YearToAvoid

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Visibility & Wipers Problems

NHTSA lists 23 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, 5% of all complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 51,500. No related recall is listed for this problem area.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
23
5% of 499
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
51,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Windshield wipers stop responding in cold, wet, or snowy conditions and only start working again after the vehicle warms up or is brought into a heated space.
  • Owners describe wiper linkages freezing even when no visible ice is present at the base of the wiper arm.
  • Some drivers report the wiper relay clicking but the blades never move when temperatures drop below freezing.
  • One owner reported an inability to adjust the left outside mirror, leaving a blind spot that hid passing vehicles.
  • A windshield cracked without a clear cause, which the dealer attributed to a rock strike.

When 2012 Volkswagen Jetta visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 27, 2012, latest May 23, 2024.

2012 Volkswagen Jetta visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2012Jun 2013Mar 2015Oct 2016Nov 2018Jan 2020
23 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2012 to May 2024; peak Jan 2014 (3).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Jetta model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201012 (1%)
  2. 201126 (4%)
  3. 201223 (5%)
  4. 201312 (2%)
  5. 20146 (2%)
  6. 20153 (2%)
  7. 20162 (1%)
  8. 20175 (3%)
  9. 20180 (0%)
  10. 201922 (4%)
  11. 20202 (4%)
  12. 20214 (6%)
  13. 20221 (2%)
  14. 20230 (0%)
  15. 20244 (9%)
  16. 20253 (11%)

Frequently asked questions

How many 2012 Volkswagen Jetta owners complained about visibility and wipers?
NHTSA lists 23 complaints in the Visibility & Wipers category for the 2012 Jetta, which is 5% of the 499 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta wiper problems?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the Visibility & Wipers issues on the 2012 Jetta.
At what mileage do wiper problems usually show up on the 2012 Jetta?
The median mileage at failure for Visibility & Wipers complaints on the 2012 Jetta is 51,500 miles.
Do the wiper complaints involve crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to the Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Jetta.
How does the 2012 Jetta compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2012 Jetta had 23 Visibility & Wipers complaints (5% share), higher than most other Jetta years except 2011, which had 26 complaints and a 4% share.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.