Headed west on i70 in eagle county and hit an ice bridge and went head on to a concrete barrier. 03 tdi jetta was totaled. Air bags did not deploy at all.
2003 Volkswagen Jetta airbags complaints
Page 2 of 4: complaints 11 to 40 of 77, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2003 vw jetta: spontaneous/unintended passenger side, side curtain air bag deployment. While driving subject car on may 5, 2010, passenger side, side curtain airbags deployed. There was no collision, impact with road debris or rough pavement involved. Reported to dealership. Seeking repair of same.
My husband was driving my car over railroad tracks when the passenger side airbags deployed and the car shut off. Fortunately my husband was driving slow and no one was injured. My vw dealership instructed me to contact my insurance agent. They conducted an investigation and found no evidence of collision and refused to cover damages. Then I brought the car to vw and they discovered some undercarriage damage and informed my insurance agency. Upon re-investigation of the car the insurance decided that they would now cover the damages that are estimated at around $5,000 but I have a $500 deductible and my premiums will now go up. As far as I am concerned railroad tracks should not deploy airbags and I should absolutely not be responsible for any costs related.
2003 vw jetta - side and window airbags deployed on passenger side while car was parked overnight. No visible signs of impact to cause airbags to deploy. Will have to have new airbags put back in at approximate cost of $2,500. If deployed while vehichle moving could be a dangerous situation. Vw told us going over a pothole can also cause them to deploy.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. The front driver's side of the contact's vehicle was struck by another vehicle traveling 45 MPH. None of the air bags deployed and the driver sustained back injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 118,000.
I was in a rear end incident in which my 2003vw jetta was struck almost dead-on in the rear by a 2009 bmw sedan. Both my wife, seated in the front passenger seat, and I, driving, were wearing three point seat belts. The airbags in our vehicle did not deploy. Both the drivers seat and the front passenger's seat were reclined almost completely as a result of the impact, to the point that any rear seat passengers we might have had in the car would have been pinned by the reclined front seats. *tr updated 05/20/09 *bf updated ivoq 05/27/09.
Vehicle passenger side curtain and seat airbags deployed unexpectedly when driver encountered minor pot hole in road. There was no exterior damage to the car or wheels due to the pot hole. Driver paid out of pocket (and via insurance) to replace airbag system. Volkswagen acknowledges no responsibility for faulty system or repairs. Driver suffered potentially permanent hearing damage due to blast of airbag deployment.
Driving home from work when the passenger seat air bag and the passenger window air bag just went off for now reason while I was driving. I did not hit anything and nothing hit my car.
The consumer was driving a 2003 jetta gls traveling at a speed of about 35mph when the driver side airbags "curtains and seat airbags" spontaneously deployed. There was no impact to the vehicle that would have caused the airbags to deploy. After conducting extensive research on 2002-2004 jettas, this seems to be a major issue that is not being recognized by vw of america.
While driving on interstate, driver side airbag deployed for no reason. This was not preceded by a pothole, flat tire, swerve, or any other event. Driver was hit in head by airbag, but managed to control car and bring to halt in breakdown lane. Only damage to car is the airbag. No other vehicles involved.
Was driving to a movie theater and a was doing about 25 MPH and I hit a small pot hole in the road and my passenger side seat and curtain airbags deployed there no dents no crash nothing at all.
The 2003 volkswagen jetta station wagon was parked in a parking lot which was landscaped with 3.5-inch high belgian block curbs. From a parked position and at a dead stop the car was driven at almost no speed so that the right front tire climbed one of the belgian block curbs. The driver was alone in the car. As the right front tire climed the belgian block curb the passenger's seatback side-thorax airbag and the passenger's side airbag deployed. There was significant airbag which caused damage to the interior of the car, but there was absolutely no evidence of any damage to any part of the car arising from the contact between the front right tire and the belgian block curb.
Tl* - the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. While driving at 35 MPH the driver's side air bag deployed without warning. There were no air bag warning indicators prior to deployment. However, the light illuminated after it deployed. There were minor injuries to the driver's ears. There were no passengers in the vehicle at the time of the failure. The current and failure mileage were 60,000.
I purchased a 2003 vw jetta this past april. On november 22, 2006 at 6:00 am on interstate 395 ct, my side driver airbags, back seat airbag and driver seat airbag deployed. I did not hit anything on the highway nor was my car struck by any object. I brought the car to the service department that day to have it looked at assuming that they would find a defect and fix the problem. Instead of being helped by the service manager I was accused of hitting something. They said there was damage underneath the car. I brought the car to my insurance branch and they found no damage. Vw again refused my claim. I then had the insurance company come to the dealership to look at the car. Later that week the insurance company hired an investigator to examine the car and he found no damage to deploy the airbags. My insurance will not pay the $3,000 to fix the car and vw will not pay. I have 3 deployed airbags and one broken driver side seat belt.
Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 jetta jls. While driving at 60 MPH the contact's vehicle was cut off by a truck and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle proceeded down an embankment, flipped over sideways, and end over end, landing upside down in a canal. The driver was pulled from the wreckage and it became submerged. There was damage to the doors, the rear and the front. The air bag side/curtain, frontal airbags failed to deploy, and the seat belt failed to work properly during the crash. The failure and current mileage were both 35000. The driver sustained a broke nose, as well as, other injuries.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 MPH through an intersection, the vehicle was t-boned on the passenger side. The side and curtain air bags did not deploy. Five people sustained minor injuries and a police report was taken. The dealer was not contacted.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 MPH the passenger side and curtain airbags both deployed. After the deployment, the steering column locked and the vehicle was maneuvered to the emergency lane. The airbag light was not illuminated prior to deployment. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle and was wearing a seat belt. The vehicle was towed to the dealership for inspection. It was determined the airbag sensor had activated as if in a crash however no crash occurred. The manufacturer was alerted.
