. A drivers side door that won't open and won't latch to close is a major problem.