2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2012

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI repairs by problem area

Engine (46%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (5%)

Brakes and Traction Control (2%)

Suspension and Steering (6%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (25%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (14%)

Other (4%)

Chart based on 371 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI.

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (1%)

$1000 - $2499 (4%)

$500 - $999 (14%)

$100 - $499 (23%)

< $100 (59%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 111 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI

Engine not specified

3000 mi With 200 miles on the vehicle, the water pump began making a loud whistling noise. It was determined to be faulty. 
32860 mi

$200
One of the four ignition coils went dead, the previous owner changed two of the originals at 45.000km and now i am replacing the other two at 53.000. This is a common problem for vw. I recommend that you do it outside the dealer because they charge way to much for a simple coil change. The car can be used for short trips or to get to the garage. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD

45260 mi Engine light on; Exhaust flap sticking open and closed; replaced flap 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 256hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual AWD

41220 mi Air flow sensor 
10000 mi Water pump impeller came loose and ate through housing and engine timing belt. Very common for R's with build dates Feb-March 2012. 
16120 mi In Tank low pressure transfer pump not supplying adequate fuel pressure to the cam driven direct injection fuel pump, resulting in fuel starvation and power loss during times of high engine load and speed. Pump replaced under warranty. 
18700 mi All major components of the fuel system replaced. Fuel tank, in tank low pressure fuel transfer pump, it's controller, fuel lines, engine driven direct injection pump, and all injectors. 
13000 mi Loud whine indicating impending WP failure. replaced pump, timing belt. Replaced timing belt cover. 
21000 mi Crankcase breather replaced under warranty. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD

CEL from bad sensor in intake. Very common issue on 2.0 TSI engine. 
32000 mi Rough idle. Dealership could not duplicate. Last straw decided to get rid of vehicle before warranty ends. 
26000 mi Leaking Oil when hot. Tightened loose oil pan plug from dealership. 
36700 mi Check Engine light and failure to start led to replacement of Intake Manifold. 
31000 mi Water pump leaking. Replaced under warranty 
33000 mi P2015 check engine light. Entire manifold replaced under warranty. 
88000 mi

US $900
Misfires on cold start. Carbon mechanically cleaned from intake valves. 
106000 mi

US $300
Intake manifold failed. Replaced under warranty. Carbon cleaned from intake valves at same time. 
16000 mi Water Pump failure caused a slow but constant loss of fluid. Water pump replaced under warranty. Common GTI problem. 
27100 mi Water pump leaking coolant. 2nd failure. 
43000 mi

US $350
Carbon Buildup due to Direct Injection design. 
27300 mi Faulty HPFP (fuel pump). Common GTI problem. 
55000 mi

US $257
Minor coolant leakage on LH lower corner of radiator (a few drops on the garage floor). Coolant level was still full. Replaced radiator and PZEV temperature/anti-tamper sensor. Refilled w/G12++ coolant and distilled water. 
68000 mi Very light misfiring at idle for a long time. Now much worse after a cold start. Eventually set code P0303 misfire cylinder #3. Moved the #3 coil and spark plug to different cylinders to see if the misfire would move. Misfire stayed at #3. 
70000 mi

US $328
Injected Seafoam Spray in the intake at high idle to clean carbon buildup that was causing misfires at idle and check engine light. Significant smoke after the process, so I repeated it again with a 2nd can. Moderate improvement, not 100%. Dealer found faulty intake manifold runner, code P2008. Covered by a warranty extension for this part. I had sharply lower fuel economy for months (a symptom of this) but the code never came up with my scantool. Intake manifold replaced. Dealer offered a manual carbon cleaning while the intake manifold was already removed. Cost was $328 since manifold removal was paid by VW due to the faulty intake runner. Normal price is $1100 for manual carbon cleaning at this dealer. 
79000 mi Electric coolant after-run pump is making a bearing-like rattling noise intermittently. Didn’t try to fix it; will listen to see if the noise gets louder or more consistent before replacing the pump. 
82000 mi

