This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
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.
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.
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.
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. (side curtain air bag)
- West Nyack, NY, USA
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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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Clarksville, TN, USA