Reliable Auto DB

2012 Buick Verano reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Buick Verano holds 106 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 7 per year. Verano years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 7 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Air bags.

2012 Buick Verano
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

106

Per year

7

Recalls

3

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (48 of 106), then Air bags (27) and Electrical system (16). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Verano has 107 complaints, 13 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Buick Verano. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall Air bags 2014-06-06 · NHTSA campaign 14V300000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Air bags 2013-01-24 · NHTSA campaign 13V023000
Summary 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.
Recall Air bags 2012-10-31 · NHTSA campaign 12V522000
Summary 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.

Complaints by component (106 total)

Engine
48
Air bags
27
Electrical system
16
Steering
9
Powertrain
7
Speed control
7
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
Service brakes
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Suspension
3
Engine and engine cooling
2
Structure
2
Visibility
2
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Tires
1
Wheels
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

8

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

52012520131120141020157201672017152018192019820206202162022320233202412026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Rear window shattered while driving. No rock or other damage. I just heard a loud bang and it exploded"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-05-05
  • "NAV display and radio stopped working black screen blank"
    Electrical system · filed 2024-06-04
  • "On 2 separate occasions, I have gone through 4 quarts of oil in 2000 miles. No leaks as verified by mechanic. Just excessive burn. The check oil light does not come on to warn you and says I still have 50% oil life but…"
    Engine · filed 2024-05-26
  • "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…"
    Air bags · filed 2024-04-16
  • "Oil Consumption- Burning through 2 qts of oil every 2000 miles. No warning lights coming on. Last oil change my car had no oil in it."
    Engine · filed 2023-04-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Buick Verano 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Verano 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 21 31 24 MPG $2700

Specs and fitment

Compact sedan, 2012–2017
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-30 (2.0L turbo; naturally aspirated engines may differ) , 6.3 qt capacity
Tire size 225/45R18

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 16V-502 covers certain 2016-2017 Buick Verano vehicles (with 2016 Malibu and several earlier GM models that may have received replacement park-lock levers): the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission in Park, creating a rollaway risk (FMVSS 114); dealers inspect and replace the key-cylinder lock housing as needed. Campaign 16V-595 covers certain 2016 Verano vehicles with the 2.0L turbo built February 16 to May 12, 2016, where a misrouted fuel-line assembly may contact the engine, wear, and leak fuel; dealers replace the fuel-line assembly. Shared unit counts apply when other GM models are listed.

Compare

Next year 2013 Buick Verano See every Buick Verano model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Buick Verano reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Buick Verano holds 106 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 7 per year. Verano years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 7 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Air bags.

What are common problems with a 2012 Buick Verano?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (48 of 106), then Air bags (27) and Electrical system (16). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Buick Verano more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Verano has 107 complaints, 13 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Buick Verano been recalled?

The 2012 Buick Verano has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Buick Verano?

Owners have filed 106 complaints about the 2012 Buick Verano with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Buick Verano get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Buick Verano is 24 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Buick Verano take?

US notes for the 2.0L turbo list 0W-30 (about 6.3 qt with filter); naturally aspirated engines may differ.

Does NHTSA campaign 16V-502 cover the Buick Verano?

It covers certain 2016-2017 Verano vehicles (with other GM models named in the campaign): the electronic park lock lever may break; dealers replace the lever.

What generation is the Buick Verano?

GK generation for the US years this site tracks (2012-2017).