US $5
Coolant was low and I can smell a coolant smell under the hood after driving the car. Unable to find any leaks or stains or other evidence of leakage. Since this time I have been keeping an eye on the coolant level and the loss rate is very low, probably less than 1 cup of coolant per year. 
87025 mi

US $30
Car was misfiring. Code P0302, cylinder #2 misfire. Inspected cylinder #2 spark plug. Appearance was normal. Swapped cylinder #1 and cylinder #2 ignition coils. Misfire code moved to cylinder #1. Replaced the #1 ignition coil (formerly at cylinder #2). 
94000 mi

US $10
Car had a coolant odor outside and in the engine compartment after driving, which has been going on for years. The coolant level drops extremely slowly and I couldn't find any visual evidence of leakage. Coolant was due to be changed anyway, so I added Bars Leaks sealant along with the new coolant. Seems to have fixed the problem; the odor has gone away. 
39060 mi

C $800
heck engine light one. Control manual had air valve stuck in open position. 3 hours labour to change $90 of parts. 
74866 mi

C $820
High pressure fuel pump replacement. covered under warranty but as my car was tuned, the repair was not covered. 
76260 mi

C $1500
intake manifold stuck in WOT ( 2nd time), also cleaned out valves 
18800 mi Replaced camshaft adjuster unit because the inlet screen had popped out. Extreme cold weather (-25F) may have contributed. 
19500 mi Code 2015, intake flapper motor failed. Replaced intake assembly. 
32500 mi Car was losing power under turbo pressure and CEL came on. Dealer found that intake fitting downstream of the turbo was loose. Dealer tightened fitting. This is also just a few months after the dealer replaced the complete intake. 
37000 mi Replaced intake manifold. Car through a CEL (code 2015) on previous day though no adverse performance had been noticed. Dealer replaced intake at no charge because an extended warranty had been offered on this component by VW. 
40000 mi Intake manifold replaced again. Through CEL, engine hesitated occasionally, and couldn't achieve full throttle. 
49000 mi

US $100
Check engine light flashing and EDC light on accompanied by very rough idle and loss of power. Cyl 1 coil was bad and replaced, cyl 3 has intermittent misfire but coil not replaced. Trip took about 2 hours. 
66000 mi Intake manifold replaced. Turbo seals also found with slight leak but not repaired at this time. 
32800 mi Intake manifold was replaced due to a faulty sensor. 
43000 mi

US $300
car was misfiring on cold start-up. I changed the plugs, coil packs and eventually the EGR valve. 
54000 mi

US $600
High pressure fuel pump ffailed 
15000 mi Water pump leaks 
22300 mi water pump 2nd time 
32000 mi Ck engine light on, was a sensor on the radiator, emissions related to replace the sensor whole radiator was replaced. 
10500 mi Water pump failed. Replaced under warranty. 
7000 mi Coolant leak from water pump, water pump replaced under warranty 
13200 mi EPC warning light came on then turned off after a short time. Dealer viewed stored codes but couldn't diagnose specific issue, no repair needed. 
14000 mi Water pump failed for the second time (first at 9k miles). Replaced under warranty. 
23000 mi Water pump seal connecting water pump to block failed. Replaced water pump and two sealing rings. 
32200 mi Water pump again 
38000 mi high pressure fuel pump failed 
60200 mi

US $300
Cel on for bad intake manifold. Manifold replaced under factory 120,000 warranty on this part Paid 300.00 dollars for carbon cleaning of head intake ports and valves. Also had water pump replaced with VW updated part at no charge. 
89000 mi intake manifold replaced under factory extended warranty again. 
22000 mi The car was losing coolant without an apparent leak. The dealer determined that the leak was in the water pump and replaced that part. 
27000 mi The high pressure fuel pump failed and the engine was not making power 
18300 mi Check engine light went due to condensation in the fuel line. The problem cleared itself but the check engine light still needed to be reset. 
60700 mi

US $2000
misfire at idle. we checked injectors, cleaned valves, checked ECU and it ended up being a deflector plate inside the valve cover that had been damaged but a quick lube shop. 
69000 mi

