There are 8 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2016 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Had an accident in Dec where passenger side was hit in the center. The center rail that connects 2 doors was hit so airbags deployed due to roof being pushed in by center bar. But only back airbag had a little air. Front airbag was flat. I took it to the dealer and a month later they are telling me that is normal but I took the picture right after the accident and there is no air in front passenger bag. I told them my child is lucky to be alive. But i know its dangerous if other people are travelling in the same type car as mine. Also bag in the back has a lot of air and no fold creases because it was filled with air. Front airbag looks like it was folded and just fell out and since it has no air all the creases where it folded in roof are still there.
SEAT BELTS NO LONGER WORKING EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER SIDE. PASSAGES SIDE WILL NOT LOCK AND POPS OUT. ALL THREE BACK SEAT BELTS ARE STUCK AND WILL NOT RELEASE. I'VE HAD THE CAR ONLY A YEAR PURCHASED FROM DRIVETIME. THEN MY KEY GOT STUCK IN MY IGNITION AND COULD NOT TURN CAR OFF HAD TO RUSH TO DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THE ISSUES HAD TO PAY FOR SOMETHING I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. THEN HAD ISSUES WITH THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AND TRUBO SUPERCHARGER ISSUES LOSING POWER. ALMOST WAS HIT MY A SEMI TRUCK ON THE FREEWAY FOR LOSING POWER TO MY CAR. THESE ISSUES I FEEL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ME A A CUSTOMER TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ONLY HAVING THE CAR A YEAR. THESE ISSUES ARE LIFE THREATENING. I WAS FORCED TO PURCHASED GAP AND THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR NOTHING TO BE COVERED! THIS CAR IS A LEMON, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS IGNITION AND ENGINE ISSUES. THE CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD.
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A MVA IN WHICH SHE SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES AND THE BRAKES LOCKED ON HER. SHE HIT THE REAR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. SHE WAS GOING ROUGHLY 25-30 MPH. SHE WAS ROUGHLY 30-40 FEET AWAY FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO HER CAR IS ROUGHLY $6500. I RESEARCHED BOTH ISSUES AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE VW JETTA.
I WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THROUGH A CITY STREET INTERSECTION. MY CAR WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITH SUCH FORCE THAT MY CAR WAS SPUN AROUND ALMOST 180 DEGREES. 80% OF THE IMPACT WAS ON THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR, 20% ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THIS INCLUDED A CAR EQUIPPED WITH SIDE/CURTAIN AIRBAGS. I HAD ISSUES PREVIOUSLY WITH THE WINDOWS PROPERLY WORKING AND HAD ALL COMPONENTS MINUS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPLACED ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A PASSENGER DOOR. THERE WERE A FEW OTHER ODDITIES AT TIMES WITH THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OF THE JETTA. CONSIDERING THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT I SUSPECT AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH WITH THE SENSORS OR SOME OTHER PROBLEM THAT PREVENTED THE AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING. THE DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE ENOUGH THAT THE CAR WAS TOTALED.
VIN NUMBER NOT ON RECALL. LIGHT OF AIR BAG IS ON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND STRUCK THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE RIGHT KNEE THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONDITION OF THE OCCUPANTS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE UNKNOWN. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO A TOW LOT WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER (HANLEES HILLTOP TOYOTA, 3233 AUTO PLZ, RICHMOND, CA 94806, (510)-243-2020) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 3 MPH TO 40 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,999. *TT
TAKATA RECALL- I AM IN DANGER BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY.
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