Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | ||||||
| PE04081 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC | 12/16/2004 | 04/01/2005 | INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT | ||
| The subject vehicles are equipped with side-thorax and side-head curtain airbags to protect the front and rear outboard occupants in a side-impact crash.this investigation identified a total of 499 reports (482 owners reports and 17 warranty claims).the crash sensing system | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 06/18/2011 | 170345 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph over a bump in the road, the front passenger side air bags deployed. the failure was not diagnosed nor was the vehicle repaired. the failure mileage was 170,345. rk | |||
| 06/18/2011 | 170345 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph over a bump in the road, the front passenger side air bags deployed. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 170,345. sm. | |||
| 10/17/2008 | 134402 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen jetta. while driving 10-15 mph, the driver's side curtain air bag deployed without any type of impact being involved. the contact was injured. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who then called the dealer. while the mechanic was on the phone, another side curtain air bag deployed. the vehicle was in park at the time. another air bag deployed at the dealer while the vehicle was parked again. the dealer stated that the vehicle could not be repaired until they notified the manufacturer; however, they agreed to replace the motherboard. the current mileage was 134,412 and failure mileage was 134,402. | |||
| 07/27/2008 | 156000 | 1 | |
| I was driving my 2001 jetta home after dropping my friend off at the airport, when out of no where deer jumped out onto the highway. i was driving at 80 miles an hour and did not have any time to react. i hit the deer, destroying the front of my car. the car wasn't in any condition to be driven, for the radiator had been destroyed. i was upset at the fact that my airbags weren't deployed. i'm glad that i was wearing a seatbelt, for i could have been seriously injured. i want to know if anything can be done, or should i contact a lawyer? *tr | |||
| 03/03/2008 | 140000 | 1 | 12/12/2000 |
| On a clear day, dry pavement, went to brake in city traffic and brakes failed causing me to rear end the car in front ( causing $2600 damages) and totalling my car. no injuries. air bag did not deploy, possibly due to the low speed i was travelling. *tr | |||
| 07/05/2004 | 1 | 04/20/2004 | |
| Passenger airbag deployed with out any reasons at all. i was driving down a straight road, at 20 mph when i heard a loud bang, and all of a sudden my car filled up with black smoke and the passenger curtain, seat and dashboard airbag all deployed. i quickly pulled over to see what happened. and was astonished to learn that not only was i not shot at ( because that's what it sounded like) but i didn't do anything to provoke this. i called vw they told me that it sounded like faulty wiring, and to bring it in asap, they would give me a loaner car, and it would take 3-5 days to fix. i did so, and 3 hrs after dropping off the car, i received a call from the manager saying, please come pick up your car, we will not fix it, your car has been in a car accident, you need to contact your insurance. nw mind you i have had this car for 2 weeks, and there is not a dent on it! i was furious and confused. i argued with the guy stating that i had not hit anything, he said that the black box contained a hit code of some kind. that it registered that i was in a car accident. well duh! its defective! to make a long story short, i sued vw, and lost! they insisted that its normal for it to go off, said even if you happen to hit a small rock on the road and it hits just right, it will cause it to deploy! how safe is that!? its been 2 years since that day and vw has refused to fix this issue, stating its my problem not theirs. *nm | |||
| 09/21/2005 | 85300 | 1 | 03/05/2000 |
| 82,5310.00 just replaced the catalytic converter. we have always had some type of an electrical problem from the beginning. cd player and stereo. cd lcd panel would say no cd in which you would have a cd in the jacket if you kept pushing the button sometimes it would work. at times you can only read half the call letters for stations. rolling down back of the windows you would hear a very loud pressure thumping noise. so loud you could not roll down the window in the back. when you would take the car in. mechanic's always said, it was basically our imagination. *jb | |||
| 05/29/2005 | 57400 | 12/20/2000 | |
| Since 05/29/05 i am seing air bag indicator on the panel (dash board), i contacted the dealer and scheduled appointment for a check. i also scheduled appointment for hazard switch recall. while checking nhtsa and other sites i came to know there are few other people who had similar situation and filled a complaint with nhtsa. so i would like to include my case with nhtsa so that if i will be informed if any recalls be done on this issue. i request nhtsa to act soon to have these recalled before any unwanted incidendents occur and before there are any major issues with this. please keep me and others informed the progress of the case. | |||
| 10/18/2002 | 60250 | 1 | 04/21/2001 |