US $25
failed coil-pack, replaced by owner. 
72000 mi Faulty fuel injector replaced under warranty 
90000 mi timing chain replacement new Throttle Body and alignment 
82000 mi code was for the intake manifold flap motor. Was covered by an extended warranty though VW. 
35960 mi

C $140
Failed start. Rough idle prior to kick-down. Bogging down on acceleration intermittently (will continue to occur until car shuts down and restarted on a 'good performance' start-up) 
61000 mi Waterpump replaced under warranty 
85000 mi

US $630
Began getting a CEL for Intake Manifold Flap errors. The Entire manifold was replaced under the TSB extended warranty. 
145000 mi

US $150
Began Getting Cylinder Misfire codes...changed Coils and Plugs but still getting codes......engine idles rough but runs fine under throttle.....fuel mileage is unaffected......suspect carbon build up 
22000 mi Loss of power and check engine lit on dashboard. 
24000 mi Repacement water pump due to slow leak. This was rhe second time it was replaced for the same reason. Supposedly replaced by a newer version. 
51000 mi Have engine light on due to P2015 Intake Manifold Flap Sensor code but are not experiencing any noticeable performance issues or noises. Seems that it could be covered under a 15yr/150K miles emissions warranty for my particular engine type and date of delivery. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD

Severe rattle under low boost from the turbo. Clearly a wastegate rattle. 
29000 mi Leaking Cam Position sensor 
59000 mi

US $300
Intake Manifold Failed - CEL light 
56000 mi

US $120
Intake manifold failed, fixed under warranty 
84000 mi Replaced intake manifold unit under warranty. 
16000 mi Coolant warning illuminated. Checked Temperatures over OBDII (normal) and drove to dealer to top up coolant. Water pump found leaking. Replaced under warranty. 
47000 mi Water pump failure 
13000 mi Coolant Pump Leak. Repaired Under Warranty at Dealer. 
104000 mi

US $1400
The ECU/EMU had to be replaced 
68000 mi

US $550
Water pump started a slow leak. Common issue, quick replacement. 
52000 mi

US $800
Bad sensor need replacement 
87000 mi Under their extended warentee, VW replaced the manifold sensor (which was either sticking or just reporting it was sticking) and the entire manifold. $0. Also a software update and a recalled air ad wire harness. All &0 
19000 mi coolant pump failed. 
67000 mi

US $114
Threw a code for a failed coil pack after cold engine misfire. Replaced all of them and it completely resolved the issue. 
43000 mi HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump) failure 
30000 mi Water pump failed. Had to be towed for service. 
43300 mi Coilpack failed on valve 2 and was replaced under power train warranty. Ecu recall also performed. 
28000 mi Turbo waste gate was rattling when accelerating. 
43000 mi

US $991
High pressure fuel pump failed. 
46000 mi

US $712
High pressure fuel pump should signs of failing (MIL light on, car hard to start and hesitating). Normal pressure to be 40psi; test reading had it at 7psi, 
35000 mi Water pump failed, leaking almost all coolant. 
41000 mi Water pump was replaced as per recall. 
43000 mi

US $500
Oil leak from upper timing cover. Cover replaced. 
57000 mi

US $300
Oil leaking from timing cover. 
133800 mi

US $2600
Oxygen sensor failed, causing a check engine light and problems with power delivery on initial driving. Engine cam cover found to be seeping oil during standard vehicle inspection and was replaced. 
8000 mi Vibration when engine under load conditions between 1800-3000 rpm. 
26000 mi

US $115
check coolant light 
73800 mi Intake manifold 
67700 mi

US $200
Ignition coils and Spark plugs 
21800 mi replaced faulty water pump 
30000 mi High-pressure fuel pump failed and was replaced under warranty. 
40000 mi Leaking water pump replaced. 
46000 mi The wastegate on the turbo failed. The turbo unit was replaced. 
56000 mi Plastic end on coolant hose cracked and failed, draining coolant. Hose was replaced. 
75000 mi