I have 126,000 miles on my 2003 jetta. I was driving down the highway on my way home from work and the driver side impact airbags deployed for no reason.
Dt*: the contact stated the air bag light on the dash illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. The dealer reset the air bag light and no further repairs were required. Updated 3/20/2006 -
Ford pickup truck was stopped to make left turn. My attention was diverted and I failed to stop. Hit truck in rear. Passenger air bag deployed. Driver air bag or side air bags did not. Seat belt prevented personal injury.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling at 60 MPH on a slush covered highway, the vehicle started to fish tail and hit the retaining wall in the median. This was a frontal impact, the driver side air bag did not deploy. The passenger side air bag deployed without a passenger in the seat. The contact was wearing a seat belt, but sustained minor injuries. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard. The vehicle has not been inspected to determine why the air bag did not deploy. The vehicle was deemed totaled. The manufacturer has been contacted. A police report was taken at the scene.
Dt:the contacts stated while driving the passenger's side/curtain air bag deployed. The vehicle was not in an accident prior to the deployment. There was no warning prior to the incident. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. The manufacture stated the vehicle must have been in a previous accident because the black box contains crash data and there was damage to the undercarriage. The manufacturer will not repair this vehicle. There was an investigation the federal safety agency action number pe04081.
I was on my way to florida, driving south on I-95 (going through the town of st. Marys) when I ran over a grey metal grate (the same color as the road) that was in the middle of the left lane (I was driving 70 MPH). The grate was approximately 1ft x 1ft and about 1 inch thick. As soon as I ran over it, the side curtain and the side seat airbags (on the driver's side) deployed causing damage to the seat, seat belt, and my left arm was burnt.
I was driving my car on a straight section of road that was newly graded gravel at about 35 MPH when the passenger side air bags deployed. Both the side air curtain and the seat air bags went off. The seat bag hit my wife on the back of the upper arm leaving some bruising and what looked to be large welts and burns. The swelling and burns went away after we found some ice and pack her arm in it. Vw says that we were in a collision but we were around no one and did not hit anything. There is no damage to my car for any collision. My insurance company fixed the car under a comp. Claim as they were unable to find any collision damage.
Dt: on july 3, 2004 the passenger's side/curtain airbag deployed without cause. The passenger sustained minor injuries. There was damage to the vehicle. When the vehicle was inspected by the volkswagen field technician he said that there were some small dents that caused the deployment. When someone from transport canada inspected the vehicle he said that there was no reason for the side curtain airbags to have deployed. He said that the dents were there before the clear coat was even put on the vehicle. There was no collusion.
Dt: the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. The driver's side air bag deployed for no reason. The speed at this time was about 60 MPH. The contact was unaware of any debris that may have been on the road. The contact did not lose control of the vehicle. The air bag warning light was not on prior to the incident. There were no injuries. The dealership was contacted and the contact was to take the vehicle to the dealership tomorrow, and the vehicle was covered under a warranty. This occurred on august 31, 2005.
No accident has occurred. However, who or what company do I email to get information on why volkswagen will not put forth a recall on the sunroof of the jetta model 2001 and 2002? I am waiting to hear back from this company. However, from the consumer reports I see that they have not recalled this part on these cars. Can you please direct me to the email address that I might get an answer? It is a serious issue with the airbags that are located in the colulms of this vehicle. If they get wet they will not work. Therefore it is a hazard that volkswagen should address.thank you
I was driving my 2003 vw jetta under normal road conditions. I stopped at a red light in an intersection, continued when it turned green. I hit a small sized pothole at the other end of the intersection at speeds below 15mph, which caused the wrongful deployment of the side curtain and seat airbags as well as locking the seatbelt tensioner making it inoperable. I inspected the vehicle after the incident and found no damage whatsoever to all body panels and wheels/tires. The following morning I had a mechanic inspect the car for any suspension or steering problems and none were found. I took the vehicle to the dealer where I purchased it to have it fixed under warranty and the dealer and vw of america have denied warranty repairs and have not yet done anything to fix the problem. I did research on the internet for similar incidents with this make and model and have found that there have been 500 similar incidents of spontaneous airbag deployment in 2002-2004 vw jettas, golfs, gti and new beetles around the country.
Motor vehicle accident in residential area with moving 2003 vw jetta and parked honda/toyota? Driver of jetta came around the corner, looked down & away from the road momentarilly while driving apx. 30 MPH when she hit the other vehicle without any breaking. This full frontal impact and the entire front end of this jetta was taken out and the other vehicle was totaled. None of the 4 airbags deployed. We are currently being told "no changes or alterations will be made with regard to the airbags".
Passanger's side airbags deployed for no reason while vehicle was in motion. Driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle, avoiding the very real possibility of personal injury and property damage. Driver suffered extreme emotional distress and temporary hearing loss, in additon to damage to interior of vehicle. The vehicle will be sent to the dealer in the am.
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