| Please refer to case/odi: 8022481; respectfully request case be reevaluated. vw claims small ding on underside of vw jetta is to blame for side and seat airbag deployments. they are wrong and are trying to use this excuse to get out of numerous faulty airbag deployments. no vw experts could answer my specific technical questions. the owner's manual specifically states reasons for airbag deployments, and the small ding on the underside of my vehicle is a not a reason; instead it serves as an unsupported excuse. [jetta ride extremely low to ground; there will always be dings, marks, etc., for the vw corporation to use as an excuse.]*ak | |||
| 12/13/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| While driving 35 mph, the side/front air bags inadvertently deployed . the dealership was notified. the cause was not determined. please provide more information. *jb | |||
| 01/04/2005 | 35465 | 1 | |
| The air bag light is on and the dealer will replace the entire air bag at a cost to the consumer. *nm | |||
| 02/07/2005 | 45000 | 1 | 12/01/2004 |
| While parking the vehicle, the air bags deployed inadvertently. owner says that the air bag light would came on and stayed on since monday 02/07/2005. owner contacted the dealer and was told that the vehicle could not be seen for this defect until 02/23/2005. *jb *bf *nm | |||
| 05/16/2004 | 36000 | 1 | 10/01/2003 |
| When my volkswagon jetta was broadsided at a signal light junction, none of the airbags front or side were activated. also the rear side door flew off from the car and a result of which both my children were ejected and injured. the car is completely totalled. *jb | |||
| 05/28/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 08/20/2001 |
| While turning left from a stop sign at about 5 mph, the right rear tire skimmed a pothole. the passenger side curtain and side impact airbags deployed. i was thankful i was not driving at a faster speed because the entire car filled with powdery smoke and i could not see out my windshield for several seconds. in addition the noise startled me so much, i am pretty sure it would have been hard to control the car afterwards had this happened on the highway. i was also thankful my infant son was not in the car. my right ear was bothering me for about a day and a half afterwards, i'm sure had my son been in the car, his sensitive ears may have been permanently damaged, never mind that it would have traumatized him. volkswagen claims the codes they downloaded from the car indicated a side impact occurred and that a mark on the undercarriage verifies that the airbags deployed correctly. i'm pretty sure that with 90k on the car there are several marks on the undercarriage. customer service and the dealership were unmoved by the incident and claimed no responsibility. claim was filed with metlife, who covered the $3500 repair bill to replace the airbags and front passenger seat cover. no repairs were required to the car frame, undercarriage, axle, rear tire etc, yet still they claim an accident occurred!*ak | |||
| 37000 | 1 | ||
| The consumer's daughter was driving 55 mph and without any warning the curtain/ side air bag deployed. the same day vehicle was parked driver's air bag deployed. *ak | |||
| 07/25/2003 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| While driving at 40 mph the consumer's vehicle hit another vehicle and no air bags deployed. the front end was smashed in and the vehicle is totaled. please provide details. *ph | |||
| 05/28/2002 | 13 | 07/21/2001 | |
| My car which was purchased brand new in july 2001 has been to the repair shop 13 times. i purchased a 2001 volkswagen jetta. the ongoing problem is that the car is losing power while accelerating. volkswagen doesn't want to acknowledge the defect of their own product. i was told two things which doesn't make sense to me. first, i was told my engine is not apart of the recall for those other vw cars that are losing power. second, a vw representative told me it was my extra car mats that is probably causing the problem. i think volkswagen is just ignoring this serious problem. if my car slows down on me whenever it wants and i die as a result of their defect product that they don't want to recognize, it is truly going to be a serious problem. the car had problems with the engine, airbags, malfunctioned sensor, clock spring, harness, and now it is losing power. although this car has had numerous problems, this is the most serious problem that i would like o be rectified. volkswagen service department changed the computer and told me this will definitely solve the problem. obviously it did not solve the problem. since the computer was changed in sept. 2002 the car lost power 3 times since then.*jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer wanted to know what the follow up was for this vehicle regarding the deffective airbags. *jg *jb | |||
| 01/06/2003 | 40800 | 3 | 12/05/2000 |
| Driver's side air bags failed to deploy during an accident that may have totaled the car. damage was to the driver's side only and the passenger front airbag did deploy. | |||
| 10/10/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that when hit at 80mph in the front center of the vehicle the air bag did not deploy causing minor injuries to the consumer. dealer notified ts | |||
| 10/03/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that when hit at 35mph in the front center of the vehicle the air bag did not deploy causing minor injuries to the consumer. dealer notified ts | |||
| 07/10/2002 | 4 | 07/01/2001 | |
| My 2001 jetta glx was delivered with an airbag fault & a scratched bumper. they said they would fix both. i brought my car back the next day to have the airbag fault fixed. they fixed it & it occured again in 1 or 2 days. i also had a hose break & all of the ratiator fluid leak out. they fixed that & the scratch & the airbag fault. i asked at that time for a new vehicle. they said they could not/would not do that. my airbag failed again 7/2002 & again 9/2002. i am currently seeking to have my car replaced or bought back by the dealer. it is currently in the shop.*ak | |||