US $900
High pressure fuel pump failed causing performance issues. 
84100 mi

US $500
Check engine light came on. Sensor was replaced. 
1000 mi Poor Gas Mileage. City: 12-18 mpg. Hwy: 28-30. Combined: 23.9 mpg for the first 1100 miles. Was told that it would improve after break in period of up to 5000 miles but no guarantee that it would ever hit the EPA estimates of 24 mpg city 
10300 mi Wastegate rattle. 
32800 mi

US $760
Bad PCV valve. Also required oil change as leaking valve resulted in significant loss of oil. Symptom was oil pressure warning light proceeded by grinding engine noise during a fast turn. 
37000 mi Excessive oil consumption. Was burning 1quart of oil per 1,00 0 miles. Dealer ran a oil consumption test and said it was still within range (ie: 1qt per 600 miles is considered in range). VW's solution is to keep adding oil. :( 
10000 mi Rattling noise when accelerating. Fixed when taken in for 10k service there was a TSB for a new waste-gate clip that was applied and stopped the noise. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 170hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD

17980 mi Malfunctioning rear oxygen sensor - in first ten km driven. 
48980 mi 'The' known intercooler design issue - condensation causes water to fill the intake and 'prevents' starts. Dealer decision to replace per TSB. About 5 hours' billable work or $3,000 if not under warranty. 
51420 mi

C $375
Rear exhaust gas temp sensor. Entire bloody subframe had to be lowered to change. Fought with dealer over goodwill. In the end, VW Canada paid 75% - yay VW, boo dealer. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD

85560 mi Exhaust pressure control valve stuck open. 
19300 mi Bad fuel pressure valve on the fuel return line was causing hesitation and stumbling at steady cruising state around 35-50 mph. 
26400 mi Bad fuel pressure valve; same problem as previous (failed again). 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD

29000 mi The dealer replaced a faulty exhaust gas temperature sensor. 
66000 mi EGT sensor bad. Dealer replaced no cost since CPO with warranty. 
39060 mi Check engine light came on. Exhaust flap was seized. Was replaced. 
9000 mi Check Engine Light during roadtrip. Brought to dealership after return home, no current problems found. Code was EGR related. 
60000 mi

US $100
CEL came on indicating a problem with EGR system. 
29760 mi Pulled code P047F - "Exhaust Pressure Control Valve A Stuck Open" Fixed under warranty. 
34000 mi Car wouldn't start in the morning - water frozen in intercooler. Work to replace turbo intercooler, etc. Service Bulletin to resolve issue with moisture buildup in the intercooler. 
8700 mi When outside temp was 60 deg F. or higher, the low coolant light would come on after driving vehicle for 30 minutes, shutting it down for 20 minutes, and starting it up again. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 105hp 1.2L I4 6-speed manual FWD

17720 mi Minor leak in water pump. Fixed under warranty 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L I5 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD

14000 mi

US $273
Trouble code P2432. Took the deal a day to diagnose. VW CC covered 75% of repair. 2ndary air injection system. 
36760 mi knock sensor replaced / manifold pressure sender cleared codes. car would go into "safe" mode, and not surpass 3000 RPM in acceleration in any gear (5-spd manual), it was determined to be the intake manifold sensor. 
36580 mi manifold pressure sensor seems problematic, they haven't replaced it yet. performed a VW service bulletin, and the sensor came on again 2 weeks later (first trip March 12 or so, next one soon...for something, who knows this time.) MAP sensor reset (2nd time...first time was when we replaced the knock sensor). dealer reset sensor, will replace it when the sensor is tripped again. MAP sensor replacement - taken to dealer vehicle was hunting in RPM from 0 to 1000 vehicle was holding RPM when revved for a few seconds at 2000, or 3000... warranty repair, not sure if this is the extent of current issues...stay tuned. 
44640 mi the ongoing engine light issue seems to have been resolved. its been in the shop 1 - 2 times a month since March. reflash software, replace MAF, replace wiring, etc, all done on last trip 
26000 mi Whirring noise under the hood. Dealer claims it to be normal noise from vacuum motor controlling the idle. I do not remember hearing it from new. 
57800 mi

