2004 Volkswagen Jetta Air Bags & Restraints Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. THEY WERE DOING CONSTRUCTION ON THE ROADS AROUND MY HOUSE AND ALL THE SEWER CAPS WERE EXPOSED. THEY ARE RE-PAVING ALL THE STREETS. I BARELY CLIPPED ONE AND MY DRIVER SIDE "SIDE" AIRBAGS (HEADLINER AIR BAGS AND THE DRIVER SEAT SIDE AIRBAGS) DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, NO IMPACT. I BARELY CLIPPED THE SEWER CAP AND I'M NOT EVEN POSITIVE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME. VWOA IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING BUT AFTER READING ABOUT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS FOR SOME TIME NOW, I CAN'T IMAGING THAT RUNNING OVER A SEWER COVER AT 15 MPH AND BARELY CLIPPING IT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE SIDE AIR BAGS. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND GET IT TO SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE. IT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. STILL WAITING TO HEAR THE OUTCOME FROM VW. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT LATCH BROKEN. TRIED TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT AND A PART IN SEATBELT LATCH MECHANISM BROKE OFF INSIDE. SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND AND CRASH INTO A LIGHT POLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO HIS ARMS, LEGS AND FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WE WERE STOPPED IN THE TRAFFIC AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS TRUCK [2001 CHEVY] REAR ENDED US AT THE SPEED OF 45 MILES PER HOUR AND OUR CAR GOT PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. IN OUR CAR, PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER CAME OUT BUT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE WE HAD GREAT TRUST IN VW [GERMAN CARS] IN MAKING STRONG AND RELIABLE CARS WHICH CAN SAVE LIVES WHICH COULD NOT BE PROVED IN THE ACCIDENT WE GOTTEN INTO. HAD THE IMPACT BEEN LITTLE HIGHER WE COULD HAVE DIED IN THE ACCIDENT. I'M SAD TO SAY THAT OUR TRUST IN VW HAS BEEN SHATTERED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY FIVE MPH AS I LEFT MY HOME WHEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG HAS TOO MUCH VOLTAGE GOING TO THE BAG AND AS SUCH DEACTIVATED ALL THE AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

1. SEAT BELT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO PULL AND LOCK. THEN FAILS. 2. BACK SEAT, CENTER POSITION SEAT, BELT TENSIONER UNIT FAILS, CANNOT PULL AND FASTEN SEAT BELT. 3. REMOVE SEAT, REPLACE BELT TENSIONER UNIT. OLD PART AVAILABLE. *TR

AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT LATCH BROKEN. TRIED TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT AND A PART IN SEATBELT LATCH MECHANISM BROKE OFF INSIDE. SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH. *TR

MY 2004 JETTA HAS 51,000 MILES AND IS ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD. THE AIR BAG/ SEAT BELT ALERT ICON CAME ON AND I BROUGHT THE CAR TO NEW COUNTRY VW IN GREENWICH CT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS CHARGED $140.00 FOR THIS VISIT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $425.00. THEY STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON A NATION WIDE BACKORDER AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE IN THE USA. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO PART AVAILABLE IN THE ENTIRE US INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT LIKE SAFETY BELTS SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER ONLY 3.5 YEARS AND SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM ANY LIMITED WARRANTY. ALSO BECAUSE OF THIS PARTS FAILURE I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY, WHICH IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT DOES NOT COME OUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE USED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,057 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,173. UPDATED 07/15/08. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 38,000. THE CONTAACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND DID NOT REMEMBER IF HE WAS BELTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT HAD PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE, AND SUBMITTED PICTURES TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT AFTER REVIEWING THE PICTURES THE AIR BAGS PERFORMED PROPERLY.*AK

TWO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED (DRIVER'S SIDE, CURTAIN AND SEAT) ON MY 2004 VW JETTA W/35,000KM WHILE DRIVING AT 15KM/H, NO BODY DAMAGE, NO FLAT TIRE. VW WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS, SAID TO CALL INSURANCE, NOT A "SENSOR" ISSUE, CRASH DATA RECORDED OF COURSE SINCE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED - AND WHAT IS DISTURBING IS THAT THIS COULD EASILY HAPPEN AGAIN IN A POT HOLE, FLAT TIRE, SPEED BUMP AND VW DOES NOT SEEM BE BOTHERED BY THAT FACT... BUT I SHOULD PAY FOR THIS OVER AND OVER AND/OR MAKE CLAIMS WITH MY INSURANCE... TOLD THEM THAT IF THEIR AIR BAGS WERE SO SENSITIVE, THEY SHOULD POST WARNINGS IN THE VEHICLE. VERY DISGUSTED WITH VW AND THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM SURE THEY ARE ANXIOUS TO HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THEIR LOT BECAUSE THEY KEEP CALLING TO SEE IF I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE... *NM