| 03/26/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer state while traveling without any indication air bag indication light started flashing through out travel. dealer has been contacted. *nlm the air bag light did not remain on any more after the air bag control unit was replaced. the drivers seat back cover was replaced since the original one was stain. *yh | |||
| 09/06/2000 | 2 | 07/01/2000 | |
| The problem appears to be that the vw service department does not know how to repair the air bag control system. they have replaced the 2 airbags which were used (front driver and front passenger), then replaced the front seat belts, then replaced the complete wiring harness for the airbag system. still: they cannot get the airbag system to function properly. | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 04/13/2007 | 1 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen jetta. while driving the contact's vehicle hit something in the road and flattened the tire on the front passenger side. three or four days later while driving 40- 45 mph the driver's side air bag deployed. the current and failure mileages were unknown. *ak | |||
| 01/21/2005 | 85000 | 2 | |
| While driving 55 mph driver's front/rear side air bags inadvertently deployed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 12/26/2004 | 1 | ||
| The consumer was involved in a frontal collision. both frontal air bags failed to deploy. this caused the passenger to sustain major injuries and was taken to the hospital. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection. please provide additional details. | |||
| 07/04/2004 | 2 | 04/21/2004 | |
| I was on vacation, over the july 4th weekend. on my way home, i was driving along when for no reason at all, my passenger side airbag along with the seat airbag, deployed. i got out of the vehicle to inspect why such a thing would happen . there was no clear sign as to why it had gone off. i had to drive home with the side curtain hanging down, my dog hyperventilated all the way home , due to the loud bang of the deployment. when i got home i immediately called tulley vw and told them my situation, they told me my car was under warrenty and to bring it down, they would give me a rental and fix the airbags. i did just that, although a few hours later i received a call stating that they would not cover the cost of the airbag, stating that they insist i was in a crash. there is clearly no damage to my car, and it is apparent that there must be some kind of computer malfunction. i am wondering what i should do in my next step to getting this resolved under my warrenty. i have not gotten into any accident and i do not understand why vw will not cover this. *ak | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 68000 | 2 | |
| While driving 20 mph front air bags including the side impact air bags inadvertently deployed. consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak water was on the floor due to a leaking sunroof. *sc | |||
| While coming out of driveway both side and front airbags on passanger's seat deployed with no reason.*ak | |||
| 05/04/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states during a rear end collison, none of the air bag deployed on impact.causing major injuries.*jb | |||
| 05/02/2002 | 1 | 05/01/2001 | |
| Consumer was traveling about 55 mph on highway and another vehicle hit consumer's vehicle. upon impact, dual airbags didn't come out.*ak jlg | |||
| Ollision at 35 mph , andupon impact air bags did not deploy, causing minor injuries to driver. manufacture will be notified. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| 12/24/2001 | 1 | 01/08/2001 | |
| Consumer was involved in a 50mph front end collision. front passenger and driver side airbags failed to deploy. *ak one person was injured in the accident. *slc | |||
| 12/01/2001 | |||
| Vehicle was involved in a frontal collisoin at 50mph, upon impact, air bags did not deploy, resuling in minor injuries to driver. dealer will be notified. please provide additional information. *ak | |||
| 08/29/2001 | 1 | ||
| While traveling 30 mph vehicle was involved in a front end collision. passenger's air bag deployed, but driver's frontal air bag failed to deploy. no determination has been made for reason of this failure. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak | |||
| 08/16/2001 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| This jetta was in an accident. it was totaled. another car made a left-hand turn and t-boned into the driver's side. the the car spun around into a ditch. at some point, the passenger rear corner underside was severly dented up into the trunk. the driver's side door airbag deployed. the passenger side door airbag deployed. the passenger front dash air bag deployed. but the driver's steering wheel air bag did not deploy. since all other airbags deployed, except this one, i am requesting that this be analyzed and tested. it was not a frontal collison, but since the passenger front dash airbag deployed, i think it should be investigated. the front of the car was only slightly damaged, so why should one front airbag go off but not the other.*ak | |||
| 10/11/2000 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| Subject vehicle was struck by a minivan on the passenger side. passenger side, side air bag did not deploy.*ak vehicle experienced extensive damage to passenger side of the vehicle due to side impact. the vehicle rolled over 1 and 3/4 times. the passenger side side impact airbag did not deploy as a result of the accident. the drivers side side impact air bag did deploy, passenger sustained personal injury, attorney for client, updated 1/4/01. nlm | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 04/10/2005 | 3 | ||