US $270
MAP sensor code. Needed software update. Not covered by warranty 
13200 mi Secondary air pressure sensor circuit low. Per Tech Bulletin #2028415/3. Replaced secondary air pressure sensor. 
2480 mi EVAP problem, engine light came on. Dealer replaced some component at the gas tank. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

turbocharged 256hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual AWD

123000 mi

US $900
Timing belt, water pump,  valve cover gasket and associated seals. 
14500 mi A failed water pump gear caused the timing belt to fail which resulted in a blown motor. VW replaced the engine, no questions asked. No problems since. Apparently this has been a problem for a few cars with an early 2012 build date as mine. 
31300 mi

US $35
Fuel pump cam follower replaced. Wear on cam was low and the replacement was not necessary. 
36000 mi

US $1800
Water pump replaced, additionally timing belt, tensioner and pulleys were replaced because coolant had leaked onto the timing belt and contaminated it. Oil/filter change was done since it was close to its next service interval. 
45300 mi

US $50
Low-pressure fuel sensor replaced 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD

3000 mi EPC light on, reset computer 
4500 mi EPC light, many parts replaced. ECM, CCC connectors and housing. Light came back on eight days later. 
7000 mi EPC light. Final fix was the replacement on the steering column wire harness. 
18000 mi Cold engine start - EPC light would flash, check engine light would come on, power loss occasionally. After engine warmed up issue would dissipate. Would occasionally notice same problem after sharp turn. Replaced cam sensor and some related cracked pins. 
13000 mi Low coolant warning (had checked 2 days earlier, no issue). Water pump was source of leak. Replaced under warranty. 
22000 mi Lost coolant due to bad seal. Covered under warranty. Dealer replaced 9 seals to be safe and test drove for 5 miles. 
50000 mi

US $700
Timing chain issue—wrecked engine 
24200 mi Recirculation valve sticking and throwing code 
53200 mi Coolant light came on Friday. Took the car Saturday to have it checked, a new water pump was installed. 
38000 mi Water pump leak 
28000 mi

US $400
Found coolant leak. Defective water pump replaced. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

turbocharged 200hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual FWD

24800 mi High pressure fuel pump sensor was replaced 
34800 mi Check coolant light came on, water pump was leaking and replaced under warranty. 
35400 mi Engine was misfiring badly and went into limp mode, check engine light and epc light came on. Three of four coil packs were replaced under warranty. 
86800 mi

€75
CEL lit. VAGCOM called misfiring cylinders. Replaced coil packs; no improvement. Problem not solved yet. 
18100 mi Water Pump Failed Leaking Coolant. Coolant light went on on dash. New water pump installed under warranty. 
39000 mi I was on a trip, had an alarm concerning cooling. Took to dealer who replaced water pump under a recall notice. 
54000 mi

US $129
Check engine light, dealer checked emissions systems, found no problem. Reset engine light. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed manual FWD

31000 mi Turbo bearings failed 31000 miles. The turbo was replaced under warranty and a loaner car was provided at no cost. 
61000 mi

US $108
The push button start stopped required multiple presses to start/stop. The button itself needed to be replaced. Simple fix, part cost $108 from the dealer. 
77000 mi

US $186
Replaced glow plug on one cylinder. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

turbocharged 140hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed automated manual FWD

30200 mi Heating coil blinking dash light. Dealer replaced heating coil computer module and car battery under warranty. 

Return to top

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI 2dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L I5 5-speed manual FWD

31000 mi

US $152
Check engine light with P0106 code. Addressed per technical bulletin # 01-14-23: Software update performed, replaced N80 EVAP purge valve, and cleaned throttle body. 
143000 mi

US $300
MAP sensor replaced. 

Return to top

See TrueDelta's information for all Hatchbacks, Wagons, and Convertibles.
See TrueDelta's information for all Volkswagen models.

2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI Engine Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2012 Volkswagen Golf / Rabbit / GTI problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.