2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen Problems
Compared with other Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen years
Typical for this model
44/100 0.9× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 0.9× that of a typical Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- None of its 27 complaints were filed by the end of 2014.
- Most reported part: Electrical system (6 complaints, median 75,500 mi).
- 1 recall campaign on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 27filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 70,000miles, 18 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —no overall rating published
- EPA fuel economy
- 26 mpgcombined, 2.5L 5-cyl FWD · 24 city / 31 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 27 consumer complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen. The part named most often is electrical system, with 6 complaints (22% of the total), followed by fuel system (6) and brakes (4). 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 22% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 1,084 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 238 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 89 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 3 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 44 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system6 22%
- Fuel system6 22%
- Brakes4 15%
- Engine4 15%
- Other or unknown4 15%
- Suspension4 15%
- Steering2 7.4%
- Air bags1 3.7%
Also reported: Seat belts (1), Body and structure (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “I noticed my car has been cutting out and not having power when driving down a freeway. Ill put the pedal down it didnt move. I noticed my stereo started kind of flashing as well. I figured maybe it was electrical so I started looking around and I opened up my trunk and it was 4 inches of water where my spare tire is. Then I started looking around where my panoramic sunroof is and there's a huge spots of water that's wet. They did not disclose this to me when I purchase the car and I asked them if there was any problems of leaking. I think it's messing up my electrical system and my power. …”
NHTSA complaint #11300052, filed 2020-01, 81,000 milesFuel system: “Having difficulty with my vw Jetta Sportwagen 2012 with its high pressure fuel pump having contaminated the fuel system in the car with metal shards captured on the fuel metering valve. Entire fuel system needs replacement. The car is a certfified pre-owned and only 11 months into a 2-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. The dealership, regional case dispute manager, and technical dispute inquiry have all come back and reported that it is an externally created issue from the diesel fuel I put into the tank. …”
NHTSA complaint #11172550, filed 2019-01, 1 milesBrakes: “Car is serviced at vw dealer every 10,000 miles. At 70,000 miles they tell me my rear side door hinges are rusted and need replacement at my costs. Why would door hinges rust away? When it does rain when I open the rear doors, water does pour our the bottom of door.. Poor german engineering design? 2nd problem: they tell me my emergency/parking brake cable, etc., is rusted away. Another engineering problem? Again I'd have to pay. 3rd problem: at 73,000 miles my rear hatch will not open. Brought it in and they say it's the electronic part that went bad. Engineering? I paid for repair. …”
NHTSA complaint #11002551, filed 2017-06, 70,000 milesEngine: “4/5/16 4:30pm, vehicle would not shut off. Brought to Volkswagen dealers who diagnosed vehicle with an ignition lock cylinder housing issue. The vehicle did not stall or fail in that sense, but it is still distressing to have a fault on the ignition switch.”
NHTSA complaint #10853881, filed 2016-04, 90,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
22% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 53,000 and 84,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetta SportWagen FWD | 2.5L 5-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 24 | 31 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Jetta SportWagen FWD | 2.5L 5-cyl | 5-speed manual | 23 | 33 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Jetta SportWagen FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl · diesel | 6-speed automatic | 29 | 37 | 32 | $3,000 |
| Jetta SportWagen FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl · diesel | 6-speed manual | 29 | 39 | 32 | $3,000 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 16V078000Feb 10, 2016Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen 2010–2014, Passat 2007–2010, 2012–2014, CC 2009–2014 +5 more
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…
Recall details for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,084 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038146Sep 17, 2026Engine. Suggested fuel additive
- 11038143Sep 9, 2026Other or unknown. This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
- 11036868Aug 6, 2026Other or unknown. Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
- 11036870Aug 4, 2026Other or unknown. Differences between a leak and seepage
- 11035772Jul 15, 2026Electrical system. This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019…
- 11035762Jul 9, 2026Engine. Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
- 11034614Jun 18, 2026Engine. Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
- 11034613Jun 18, 2026Engine. Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
- 11034621Jun 11, 2026Air bags. Inquiries
- 11034617Jun 4, 2026Engine. Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
Other model years of the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 34 | 77,312 | 1 | — | 26 | 85 · More | Falling |
| 2013 | 36 | 82,250 | 1 | — | 26 | 38 · Typical | Stable |
| 2012 | 27 | 70,000 | 1 | — | 26 | 44 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 33 | 80,000 | 1 | — | 27 | 55 · Typical | Falling |
| 2010 | 23 | 106,276 | 1 | — | 25 | — | Falling |
| 2009 | 16 | 107,028 | 1 | — | 25 | — | Stable |
All Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen have?
NHTSA recorded 27 consumer complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen as of Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 6 complaints (22% of the total), followed by fuel system with 6.
Has the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen get?
The EPA rates the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen (Jetta SportWagen, 2.5L 5-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 24 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen reported?
Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,000 miles and the middle half falls between 53,000 and 84,000 miles; 22% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.