| Turn signal/emergency flash light failed, airbag warning light turned on and stayed on.*ak | |||
| 01/21/2005 | 45000 | 2 | 02/04/2004 |
| While driving smoke filled in car, flames appeared between driver seat & counsel. my 17 y/o got 2nd degree burns putting out flame. airbag, driver side deployed while car was shut off and seat was being moved back. this caused pain to my husband's arm.*ak | |||
| 11/18/2004 | 48097 | 1 | 09/29/2003 |
| The airbag light randomly came on in my car. i have absolutely no clue why it came on. i had it vag com'd. and a code came up as being a bad control module for the airbag. *jb | |||
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||
| 06/04/2008 | |||
| I was driving the vehicle about 5mph and went over a water drain in the road the passenger side seat air bag deployed along with the visor airbag on th esame side. my neice was in the the passenger seat when this incident happened and recieved white powder in her eyes and scapes on the side of here face. there was no reason for the vehicle to deploy the airbags at all causing about $2,000.00-$3,000.00 in damages to the vehicle for no reason. | |||
| 02/17/2010 | 150000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen jetta tdi diesel. while driving 25 mph the driver side curtain and chair air bag deployed without warning and without any damage being done on to the vehicle. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 150,000. | |||
| 10/14/2008 | 134409 | 1 | |
| I own a 2001 jetta, i am the original owner. on tuesday october 14, 2008 i was driving in california for about 20 minutes when my airbag light started blinking on and off. about every 10-15 seconds it would turn on, then 15 seconds later it would turn off. about 15 minutes later i was on the 91 freeway in rush hour traffic and going about 5-10 mph in the slow lane when all of a sudden i heard a big explosion. it sounded like someone threw a large cement block at my window and i felt a surge up pain rush up my left side of my body towards my fingertips. i immediately started choking due to the powder that was coming from my car when i realized it was my airbag. i pulled over to the side of the freeway and assessed the damage. the side airbag came out from the seat of my car and thrust me to the right of my car. i could not hear in my left ear and the left side of my body (from my shoulder down to my hip, down to my fingers) was throbbing. my left pinky and ring finger became numb and even though i rolled the window down, i could barely breathe and could not stop coughing. after sitting for about 10 minutes, i got back on the road and stayed in the slow lane not proceeding 40 mph. *tr | |||
| 09/26/2008 | 88323 | 1 | |
| Today, my daughter was driving our 2001 volkswagen jetta gls 1.8t down the road. the right side wheels went a few inches off the edge of the road. she remained straight and guided the car back onto the road. once back on the road fully, the side airbag (driver's side) deployed. she was able to guide the car off the road to the shoulder. there was no impact with anything. there is no damage. the tires aren't even dirty. she received a welt on her left arm, (probably soon to be a bruise.) she has a ringing in her left ear and a reduction in hearing (probably temporary.) a very scary situation. it just happened today and i'm not certain what steps to take from here. i know it is a very costly repair to replace an airbag and i will be very nervous about my daughter driving this car on the highway if a minor bump in the road might set her airbag off and cause her to crash at 65 miles per hour. *tr | |||
| 06/30/2007 | 88000 | 1 | 06/01/2003 |
| Inadvertent passenger side airbag deployment: while driving along on the express way (i-495 w, long island, ny), my passenger-side airbag deployed for no reason. i did not come into contact with any other vehicle nor did i notice any debris hitting my vehicle at the time of the impact. both the passenger side air curtain and passenger seat airbag deployed. additionally, the engine cut off. upon pulling over, i was able to start the vehicle without issue, and drive home. *tr | |||
| 12/19/2006 | 1 | 03/30/2004 | |
| I was driving on the freeway going about 70 mph when my driver side curtain airbag deployed for no reason. i pulled off the side of the road and called 911, the officer who came out told me that no damage was done to the tires or body of the car. there was no reason for this to have happened. i took it into the dealer they have sent pictures to vw and so far nothing has been done to fix this, which was 3 weeks ago! *jb | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 121900 | 1 | 06/17/2001 |
| As i was driving the passenger side airbags deployed for no apparent reason. i stopped to check for damage, did not see anything, and could not find anything in the road. now i have a car with the headliner and front passenger seat blown apart. i took the car to the dealer for a diagnostic. they found a dent and told me that was the cause and i should report it to my insurance company to be covered under my collision. the insurance adjuster found the dent identified by the dealer showed signs of age and was not the cause. making a judgment the presence of dirt, road grime and some surface rust suggested it was older damage. it was most likely caused by incorrectly adjusting the lift when work was done under the car. finding no other damage that would cause deployment they closed the claim and my car was not repaired. vw refuses to take responsibility. *jb | |||
| 10/20/2001 | 188055 | 1 | |
