2012 Buick VERANO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
106 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
56,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 75 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 106 complaints (45.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 20 | 18.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 9.4% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 8.5% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 7.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 2.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 48 |
| Air Bags | 27 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Steering | 9 |
| Power Train | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 |
Engine: 48; Air Bags: 27; Electrical System: 16; Steering: 9; Power Train: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Unknown Or Other: 5; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 21 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 31 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2012: 5; 2013: 5; 2014: 11; 2015: 10; 2016: 7; 2017: 7; 2018: 15; 2019: 19; 2020: 8; 2021: 6; 2022: 6; 2023: 3; 2024: 3; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10455104 · 2012-04-13 (April 13, 2012)
THE ENGINE OF THIS NEW 2012 BUICK VERANO STALLED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME WAS IN A LOCAL STREET AT ~35 MILES/HOUR. THE FOURTH TIME HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS DRIVING IT. SIMILAR PROBLEM EVERY TIME: THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED AND BECAME VERY ROUGH. THE CAR CANNOT GO FASTER THAN 10 MILES/HOUR FOR A MINUTE OR TWO AND THE ENGINE WOULD COMPLETELY DIE. THERE'S ALWAYS A MISFIRE CODE. THE VEHICLE APPEARED OK AFTER 5-10 MINUTES LATER BUT THE "CHECK ENGINE…
Owner-reported narrative. 295 miles reported. Look up ODI 10455104 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10465310 · 2012-07-11 (July 11, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,700.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467742 · 2012-07-26 (July 26, 2012)
A CONSTANT "PERCOLATING" OR RATTLING SOUND IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY AND ESPECIALLY ON UNEVEN SURFACES. THE NOISE GETS WORSE AND MORE CONSISTENT AS THE CAR IS DRIVEN. SINCE NOBODY CAN TELL ME WHAT IT IS, I MUST ASSUME IT COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. THE NOISE BECAME WORSE AFTER A STRUT WAS REPLACED AT 100 MILES. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BY INSTALLING A NEW COIL (F-SPRING?). I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR SO THEY WILL NOT MAKE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR IT WHEN I REQUEST SPECIFIC ACTIONS. I HAVE HEARD SIMIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467742 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10483248 · 2012-11-03 (November 3, 2012)
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A 4-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, MY ENGINE QUIT, AND ALL GAUGES WENT DARK. I HAD STEERING, BRAKES, TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHTS, AND TELEPHONE. I WAS LOSING SPEED, AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. I PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND USED MY CELL PHONE TO CALL THE DEALER. AFTER 10 - 15 MINUTES OF WAITING, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEALER HAD JUST ARRIVED AND FOLLOWED ME TO THE DEALE…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483248 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10483466 · 2012-11-06 (November 6, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY, CAUSING SEVERE OBSTRUCTION OF THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIPER BLADES SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 590 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. ..UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/1/2013 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 590 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483466 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503509 · 2013-03-18 (March 18, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED BUT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WATER FROM THE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIPERS WERE PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE WIPER BLADES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10523189 · 2013-07-04 (July 4, 2013)
THE VEHICLE HAD A FREE OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION FROM THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. THE OIL CHANGE WAS EARLY BUT THE RECOMMENDED TIRE ROTATION WAS OVER DUE. A SHORT TIME AFTER THIS A NOISE WAS HEARD. THE NOISE WAS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I DESCRIBE THE SOUND AS SOMETHING FLAPPING DUE TO THE AIR FLOW OVER/UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS HEARD ONLY AT A SPEED OF 65/70 OR HIGHER MILES PER HOUR. AS SOON AS WE COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DEAL WE DID. THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH MY WIFE AND HE ALS…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10523189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10537316 · 2013-08-26 (August 26, 2013)
AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT, I ENTERED THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, CLOSED THE DOOR, AND THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537316 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
12V522000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2012-10-31 (October 31, 2012)
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
NHTSA campaign record ↗13V023000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2013-01-24 (January 24, 2013)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
NHTSA campaign record ↗14V300000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2014-06-06 (June 6, 2014)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.
NHTSA campaign record ↗