The airbag sensors were issued a recall. The dealer confirmed this. The car dealership is refusing to replace the airbag sensors until other issues with the car are fixed. I paid to have them do a diagnostic on the car to address the other problems. They are refusing to give me the codes to check what other problems exists with the car.
2003 Volkswagen Beetle airbags problems
60 complaints (19% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 56,359. 3 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 60
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical mileage
- 56,359
- crashes
- 3
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Frontal: sensor/control module9
- Frontal7
- Side/window2
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Volkswagen Beetle airbags problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle airbags
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen is recalling 76,900 my 2004-2005 new beetle and my 2003-2005 new beetle convertibles equipped with an advanced (dual-stage) air bag system. This system may have air bag frontal crash sensors that contain a solder joint on the circuit board that may crack under certain high temperature conditions. If this occurs, the air bag indicator light will illuminate and the fallback algorithm will ensure that the front air bags always deploy in a frontal crash in which the vehicle's deceleration is high enough to activate the frontal air bags.
- Risk
- In low-severity frontal impacts, the front air bags may deploy more forcefully than designed, increasing the possibility of injury to out-of-position front seat occupants.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect each vehicle to determine that the specific defect crash sensor is present on one or both sides of the vehicle. All of the defect crash sensors will be replaced free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before july 31, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 08V178000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Front air bag crash sensor failure
Certain subject vehicles, model year (my) 2003 convertible and my 2004 sedan and convertible vehicles are equipped with an advanced dual-stage air bag system.the air bag crash sensors (#1f0 909 606) contain a solder joint on the circuit board that may crack under certain high temperature conditions.if this occurs, the air bag indicator light will illuminate and the control module will enable a fallback algorithm that will ensure that the front air bag always deploys in a frontal crash in which the vehicle's deceleration is high enough to activate the frontal air bags.however, in low-severity frontal impacts, the front air bags may deploy more forcefully than designed, increasing the possibility of injury to out-of-position front seat occupants.volkswagen will inspect for the defective crash sensor and replace with an updated design.in addition, 16,177 early-my 2005 new beetle sedan and convertible vehicles (built through oct 31, 2004) are also included in the recall campaign.this preliminary evaluation is closed (see recall 08v‑178)
PE08012
What 2003 Volkswagen Beetle owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Airbag light is on..was diagnosed as a faulty airbag module ...vw dealer says part has been discontinued and I can not get my car inspected.
The airbag light is on.
Takata recall air bag light switch has been recalled on several 03 beetles but nothing that included the 03 convertable version of this light being activated the car has never been in an accident that I know of and is a cause for concern where none of my airbags will deploy if I ever get into an accident. God forbid. This has been checked by the VIN but does not necessarily mean the part is not defective. Also opposite lights in the rear seem to have some sort of electronic issue new fuses new bulbs and relay seems not to fix this issue. Could possible be part of the same 03 beetle break switch recall??
Regarding/related to claim 0484819107 69 complaints: 2003 volkswagen jetta seats: front assembly: seat ... I own a 2003 vw jetta 1.8t with front heated seats. Drivers side seat caught fire due to a short in the seats heater 2 days ago on 12/13/2005 after the heater was on for less than 2 minutes. Burning a small hole trough the seat to the bottom area of my left side (buttock) I have come to find since this happened, my the federal safety agency has ... Https://www.carcomplaints.com/volkswagen/.../seats-front_assembly-seat_ heater_cooler.shtml 29 complaints: 2003 volkswagen beetle electrical system problems the problem is that the entire fuse box assembly frequently melts into a glob of plastic, and represents a significant fire hazard. I have owned two new beetles ( 2003 & 2004), and have experienced this problem four time between the two. My own investigation into the cause(s) has shown me that if the vehicle battery is ... Https://whttps://www.carcomplaints.com/search/?cx=partner-pub-6745124734283845%3a6pv4ih4brad&cof=forid%3a10&ie=iso-8859-1&q=vw+fire&sa=search&siteurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.carcomplaints.com%2fvolkswagen%2fbeetle%2f2002%2fseat_belts_air_bags%2fww.carcomplaints.com/volkswagen/.../electrical_system.shtml wasn't in the vehicle personal assistant/project consultant helping hard working people like you for more than 25 years! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).?
Takata...air bag system air bag sensor issue...air bag sensor was repaired in 2008 under recall, but has failed again...
Air bag warning light diagnosed at service by dealer (campbell/nelson vw) indicated that a sensor or switch located in the driver-side seatbelt latch was defective and even when the seatbelt was latched, the airbag would not deploy. This turned out to be a $400 repair and I believe it should be considered for a recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen beetle. The contact stated that the warning lamp illuminated for an air bag malfunction, flashed, and remained lit intermittently. The contact was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 08v178000 (air bags). The vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed. The vehicle was to be taken to an authorized dealer for further inspection. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Vehicle engine stopped while driving. Battery dead, no power in vehicle at all. Found melted battery fuse box under hood. Root cause determined to be corrosion on alternator power supply cable that created heat enough to melt plastic (~450f) and burn the protective cover off the alternator supply wire back 2 inches. Poor contact due to corrosion caused battery to drain, which eventually could no longer sustain engine ignition. No warning lights prior to engine stopping. No battery power also means no power steering, no power brakes, no airbags during collision. Online forums indicate this is happening to a lot of people. It would appear to be as deadly as the gm ignition switch issue, but it is not being taken seriously by vw.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen beetle. After starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that unknown air bag wires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Questions about the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle airbags
Does the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle have airbags problems?
Owners have filed 60 complaints about the airbags of the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle, 19% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2003 Volkswagen Beetle airbags problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 56,359 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 08V178000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Volkswagen Beetle have bad airbags?
The Volkswagen Beetle model years with the most airbags complaints are 2004 (73 complaints), 2000 (64 complaints) and 2003 (60 complaints).
Other 2003 Volkswagen Beetle problems
Transmission 134Visibility 56Electrical 36Engine 27Body 20Seat belts 11Acceleration 10Lights 8Fuel system 7Seats 6Locks 5Brakes 3Driver assistance 2Suspension 1Wheels 1
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