IllustrationVEHICLE DISPLAYS SERVICE AIRBAG MESSAGE INTERMITTENT WHILE DRIVING ALSO DOES NOT SHOW AIRBAG IS ON FOR PASSENGER
2012 Buick Verano
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2012 Buick Verano do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 80.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Verano years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
210–25K
1025–50K
2250–75K
1175–100K
10100–150K
1150K+
75 reports with mileage · 31 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
27 reportsWHEN IM DRIVEING AND THE PASSAGER IS SITTING NEXT TO ME THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAYS ITS OFF PLEASE HAVE IT SERVICE . THEN IT TURN ON FOR A COUPLE OF SEC AND IT SHUTS OFF . ALSO MY FOG LIGHT NOB IS LIKE MELTING AROUND IT VERY WEIRD. MYBE THE LIGHT IT HAS AROUND THE NOB IS TO STRONG DONT KNOW ALL DRIVING IS IN THE CITY
THERE WAS A RECALL WITH SPECIAL POLICY ON THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I DIDN'T RECEIVE A RECALL FORM IN THE MAIL. GM TOLD ME THAT IT EXPIRED SEPTEMBER 2019. I AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A MESSAGE ON MY CAR STATING SERVICE AIR BAG. I TAKE TO GET DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW MODULE AND SENSOR LIGHT WHICH …
Read full complaint
THERE WAS A RECALL WITH SPECIAL POLICY ON THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I DIDN'T RECEIVE A RECALL FORM IN THE MAIL. GM TOLD ME THAT IT EXPIRED SEPTEMBER 2019. I AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A MESSAGE ON MY CAR STATING SERVICE AIR BAG. I TAKE TO GET DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW MODULE AND SENSOR LIGHT WHICH WILL COST ME $1600 THAT IS NOT A FAULT OF MINE, BUT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND I HAVE A CHILD THAT RIDE'S IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME DAILY.
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE DASH BOARD IS SHOWING THE WORD CHECK AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,482.
I WAS NEVER WARNED ABOUT MY CAR NOT HAVING OIL. THE OIL INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER CAME ON THAT I NEEDED TO GET OIL SOON. MY CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE WHEN I WAS PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE GAS. MY CAR ALWAYS LOCKS UP ON ME AS IF I DON'T HAVE MY KEYS WHEN I PULL UP IN FRONT OF THE 7/11 STORE NEAR MY HOUSE. KEY NOT DETECTED COMES O…
Read full complaint
I WAS NEVER WARNED ABOUT MY CAR NOT HAVING OIL. THE OIL INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER CAME ON THAT I NEEDED TO GET OIL SOON. MY CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE WHEN I WAS PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE GAS. MY CAR ALWAYS LOCKS UP ON ME AS IF I DON'T HAVE MY KEYS WHEN I PULL UP IN FRONT OF THE 7/11 STORE NEAR MY HOUSE. KEY NOT DETECTED COMES ON. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT HAVING THE KEY WITH ME. NONE OF THE SIGNALS TO INFORM ME THAT I NEEDED OIL, BRAKES ETC...
AIRBAG INDICATOR CONTINUES TO GO ON AND OFF WITH NO ONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE. WITH A PERSON SEATED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE IT INDICATES AIRBAG OFF IN MOTION ESPECIALLY AND EVEN WHILE PARKED.... FEELS LIKE THE TIRES ARE ABOUT TO FALL OFF WHEN DRIVING OR TURNING ESPECIALLY ON THREE FRONT TIRES AND EVEN WORSE WH…
Read full complaint
AIRBAG INDICATOR CONTINUES TO GO ON AND OFF WITH NO ONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE. WITH A PERSON SEATED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE IT INDICATES AIRBAG OFF IN MOTION ESPECIALLY AND EVEN WHILE PARKED.... FEELS LIKE THE TIRES ARE ABOUT TO FALL OFF WHEN DRIVING OR TURNING ESPECIALLY ON THREE FRONT TIRES AND EVEN WORSE WHEN GOING OVER BUMBS SPEED BUMBS OR HOLES WHILE DRIVING
HIT BLACK ICE ON 2 LANE HIGHWAY, RATE OF SPEED ABOUT 40 MPH. CAR IMPACTED CONCRETE BARRIERS CAUSING THE FRONT END TO BE DEMOLISHED AS WELL AS BOTH FRONT TIRES TO BE TURNED UPWARD. FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS CAR IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE MORE OWNERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH 2…
Read full complaint
HIT BLACK ICE ON 2 LANE HIGHWAY, RATE OF SPEED ABOUT 40 MPH. CAR IMPACTED CONCRETE BARRIERS CAUSING THE FRONT END TO BE DEMOLISHED AS WELL AS BOTH FRONT TIRES TO BE TURNED UPWARD. FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS CAR IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE MORE OWNERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH 2012 BUICK VERANO. I AM FAR FROM AN EXPERT BUT I ASSUME DUE TO DAMAGE ON THE FRONT END THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, SHOULDER, AND UPPER BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, SHOULDER, AND UPPER BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER TO HAVE THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A STATE INSPECTION, BUT IT COULD NOT BE INSPECTED DUE TO BODY DAMAGE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STATE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED WHEN THE VEHICLE STRUCK A DEER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A CALL BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE BUICK OF ARLINGTON DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE BUICK OF ARLINGTON DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE REQUIRED MILEAGE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
Official recalls
314V300000 · Air Bags
Jun 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 & remedy
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.
13V023000 · Air Bags
Jan 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 & remedy
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.
12V522000 · Air Bags
Oct 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 & remedy
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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ13002 · Air Bag Non-deployment
Opened May 31, 2013 · Closed Jul 9, 2014
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Additional source detail variants (6)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Air Bags:frontal
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Air Bags:frontal
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Air Bags
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.
Air Bags
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 NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.