There are 4 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen GTIin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT WENT ON. ALL ELECTRONICS ON STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING HORN STOPPED WORKING. VW DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS SAY THAT CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND WANT $654 TO FIX IT. THIS VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SERVICED UNDER CLOCK SPRING FAILURE RECALL IN 2015 (NHTSA CAMPAIN NUMBER: 15V483000).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A POLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER, FRONT PASSENGER, AND SIDE PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER WAS FATALLY INJURED DUE TO FRONTAL LOBE DAMAGE, DISLOCATION OF THE SPINE, AORTA DAMAGE, AND LACERATIONS OF THE LIVER. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED BROKEN RIBS AND INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND EYES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR DETERMINATION OF THE FAILURE THAT LED TO THE COLLISION. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED THE DEATH OF HER SON. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT THE TYPE OF AIR BAGS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
AIRBAG INFLATOR IS NOT WORKING. RECEIVED RECALL LETTER, BUT DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING.
TAKATA RECALL NORTH PARK VW DEALER IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS STATES THAT THE AIR BAG RECALL CANNOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. IS THIS TRUE?
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026