Most common 2012 Buick Verano problems
Share of the 106 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Verano complaints by model year
Best Verano years: 2017, 2015, 2016. Years to avoid: 2012, 2014, 2013. Compare all years →
2012 Buick Verano recalls (3)
Air bags
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…
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.
Air bags
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.
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.
Air bags
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.
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 defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Buick Verano:
Air Bag Non-deployment
General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were built on several specific production dates broadly ranging from December 1, 2011 to August 2, 2012 (see…
What 2012 Buick Verano owners say
Engine & cooling all 50 →
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Verano. The contact stated that her vehicle was constantly loosing oil however, there was no warning light illuminated on the vehicle to indicate that the oil level was low. The contact stated that when the oil level was low, the vehicle made a loud rumbling sound. The contact would then top off the engine oil. The contact stated that without the knocking sound she would not know that the vehicle required additional oil. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to locate an oil leak. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 176,768.
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Verano . The contact stated there was an abnormal odor of fuel entering through the vents. In addition, while driving, there was an abnormal very loud knocking noise. The contact noticed that there was oil or fuel leaking from the injection system. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Air bags all 27 →
The contact owned a 2012 Buick Verano. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, another vehicle was traveling in the opposite direction and struck the front driver side of the contact's vehicle causing damage to the front end of both vehicles. The air bags did not deploy in the contact's vehicle but in the other vehicle, the air bags did deploy. No major injuries and no one seeking medical attention. The police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed total lost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
The passenger airbag indicator goes on and off with person in passenger seat. We first noticed this Summer 2023. It has gotten worse. Now a passenger can shift weight slightly one way or another and cause the indicator status to change which disables the airbag. Dealer also confirmed (4/16/24) DTC code B0081(internal malfunction with passenger presence module). I have recently learned there was a warranty extension for this failure (which had expired) which I was unaware of. I now have a vehicle which I feel is unsafe to travel with a passenger! If GM is aware of the problem and the dealer (imperial Chevrolet) has charged me $160 diagnostic fee for a known problem and tells me it will cost approx. $1,800 to repair/replace the sensor and module.
Electrical system
10/26/15 - car wouldn't start; recv'd jump, replaced battery ($169.40). 11/6/15 - came out of restaurant, car wouldn't start. Got jump took to dealer. Dealer replaced starter and issue resolved. 11/12-11/21: car stalled 8-10 more documented times both when backing out of parking spot in reverse and at vehicle speeds varying from 35mph to 67mph on 5 lane interstate during rush hour. Took to dealer and called GM. Replaced two solenoids and some hose, keeping car so tech can drive for 2 days to see if problem can be replicated. I can't determine a cause or pattern and don't get any prior warning, so hoping it does occur in their possession during testing. This vehicle is unreliable and very dangerous. I almost caused a multiple vehicle accident on the interstate and risk injury or death by operating this vehicle. My family is at risk, myself and other motorists. …
I was at a stop sign and when it was my turn to go I started to drive and realized my car was not accelerating, I had the gas peddle all the way to the floor as a tractor trailer was fastly approaching my rear bumper, luckly I was able to coast to median. Took to dealer and they said there was a switch that needed to be replaced. My entire dashboard lights and radio went out, which dealership had to replace twice. My car shut off while pulling into a parking spot, it was raining and defrost was not working, took to dealership which they stated it was my battery, paid $200 for a new battery. My car jerks and stalls when I am going from a complete stop and begin to pick up speed. I was backing out a parking spot today and my car shut off and the check engine light came on, I restarted my car which the check engine light remains on and the stalling and jerking continues. …
2012 Buick Verano engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 31 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Buick Verano a good car?
Based on 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Verano rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Verano at the same age. It is one of the Verano years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Buick Verano?
The engine & cooling — 50 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (27) and electrical system (16).
How many recalls does the 2012 Buick Verano have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2012 Buick Verano, the most recent from June 6, 2014 (air bags). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Verano?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2015 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2014 and 2013. See the full Buick Verano years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Buick Verano problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.