| Automobile accident involving tractor trailer. car was hit directly on the drivers side, rear and front end of vehicle. accident speed was 65 mph. two front airbags deployed but the drivers side curtain airbag did not. the air bag may have malfunctioned. the car was totaled. driver sustained injuries to the left hemisphere of head. reported to vw but have had no response. *nm | |||
| 08/25/2006 | 96000 | 1 | 07/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 25 mph, the dashboard lights began to flicker on and off. then, without an accident, the side curtain and seat airbags deployed on the driver's side. the vehicle was pulled over and towed to the dealership who was unable to determine the problem. | |||
| 03/04/2006 | 1 | ||
| I was making a right hand turn around 5 mph. the passenger side curtain airbags and seat bag deployed unexpectedly. the passenger seat belt also no longer functions. there is no damage anywhere on the vehicle. vwoa is looking into the problem. *jb | |||
| 09/26/2005 | 74000 | 1 | 08/15/2000 |
| Dt: while driving 60 mph suddenly there was a flash followed by a loud bang. the smell was of smoke as if there was fireworks. the consumer pulled over immediately. the passenger's side air bags deployed. the consumer was startled and concerned. he called 911. there was no crash, damage, or injury other than the shock and loud noise ringing in the ears. 911 instructed the consumer to drive home if able or call for a tow truck. the consumer got out and inspected the vehicle and decided to drive home. there have been no previous problems with the airbags. the consumer was on a newly paved highway. the consumer felt this could not be due to a road hazard at that time. the consumer contacted volkswagen dealer, who said it was not their problem. the consumer contacted manufacturer, who said they did not have a problem or any issues like that with the airbags. no corrections or repairs have been made. *ak | |||
| 06/24/2005 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| Dt: contact states the drivers' side curtain air bags deployed without a collision. the seat belt jammed and could not be latched after this incident occurred. there is a police report (#05-5207) states there was no evidence that the vehicle had an impact. the air bag light was not illuminated. the vehicle was towed to a service dealer and told to contact vw of america. she did fax the police report to the manufacturer and they agreed to repair the vehicle without cost. the service dealer could not find what caused the air bag to deploy. the consumer is still driving a rental car because the car has not been repaired. *nm a wheel and tie rod was replaced. *jb | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2001 volkswagen jetta was impacted on th eside yet the side air bags failed to deploy.***no answer required***. *mr *tt *nm | |||
| 04/05/2005 | 87000 | 2 | |
| On 4/5/05 @ 5:15pm.... my wife (driver), 11 month old daughter(rear facing car seat in back center), & i (front passenger) were at a complete stop at a traffic light. when we proceeded through the intersection (with cars in front/back of us) we hit a small pot hole after completing the left turn onto route 117. once we hit this small pot hole, the passenger side airbags deployed (curtain & passenger seat bags) we immediately called the warwick police dept. office theodore insisted that this had to be a malfunctioning air bag. please note that there wasn't any other damage to the car... no flat tire... nothing except for the malfunctioning airbags in the car having been deployed and caused interior damage to my car. i went to the vw dealer and they refused to repair the damage and suggested going through my insurance (liberty mutual), who also refused to pay for the repairs. interior damage: ceiling panel, curtain airbag, passenger leather seat ripped and its airbag deployed. car is currently at the dealer and i am not sure what to do at this point but i need the car to be repaired since we need it for transportation... so i may need to go ahead and have it repaired at my cost for now. (between $2,000 - $3,000 worth of damage). *ak | |||
| 04/11/2005 | 1 | ||
| While driving vehicle hit a pot hole and the right side door air bag inadvertently went off. no injuries reported. driver took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, but mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 04/04/2005 | 38000 | 1 | 11/24/2004 |
| The passenger side air bag deployed after running over a small pot hole at 15 mph. consumer has an appointment with the dealer to inspect the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 01/21/2005 | 85000 | 2 | |
| While driving 55 mph driver's front/rear side air bags inadvertently deployed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 02/10/2004 | 2 | ||
| Complaint received via e-mail. my son-in-law last year was driving down the expressway and they just went off. thank goodness no one was hurt. had he had his kids in the car, lord only knows what would have happened. they live in toledo, ohio. they have since gotten it fixed out of their own pocket, and no cooperation by volkswagen of any kind. my son also has a jetta and it caused me concern for him and his wife also. they live in portland, oregon.*ak | |||
| 12/05/2004 | 29559 | 1 | 10/21/2004 |
