4.5

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,183 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Volkswagen Golf electrical problems

electrical problem

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2012 Volkswagen Golf Owner Comments

problem #6

May 192022

Golf

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At first, my vehicle dashboard warning light came on saying I have 9 different lights out(headlight, high beam, brake light, turn signals, etc). I thought it was odd for all these to go out at once, so I took it to the dealership for them to look at it. They couldn-??t find anything and gave it back. It went off for a while but then the warning lights came back on. I again took it to the dealership, they told me I would have to leave it for an unknown amount of time for them to look at it. I wasn-??t able to do that because it was my only motive transportation. After looking online to see if anyone else had the same issue I found multiple people who said they have the same issue. The fuse box under the hood has begun to melt, which affected the green 30 fuse which was almost completely melted. I replaced that fuse with a new one and that fixed the warning lights. I feel it is still a safety issue because the fuse box is going to continue to melt which could produce a fire.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #5

Jul 312017

Golf

  • 44,000 miles
My local Volkswagen dealership stated there is a recall on certain VW models for the clock-spring located inside the steering column. My vehicle has been making a terrible noise when I turn the wheel in either direction, which VW attributes to the clock-spring. They told me the 2012 Golf tdi model is not covered under the recall but apparently this clock-spring problem impacts other models. They warned the problem will get worse and eventually impact the steering, airbag, turn signals, horn, and other electrical components inside the steering wheel. They quoted the cost to replace the clock-spring is $890. So my question is can the recall be broadened to include 2012 Golf tdis as well?

- Dayton, OH, USA

problem #4

Nov 142015

Golf

  • 67,550 miles
My issue seams similar to a filing last year "10654071". I started the car to leave from work, and I receive nine separate exterior light faults. It affected both the front right, left rear, right rear, side marker lights, and plate light. All stopped working at the same time. There was no warning. And no fuses were blown. I was driving at night when this happened, I was lucky that one headlight continued to work. This made for a very difficul.

- West View, PA, USA

problem #3

Nov 072014

Golf 4-cyl

  • 24,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When starting my Golf tdi I received several warning messages on the car's information screen to check turning lights, brake lights, headlights and running lights on the right hand side of the car. The right hand headlights, turn signals and brakelights were out. The cause of the fault was a melted fusebox. The internal wiring of the fusebox overheated and melted the plastic of the box and the plastic of the fuse without breaking the circuit. According to my repair shop, this is a design flaw afflicting as many as one million vws of various years. I saw that VW has initiated recalls for this problem with other models, but not the Golf or Golf tdis. This fault can cause the vehicle to lose partial or total headlights and turn signals, creating a significant safety hazard for drivers and other vehicles.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #2

Apr 252012

Golf 4-cyl Diesel

  • 4,500 miles
Water comes to the interior of the vehicle through the gap between the lower edge of the plastic interior door panel and the metal door. This leak now occurs on the right rear door of this 2012 VW Golf. On other doors, water comes out through the purposely designed drain holes on the bottom side of the door, and thus water does not come into the interior. This incorrect water flow inside the right rear door may cause body damage and electrical hazard. When I spray low pressure water to the belt line at a self car wash bay to replicate rain, water comes out through the gap between the lower edge of the plastic interior door panel and the metal door at a rate faster than one drop per second. Pictures and video link are here: www.Golf-6.com/werkstatt/12132-ist-dieses-wasser-leck-von-VW-design.html. the same kind of water leak occurred on the left front door of my 2011 VW Golf. It was repaired under warranty in 2011. The cause was found to be defective seals inside the door: Speaker seal, and window lifter seal. For my 2012 VW Golf, however, VW of America and Volkswagen ag are behaving weirdly. A VW dealer said to me after communicating with VW of America that VW designed Golf to leak water that way from model year 2012, which is hard to believe. VW of America admits that it does not have a VW document supporting the dealer's claim. However, VW of America declared that they still supports the dealer''s claim. I asked Volkswagen ag whether VW really designed Golf to leak water this way from model year 2012. Volkswagen ag refused to answer my question for a strange reason: They wrote that they do not respond to youtube. What they should have done is to respond to a customer's question. The youtube link was a supplementary tool for more efficient communication.

- Stoneham, MA, USA

problem #1

Apr 032012

Golf

  • 4,250 miles
Volkswagen of America fails to provide their customers a fuse diagram, making it impossible to safely identify and replace a simple blown fuse. Without a basic fuse diagram, the only choice for VW owners needing to replace a fuse is to pull fuses one-by-one as they search for the blown fuse. With many unused slots, should a fuse be inadvertently replaced in the incorrect slot, a critical safety system such as brake lights, tail lights, headlights, ABS brake control, windshield wipers, horn, etc. Can be accidentally disabled without any immediate knowledge on the part of the owner. This happened in my case when I was trying to locate the 12-volt accessory fuse. All other automobile manufactures provide fuse assignment diagrams either in their owner's manuals or, more typically, on the back of the fuse compartment covers. This enables the owner to quickly identify the correct fuse, pull and inspect it, and replace it with a new fuse. I contacted Volkswagen of America's corporate office and spoke with a special assistant to the president and CEO who was unwilling to give me any explanation whatsoever why VW refuses to provide this important safety information. VW's advice is to "shine a flashlight on the end of the flat fuse and try to determine which one is blown." It is impossible to identify a blown fuse in this manner. Since this represents a very real potential safety hazard to each and every VW owner who needs to replace a fuse, NHTSA should immediately issue a recall on all VW models, going back to the date VW instituted this ill-advised policy. NHTSA should require the company to place fuse assignment diagrams on the interior of the fuse boxes. This will immediately and completely correct this safety defect.

- Murrells Inlet, SC, USA

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