My vehicle struck a car from behind moving about 35 mph. Air bags did not deploy and I had a proceeding next injury. Why did the airbags not deploy? I have read that "A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury" for 2011-2014 Golf. I would like confirmation that this was supposed to happen, no airbag deployment. My car was totaled.
Volkswagen Golf no deployment problems
14 of the 1,387 owner complaints about the Volkswagen Golf describe airbags did not deploy in a crash, most of them for the 2012 model year.
- owner complaints
- 14
- worst model year
- 2012
- typical mileage
- 43,000
Is there a fix? There are 7 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20123
- 20111
- 20101
- 20061
- 20051
- 20031
- 20021
- 20011
- 20001
- 19952
- 19941
Often reported together
What owners say
I was in a car accident and the airbag didn't go off.
Takata recall - I was in accident on 5/24/16 and the front of my car was all damaged but the airbag did not inflate causing me to hit the steering wheel
This car was involved in a vehicle crash. Impact was to the driver's side primarily to the door and front end. Despite the severity of the impact, no air bags deployed from the driver's side or the steering wheel. I sustained an injury to the shoulder and am concerned about the safety of the vehicle.
I was traveling on a highway in dallas. There was a 2003 toyota tacoma two lanes to the left of me. He apparently wanted to take an exit that was rapidly coming up. He had a dresser in the bed so he asked his wife if it was clear to cut across all 5 lanes to take the exit. I was two lanes over and rear ended him. He brake when he saw me and I had little time to react, so I hit him front distributed to rear distributed. My air bags did not deploy. I've been a police officer for 17 years and a firefighter even longer and know how air bags work. Since I essentially rear ended him, I know I tripped more than one airbag sensor at a time. My air bags did not deploy. I ended up with a cardiac bruise and upper joint injuries. I called vw customer care and sent them pictures of the car. They think I went under his truck and that's why the bags did not deploy. His truck was stock with no lift kit or anything, so I would hope my bags would deploy, but they didn't. I know we now track if a vehicle's height had been altererd on accident reports in texas. I have a few pictures of the car.
Air bag failed to deploy when car rear ended a towed vehicle. The towed vehicle speed was approximately 40-45 MPH and the vw golf speed was 70-75 MPH. The golf's front-end was destroyed (along with it's electrical system), and was immobilized. But, none of the airbags deployed. The tow truck driver and the body shop owner questioned why the air bags failed with the amount of damage incurred. When contacted, the vw representative was more interested in my hospital expenses than the fact the air bags didn't deploy. The highway patrolman who worked the accident, said he was already involved in a lawsuit where the air bags did not deploy and a fatality occurred. He said the car in that accident was not a vw. Also, after I had left for the hospital, a fireman told my wife he had noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment due to something electrical smoldering. He didn't elaborate.
I was rear ended while my car was at a dead stop. The pick up truck behind me hit me going at an estimated speed of 50 MPH causing me to hit the car in front of me. Both my front and rear end of my car suffered severe damages, but my air bag did not deploy and my seat came unlocked and caused me to smash into my steering wheel and dashboard.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30mph the vehicle rear ended another vehicle and the airbags failed to deploy. Injuries were sustained by the occupants of both vehicles. The contact was wearing a seatbelt. The airbag indicator lights were not illuminated prior to the incident. There was a police report filed at the scene. The vehicle was determined totaled by the independent repair shop.
Car was rear-ended at a stop light. Car cascaded into the cars in front. Airbags did not deploy on drivers side. Airbags (4) deployed on passenger side only. There was no passenger. Seems I could have used the airbag protection on my side. (driver).
While driving about 65 MPH and without prior warning the consumer swerved to avoid another car. As a result the driver veered of the road into an embankment yet the dual airbags did not deploy.
Related recalls
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Audi's customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.
Recall number 22V543000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298 or Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
Recall number 19V862000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X3.
Recall number 18V406000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V‑078.
Recall number 18V148000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834.
Recall number 16V078000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to November 28, 2014, Golf vehicles manufactured April 2, 2014, to December 3, 2014, and E-Golf vehicles manufactured July 26, 2014, to October 18, 2014. The affected vehicles are equipped a Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) that may have been manufactured improperly. As a result, the front passenger seat occupant may be improperly classified or may not be detected.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, if the front passenger seat occupant is incorrectly classified or non-detected, the passenger frontal air bag may deploy improperly or not at all, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PODS control module, free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswgen's number for this recall is 69L6.
Recall number 15V627000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
- Risk
- A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 15V483000 · Recall details
Questions about the Volkswagen Golf no deployment
Which Volkswagen Golf years have airbags did not deploy in a crash problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2012 (3 complaints), 1995 (2 complaints) and 1994 (1 complaints).
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