| I just purchased in october a jetta gls 2001 car from the vw dealership in college park maryland. last month while i was making a right hand turn, i hit the curb with my tire but no visible damage to my car was done nor another car involved. to my alarm, my airbag on my right front seat side deployed. i took this to the dealership and they said airbags don't go off there was an accident ect. they would not hear my complaint nor help me. now i witnessed on the fox news that these jetta make/models have false airbag deployment and 109 cases have been reported. i want to be added to the list and also i want to file this complaint. this is not only a safety issue but an outrage. the dealership needs to fix my car. in fact, i have a 3 yr warranty on my car but the vw dealership told me to go through my insurance or pay $1900 for them to fix it. *jb | |||
| 09/29/2004 | 50000 | 1 | |
| When t-bone at 10 mph, the side air bags did not deploy. the consumer suffered minor injuries. the vehicle was towed. *jb | |||
| 07/04/2004 | 2 | 04/21/2004 | |
| I was on vacation, over the july 4th weekend. on my way home, i was driving along when for no reason at all, my passenger side airbag along with the seat airbag, deployed. i got out of the vehicle to inspect why such a thing would happen . there was no clear sign as to why it had gone off. i had to drive home with the side curtain hanging down, my dog hyperventilated all the way home , due to the loud bang of the deployment. when i got home i immediately called tulley vw and told them my situation, they told me my car was under warrenty and to bring it down, they would give me a rental and fix the airbags. i did just that, although a few hours later i received a call stating that they would not cover the cost of the airbag, stating that they insist i was in a crash. there is clearly no damage to my car, and it is apparent that there must be some kind of computer malfunction. i am wondering what i should do in my next step to getting this resolved under my warrenty. i have not gotten into any accident and i do not understand why vw will not cover this. *ak | |||
| 08/03/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving down the highway for no visable reason, airbags on passenger side deployed. side seat airbags and all the celling airbags deployed. i did not see anything in the road and no physicall damage was donr to my car. vw said to contact my ins and tell them i had a reck. i did not and would not lie to them. at this time nothing has been fixed. *ak | |||
| 08/03/2004 | 56000 | 1 | 01/01/2001 |
| I was driving at 60 mph on the freeway and for no apparent reason my passenger side and curtain airbags deployed. i had my 2001 jetta towed to my local vw dealer and they're response it that i must have hit something for the airbags to deploy. however, i have no body damage to the car and there are no signs of impact anywhere to be seen. the dealership was not helpful and told me to file the issue with my insurance company as an accident. this seems to be insurance fraud.*ak | |||
| 07/29/2004 | 68300 | 1 | |
| While driving at 25 mph, the passenger side air bag inadvertently deployed. no injuries were sustained because the seat wasn't occupied at the time of the incident. the dealership indicated that water had gotten into the air bags electrical system. *ak (side curtain air bag) *sc *jb | |||
| 05/28/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 08/20/2001 |
| While turning left from a stop sign at about 5 mph, the right rear tire skimmed a pothole. the passenger side curtain and side impact airbags deployed. i was thankful i was not driving at a faster speed because the entire car filled with powdery smoke and i could not see out my windshield for several seconds. in addition the noise startled me so much, i am pretty sure it would have been hard to control the car afterwards had this happened on the highway. i was also thankful my infant son was not in the car. my right ear was bothering me for about a day and a half afterwards, i'm sure had my son been in the car, his sensitive ears may have been permanently damaged, never mind that it would have traumatized him. volkswagen claims the codes they downloaded from the car indicated a side impact occurred and that a mark on the undercarriage verifies that the airbags deployed correctly. i'm pretty sure that with 90k on the car there are several marks on the undercarriage. customer service and the dealership were unmoved by the incident and claimed no responsibility. claim was filed with metlife, who covered the $3500 repair bill to replace the airbags and front passenger seat cover. no repairs were required to the car frame, undercarriage, axle, rear tire etc, yet still they claim an accident occurred!*ak | |||
| 03/21/2004 | 34550 | 1 | 07/31/2001 |
| 1.i am an 8 month pregnant mother who was driving a vw jetta when the side airbags deployed for no apparent reason. i was not involved in a car accident, nor did i hit anything when i made a left turn off the lincoln tunnel on the way to drop my dog off to his new home 3/21/04. 2.took it to bayside vw dealer on 3/22/04, was told that the computer reads that it was an outside influence that set the airbag off, and was told that i must have hit a pothole. since the bayside manager saw a bubble on my tire, he made the assumption that the airbag went off because of a pothole. was also told that it was an accident, even though i was not hit, nor did i hit anybody, and that the insurance would take care of it. came home and called vw customer service @ 1-800-822-8987 and put in a complaint. do airbags normally go off because for something so easily as a pothole ? we live in ny city, and potholes are everywhere especially after the winter we had! 3.finally spoke to jim meyers from vw customer service airbag dept, and all he could say was sorry the computer says it was an outside influence so vw will not do anything, see your insurance agency!*ak | |||
| 05/03/2004 | 115000 | 1 | |
