Recall 13V023 affects 4,167 2012 Buick Verano, Cruze, Sonic, and Camaro vehicles because the driver air bag can fail to deploy. Free repair at any franchised Buick dealer.
Buick is recalling 4,167 2012 Verano, Cruze, Sonic, and Camaro vehicles under recall 13V023 because the driver-side frontal air bag has a shorting bar that can contact the air bag terminals. If that contact exists during a crash that needs air bag deployment, the driver's air bag will not deploy; the dealer repair will be free once available.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
The driver side frontal air bag in affected 2012 Buick Verano, Cruze, Sonic, and Camaro vehicles is built to deploy in a qualifying frontal crash. It uses electrical terminals to receive the deployment signal from the air bag control system. A shorting bar sits near those terminals as part of the connector design, and its job is to manage the circuit when the connector is handled or disconnected.
In this recall, the shorting bar does not stay clear of the air bag terminals. It can touch the terminals during normal vehicle use and interrupt the electrical path the air bag needs. If that happens during a crash, the driver side frontal air bag does not receive the signal it needs to deploy as designed.
There is no warning sign before failure. A vehicle can look and drive normally while the driver air bag circuit has this defect, so the VIN decides whether the recall applies.
Who's affected?
Spans the Verano, Cruze, Sonic, and Camaro for the 2012 model year, all tied to the air bag system.
| 2012 Buick Verano | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2012 Chevrolet Cruze | air bag system |
| 2012 Chevrolet Sonic | air bag system |
| 2012 Chevrolet Camaro | air bag system |
| Units affected | 4,167 |
A matching 2012 model does not confirm inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific car is included.
What's the safety risk?
In a crash that requires the driver's frontal air bag, contact between the bar and terminals can stop that air bag from deploying. That leaves the driver with less crash protection and increases the risk of injury. Confirm your VIN and arrange service with a franchised Buick dealer. Repair will be free at any franchised Buick dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2012 Buick Verano, Cruze, Sonic, or Camaro is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Buick dealer to ask whether the free steering wheel air bag coil replacement is open for your VIN.
- Reference recall number 13V023 when you call, and bring the recall notice if GM mailed one.
- Ask the dealer to confirm that the steering wheel air bag coil replacement fixes the shorting-bar contact that can stop the driver's frontal air bag from deploying in a crash.
- Call Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 with questions before your dealer appointment.
What happens at the repair
The available recall details describe the repair but do not show the final remedy as open for scheduling. Once available, a Buick technician will replace the steering wheel air bag coil at no charge. That coil is part of the driver side frontal air bag circuit, and the replacement addresses the shorting bar contact described in campaign 13V023. Parts and labor are covered by the recall once the dealer repair opens.
Timeline
| January 24, 2013 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| February 13, 2013 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 13V023?
Recall 13V023 covers 4,167 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, and Camaro vehicles with a driver-side frontal air bag shorting bar that can contact the air bag terminals. If that happens during a crash, the driver air bag will not deploy. Dealers replace the steering wheel air bag coil for free.
What should I do if my 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, or Camaro is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 13V023. If it is, contact a franchised dealer and ask for the steering wheel air bag coil replacement. Reference recall number 13V023 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and the recall remedy says dealers replace the steering wheel air bag coil free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the driver's frontal air bag will not deploy in a crash that needs air bag deployment. That increases the driver's risk of injury. If your VIN is included, schedule the free steering wheel air bag coil replacement with a franchised dealer.
What if I bought this vehicle used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recalls follow the VIN, not the first owner. If you never received a letter, check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2012 vehicle is included, then give recall number 13V023 to the dealer service desk.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V023000 |
|---|---|
| Buick customer service | 1-800-521-7300 |
| NHTSA recall # | 13V023 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 13V023000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →