Trim Report

Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium2012

Includes:PASS|TDI SEL Premium
$3,000
Starting From
74
Active Listings
Avg Mileage

Sourced from 74 active dealer listings as of

Min $3,000
Max $15,141
From $3,000
Fresh
Safety

9 recalls documented. Verify all are completed before signing

2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium Pricing

Price Trend

Building price history...

The price range is enormous.

Some are steals, some are wildly overpriced. A scout cuts through the noise and surfaces the ones worth your time.

Where to Find Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium

Location data for all 2012 Volkswagen Passat trims combined

34States

The biggest cluster of inventory is in Florida (10%), but the remaining listings are spread across 33 other states nationwide.

Volkswagen Passat Safety & Reliability

Safety data for all 2012 Volkswagen Passat trims

Elevated

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat has a elevated safety risk profile with 9 recall campaigns and 480 NHTSA complaints. Before buying, verify that all recalls have been completed. It's free at any dealer.

9
Recalls
480
Complaints
13
Crashes
3
Fires
Recall Findings
19V8620002019-04-12
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

View at NHTSA
16V0780002016-10-02
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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 vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

View at NHTSA
18V1480002018-06-03
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

View at NHTSA
View all 9 recalls
19V3890002019-22-05
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA
17V3090002017-11-05
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.

If the leaking grease contacts a heated surface, such as the exhaust system and/or the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could increase the risk of fire.

View at NHTSA
14V1250002014-17-03
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Volkswagen Group of America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Passat vehicles manufactured January 2011 through November 2012. In the affected vehicles, the low beam headlight bulb may become loose and lose electrical contact.

A loss of low beam headlights may reduce the driver's visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA
16V1710002016-24-03
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor, causing an electrical short.

An electrical short can cause the electrical connectors of the sensor to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

View at NHTSA
12V1460002012-05-04
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 PASSAT VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 18, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 1, 2011. DURING ASSEMBLY, THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A DIESEL FUEL FILTER ELEMENT THAT MAY NOT SEAL CORRECTLY.

OVER TIME, OR AFTER CERTAIN DRIVING DISTANCES, THESE VEHICLES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

View at NHTSA
24V8340002024-30-10
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

Across 1 model years, 480 owners have filed complaints about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. AIR BAGS issues top the list, so ask the seller about this area specifically during your inspection.

01Air Bags219
02Electrical System25
03Electrical System,air Bags24
04Fuel/propulsion System17
05Steering,air Bags16
480 total across 1 model years (2012–2012)Full data at NHTSA.gov
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Volkswagen Passat Fuel Economy

EPA fuel economy data for all 2012 Volkswagen Passat trims

23–34mpg combined
·
20-30city
·
28-40hwy
·
$1,650-$2,500/yr

Across 4 configurations, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat returns 23–34 MPG combined. Choose the thriftier option if you're commuting; the sportier setup if you're not counting gallons.

By Trim
Passat - Automatic (S6)
34mpg
2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel DriveDiesel
30 city40 hwy~$1,650/yr-1/10 Poor
Passat - Manual 5-spd
26mpg
2.5L 5-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive
22 city32 hwy~$1,700/yr-1/10 Poor
Passat - Automatic (S6)
25mpg
2.5L 5-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive
22 city31 hwy~$1,750/yr-1/10 Poor
Passat - Automatic (S6)
23mpg
3.6L 6-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive
20 city28 hwy~$2,500/yr-1/10 Poor

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

TDI SEL Premium Trim Buyer Questions

What to know about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium

How does the TDI SEL Premium compare to other Volkswagen Passat trims?

with 74 listings tracked, the TDI SEL Premium sits in a specific spot in the 2012 Volkswagen Passat lineup. Compare pricing across all trims on the 2012 Volkswagen Passat page.

What should I know about maintaining the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium?

The TDI SEL Premium shares its core mechanicals with other Volkswagen Passat trims, so major service intervals are similar. Watch for air bags issues, the most commonly reported problem area. There are 9 recalls to verify before purchase. The 2012 model page has the details.

What are the best years for the Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium?

The best model year for the Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium comes down to the price-to-mileage ratio. Compare all years on the Volkswagen Passat overview.

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