# 2012 Volkswagen Passat - Transmission is leaking **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** volkswagen\ **Created:** [September 27, 2021, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631 "2021-09-27T21:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@ralph47](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ralph47)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2021, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/1 "2021-09-27T21:35:49Z")
Transmission is leaking fluid. ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/2 "2021-09-29T03:13:15Z")
Then you need to go to a good independent transmission shop to find out what’s wrong. It might be a cheap, simple job or a major headache, depending on the problem. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/3 "2021-09-29T18:52:17Z")
> [@ralph47](#): > > Transmission is leaking fluid. Thanks for letting us know, but I would have sought out a shop before posting that tid bit here. Like we can tell you where its leaking. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/4 "2021-09-29T19:08:43Z")
How much is it leaking? Is it an automatic trans or a manual trans? Have you replenished the lost fluid with the correct-spec fluid? ---
**Author:** ![ralph47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@ralph47](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ralph47)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/5 "2021-09-29T19:13:50Z")
Auto and sealed. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/6 "2021-09-29T19:30:10Z")
> [@ralph47](#): > > Auto and sealed. Toyota says sealed too, Yet there still is a fill plug and drain plug. But the fill plug is a pain to use. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/7 "2021-09-29T20:58:05Z")
> [@ralph47](#): > > sealed. If it is truly sealed, I don’t see any alternative to having a qualified mechanic check the trans and re-seal it. Were you seeking a different solution? Because so many VW dealerships have a reputation for high-priced repairs, most counties have at least one independent VW specialist who charges far less than VW dealerships. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/8 "2021-09-29T22:40:11Z")
There is no such thing as a sealed transmission, there is always a procedure to check and add fluid. You (and I) may not know what it is, but it exists. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-volkswagen-passat-transmission-is-leaking/179631/9 "2021-09-30T03:14:13Z")
Most auto trans leaks are comparatively inexpensive to repair. The one leak that could get costly is the front pump seal; a.k.a. a torque converter seal. Seal is relatively cheap (10 bucks or less) but the transmission has to come out to replace it. Generally speaking a converter seal leak will show up around the engine/transmission mating surface. No matter the leak source, do not run the trans low on fluid or the repair cost of a new transmission will be much higher than a seal replacement.