| Front passenger side air bag deployed prematurely while driving. dealership processed the information from the on road computer, which indicated an impact discharged the side air bag, and locked up the seat belt reel and high resistance on the driver side seat.*ak | |||
| 04/25/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 25 mph and without warning both frontal air bags deployed. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, but dealer could not duplicate or resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 02/07/2004 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| While driving 25 mph driver's side door and window air bags deployed inadvertently. driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. *ak *mr | |||
| 37000 | 1 | ||
| The consumer's daughter was driving 55 mph and without any warning the curtain/ side air bag deployed. the same day vehicle was parked driver's air bag deployed. *ak | |||
| 34000 | 1 | ||
| Passenger's side and curtain airbags inadvertently deployed while making a right turn while driving at 5 mph.*ak | |||
| 29233 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 65/70 mph vehicle went over a small obstacle in the road. when this occurred passenger's side curtain and side air bag deployed. *ak | |||
| 05/13/2003 | 17000 | 2 | 07/01/2001 |
| While driving down a residential street, at approximately 25-30 mph, both the driver and passenger side curtain airbags deployed for absolutely no reason. there were no holes or bumps in the road and the weather conditions were good. approximately 7-10 minutes previous to this, while on the freeway, the inside light turned on and off, the door locks were going up and down and the control panel went berserk. it stopped as suddenly as it started. this had happened one time before and the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. *nlm | |||
| 05/03/2003 | 28340 | 10/09/2001 | |
| I own a 2001 vw jetta wolfsburg addition. while pulling into traffic from a stop, i ran into a pothole (the size of a moderate speed bump), which in turn deployed the passenger curtain and side airbags in the jetta. i was not going more than 5 - 10 mph, and there is no damage to the car or the tires aside from that produced by the airbag deployment. (the dealership tried to say that a bubble, which had developed on the sidewall of one of the tires, some time ago, was a result of the impact. i informed them that this was one of the reasons i had scheduled a service appt. for the following monday, a week prior to the entire airbag incident) i contacted the nearest dealer, who in turn stated they would contact the regional manager. their response to this was that since the sensor indicated an impact, there would be no assistance from vw in the repair of the damage caused, and that i should contact my insurance company. i then contacted their customer service hotline, and was given the same answer. *nlm | |||
| 03/12/2003 | 20335 | 1 | 12/21/2000 |
| On march 12th driving at approximately 5 miles an hour making a right hand turn the passenger side curtain air bag and seat bag deployed for no reason. dealer said that the 'computer' indicated that there was impact at some point and warranty would not cover. the only incident that car has had was a dent last january when we hit a street bumper which caused a dent on the drivers side back door --very bottom. anyone can tell that dent had been there quite a while. furthermore, a dent there should not have cause the passenger curtain to deploy. insurance will not pay because they say it wasn't an accident and they are right. vw says they stand by their computer and won't repair. help please. *nlm | |||
| 11/02/2002 | 27196 | 1 | |
| The passenger's side air bag deployed without impact. *jb.....*ak | |||
| 10/18/2001 | 60000 | 1 | 04/21/2001 |
| While traveling about 70 mph on the highway and without prior warning, the passenger side airbags and the overhead airbags deployed without contact with another vehicle. ts *jg | |||
| While coming out of driveway both side and front airbags on passanger's seat deployed with no reason.*ak | |||
| 07/29/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| I received a severe right forearm fracture, requiring surgery, from a driver's side airbag. the accident took place in a parking lot and my car was almost stopped at the time. two fingers were also broken/dislocated. i spent 3 days in the hospital and will have months of physical therapy to endure. i want this on record so if others have been injured, the airbags will be investigated. i am willing to share x-rays, medical records, etc. i contacted vw and they said since i was honking the horn at the time of impact, it's basically my fault. i can understand that if the body is in the way when the airbag deploys, injury may occur, but such a severe injury as a consequence for honking the horn, seems extreme to me. i think the airbag may have deployed too fast. please compare my case to others' so other vw drivers won't have to go through what i am right now. thank you.*ak | |||
| 03/29/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer ran over a pothole, the pothole was not very large and did not damage tires or undercarriage, however the jolt from the pothole caused both airbags to deploy, leaving residue all over the inside of the vehicle.(state farm insurance, calim number, 25-5647-797) *jb | |||
| 05/23/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, both airbags deployed without warning, causing injury to the consumer, also the left tire was flat.(state farm insurance, claim number, 06-5516-976)*jb | |||
| 05/24/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the side airbag deployed, consumer was informed the airbag deployed due to a scrape on the tire.(state farm insurance, claim number, 27-7080-537)*jb | |||