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, MY LEFT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT THEN MY RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AND RIGHT SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND WOULD NOT START ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE WITHOUT GETTING HIT AND NOTIFIED POLICE. WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, I THOUGHT I WAS SHOT AT. OTHER THAN A FLAT TIRE AND A SCRATCH ON MY RIM, THERE WAS NO UNDERCARRIAGE OR BODY DAMAGE. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER IN PLEASANTVILLE, NY THINKING IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SINCE IT IS A 2004 VW JETTA WITH APPROXIMATELY 34,000 MILES. THEY DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEM. AFTER 2 1/2 WEEKS AT THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT VW WAS NOT AT FAULT AND THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THEY FOUND CRASH DATA WHICH OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO FIND SINCE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THEY SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE SENSORS INSTEAD. THE REGIONAL COORDINATOR OF VW AMERICA CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT SINCE NOBODY WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I GUESS WE SHOULD ALL HAVE CRASH TEST DUMMIES SITTING IN OUR PASSENGER SEAT SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO US. THE AMOUNT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $4,000 TO FIX. RIGHT NOW I HAVE IT AT AN AUTO BODY SHOP TO BE REPAIRED AND WILL SAVE THE PARTS. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FLAT AND I REALLY THINK I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY VW. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY NEED TO RECALL THE CARS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET (VWVORTEX.COM), THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN MY SIMILAR SITUATION - SOME GETTING REIMBURSED AND OTHERS NOT. *JB

I WAS TRAVELING 0 MPH AND WAS HIT HEAD ON AT 60 MPH. I WAS DRIVING A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG AND THE REAR LEFT PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING, PUSHING THE CONTACT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND DAMAGING THE SEAT BELT. A POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A WELT ON THE LEFT HIP FROM THE AIRBAG. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A RESIDENCE. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

NO IMPACT, NO POT HOLES, NO SPEED BUMPS - DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD THE PASSENGER SIDE (ROOF & SEAT) AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO PASSENGERS WERE IN THE VEHICLE, DRIVER ONLY W/SEAT BELT - NO DRIVER SIDE OR FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VW DEALER FOUND NO DAMAGE; VW REGIONAL CLAIMS BLACK BOX SAYS "SIGNIFICANT IMPACT" THUS NO DEFECT, REPORT IT TO INSURANCE CO. . INSURANCE CO FINDS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, DENIES CLAIM. VW SAYS AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DUE TO PASSENGER NOT WEARING SEAT BELT (NO PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE); ALSO SAID NOT MANUFACTURED TO WITHSTAND POT HOLES OR SPEED BUMPS. INSURANCE CO SAYS AIRBAGS DEPLOY ONLY W/SEAT BELT FASTENED. EITHER WAY, THIS IS A DEFECT - AIR BAGS DEPLOYED W/NO ACCIDENT, NO PASSENGER; IF THERE WAS AN IMPACT, DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. NOBODY WILL PAY FOR THE DAMAGE THE AIRBAGS CREATED. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS - AIR BAGS DEPLOY IN VW JETTA'S WHILE DRIVING ON A ROADWAY, NO IMPACT, NO POT HOLES, NO SPEED BUMPS ... VW HAS A PROBLEM - THIS SHOULD BE A RE-CALL - MAKE THEM FIX IT! THANKS *NM

THE CONSUMER SUSPECT A DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE THE HIGHEST IMPACT (1 OUT OF 14 SCALE) DAMAGE ON THE FRONT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND REQUESTED FOR AN INSPECTION; THE MANUFACTURER EXPLAINED WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BUT IT WAS NO MORE THAN A DESCRIPTION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT WILLING TO SEND A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS FOR A THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS INSPECTION. 1) ACCIDENT NARRATIVE (BASED ON CITY OF WHEELING, WV, POLICE REPORT): THE VEHICLE (VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2004) WAS ON THE FIRST LANE OF I-70 W. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST A CONTROL AND WENT ONTO THE SECOND LANE AND WENT BACK ONTO THE FIRST LANE. THE VEHICLE HIT THE GUARD RAIL WITH THE FRONT LEAVING 25 FEET OF THE GUARD RAIL DAMAGED; THE VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF AND STRUCK A TRUCK TRAILER WITH THE RIGHT REAR END. 2) DESPITE THE SEVERE DAMAGE ON THE FRONT (THE CONSUMER HAS PHOTOS; THE FRONT IS ALMOST GONE), NONE OF THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT WILLING TO SEND A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS FOR A THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER IS WILLING TO PROVIDE THE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLE TO NHTSA FOR AN ANALYSIS. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON A RAIN SLICKED RAMP ENTERING I95 I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. IT WENT INTO A TAILSPIN AND WENT ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC HITTING A GUARDRAIL, BOUNCING OFF SPINNING AROUND AND HITTING IT AGAIN, BOUNCING OFF AND HITTING IT AGAIN (FOR A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES) CAME TO REST FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE FRONT, BACK AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE CAR WAS PRACTICALLY REBUILT. MY PASSENGER AND I WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE, THERE WAS ALMOST 20K WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NOT TO MENTION THE 10K DAMAGE DONE TO THE GUARDRAIL. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY CAR EVER DEPLOYED!!!! ....AND MY PASSENGER IS NOW SUING ME BECAUSE OF INJURIES HE SUSTAINED. WE HAVE PICTURES, THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED OUR LIVES WERE THAT WE HAD OUR SEATBELTS ON. *TR