| 01/04/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the passenger side airbag deployed, upon inspection consumer was informed there was some damage to the undercarriage and perferation of the floorboard which caused the airbag to deploy.(state farm insurance, claim number, 13-7602-854)*jb | |||
| 01/11/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer ran over an object, and the side curtain airbags deployed, causing damage to the mount of the rear axle beam.(state farm insurance, claim number, 47-4308-227)*jb | |||
| 03/15/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer hit a pothole and the roof and side air bags deployed.(state farm insurance, claim number, 17-9237-404) | |||
| 07/31/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| On july 31 i was driving on the freeway at 55 mph and suddenly i heard and explosion inside my car and i almost lost control of the vehicle but luckily i did not, then i realized that the air bag located on the passenger right arm and the air bag that protects the right side windows where activated with out a reason. i was very upset and went to the dealer with my concern of the incident, but to my surprise not only did i did not get any apologies but they put the blame on me, argumenting that something hit the under hood of my car close to the place where the right side bags sensor is located and that the guaranty did not cover it. i think its a very dangerous matter if something hits under the car and can diploids the airbags. i am certain i did not hit anything on the freeway at the time of the incident. i have spoken to the dealer owner and to costumer care and both tell me they support the mechanics decision. *ak | |||
| 06/24/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2001 | |
| I had a client, who is an 11 year old boy with autism, in the left rear seat of my car. we were several feet from a stop sign while traveling on a bumpy road. in the process of slowing down to come to the stop sign, i heard a very loud popping sound to the right side of the car. the vehicle was almost stopped because of the stop sign. the vehicle turned off and the battery light illuminated. when i looked to the right side of the car, the air bags along the right side of the car were deflating. i got out of the car to see if something fell on the car to cause the airbags to deploy and to make sure that the client sitting on that side was okay. there was nothing that hit the car. the client was scared but physically okay. the car started right back up so i tucked the airbags in and drove to the client's home. my contact with volkswagen has been very unsuccessful. they are claiming proper deployment of the airbags due to lateral movement of the car. they are showing wear on the outside of front right and rear left tires as evidence of proper deployment due to lateral skid. my contention is that there was no lateral skid ,and that the triggers misfired or are dangerously too sensitive.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2001 | |
| While driving down the highway, both the drivers side and side curtain airbags deployed. there was no cause for the deployment such as accident or collision. the car was stopped without further inciodent. it was towed to the dealer and is being evaluated by vw at this time for a cause of the deployment. *ak | |||
| 03/21/2002 | 1 | ||
| The consumer hit a pothole while driving, after hitting the pothole the driver heard a loud bag and saw that the passenger side air ag deployed along with the seat air bag. the dealership is aware of the problrm. nlm ie04-078*po | |||
| 03/11/2002 | 1 | 07/02/2001 | |
| While traveling and without any indication, passenger's side air bag deployed, injuring passenger. *ak consumer stated that vehicle did not hit anything, the air bag light did not illuminate prior to deployment, the passenger side seat and side curtain deployed, causing injury to consumers wife.*jb ie04-078*po | |||
| 10/17/2001 | 1 | 03/01/2001 | |
| Passenger window curtain airbag and passenger side airbag deployed when i hit a bump in the road. there was no impact, loss of control in driving vehicle, or anyother damage to the vehicle. *ak ie04-078*po | |||
| 08/15/2001 | |||
| While traveling at 35 mph and without any indication air bags deployed. dealer and manufacturer have been contacted. please provide further information.*ak ie04-078*po | |||
| 06/02/2001 | 0 | ||
| Vehicle was hit directly on drivers side at 50 mph by another vehicle. consumer felt that side airbags should have deployed instead of steering wheel and the dash board deploying. consumer may not have broken a rib if side airbags had deployed. consumer has yet to contact dealer. please provide any further infomation. *ak | |||
| 05/18/2001 | 0 | ||
| Consume rwas traveling 25mph on a side streetand hit a drainage gate, and passenger's airbag went off. he has contacted dealership. *ak ie04-078*po | |||
| 11/27/2000 | |||
| Accident, impact at 40 mph, driver's airbag did not deploy. dealer stated that was due to location of the sensors. *ak | |||
| 10/11/2000 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| Subject vehicle was struck by a minivan on the passenger side. passenger side, side air bag did not deploy.*ak vehicle experienced extensive damage to passenger side of the vehicle due to side impact. the vehicle rolled over 1 and 3/4 times. the passenger side side impact airbag did not deploy as a result of the accident. the drivers side side impact air bag did deploy, passenger sustained personal injury, attorney for client, updated 1/4/01. nlm | |||
| 10/11/2000 | 0 | ||
| Consumer was struck on passenger's side when being hit by another vehicle. upon impact, side airbags deployed.*ak | |||