2002 Volkswagen Passat Air Bags & Restraints Problems

WHILE DRIVING INTO THE MALL PARKING LOT AT SPEED OF 20 MPH ALL AIRBAGS EXPLODED EXCEPT THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND MY DAUGHTER SUFFERED FROM ARM AND AIR INJURIES

AIR BAG FAULT MESSAGE WHEN STARTING MY CAR EVERYTIME.

TWO DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN I DROVE THROUGH A POTHOLE ON A CITY STREET. I HAVE DRIVEN INTO POTHOLES NO DIFFERENT THAN THIS IN THE PAST. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR TIRES. THE IMPACT WAS VERTICAL; I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY SIDE-TO-SIDE MOTION. COST OF REPAIR ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN $2000 & $3000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING UP SOMEWHAT OF A HILL AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO A BIT OF TRAFFIC FLOW. I HAD REALIZED I WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN I THOUGHT SO I BRAKED A LITTLE HARDER THAN USUAL. MY BRAKES WERE GRABBING ON TIGHTLY TO THE GROUND LIKE THEY SHOULD BUT THEN SEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN OUT AT THE LAST COUPLE SECONDS. MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, RESULTING IN BOTH MY FRONT AIRBAGS GOING OFF. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SWUNG OUT AND HIT MY RIGHT HAND, RESULTING IN SOME MINOR BURNS AND SCRAPES. I THEN STARTED GOING BACKWARDS AFTER THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS HIT. I HIT MY BRAKES TO STOP MY CAR FROM ROLLING AND THERE WAS NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT LET ME BRAKE. SO I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT PARK. FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED ROLLING BACKWARDS AND WE WENT TO GO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE AT THIS POINT, SO I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THE BRAKES ARE WORKING FINE NOW FOR THE MOST PART AND THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS. THERE WAS NEVER A LIGHT INDICATOR THAT SAID THAT MY BRAKES NEEDED TO BE CHECKED NOR HAD THEY FELT DIFFERENT. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO LOCK INTO PLACE. HAD TO BUY A NEW SEATBELT FOR SAFETY REASONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SENSOR WOULD NOW HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN OUR 2002 VW PASSAT V6 WITH 70,040 MILES. OUR REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY THAT RECEIVES THE BUCKLE WAS NOT REGISTERING THE BUCKLE BEING FASTENED. WE REPLACED THE PART #B0858471KFCN TO RESTORE THE AIRBAG TO OPERATION. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT INFLATE WHILE DRIVING WITH THIS DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE NOTIFIED VOLKSWAGEN OF THE PROBLEM AND ASKED THEM TO COVER THE $356.35 REPAIR COST. *TR

FAILURE FOR AIRBAG TO DEPLOY WHEN I REAR-ENDED SOMEBODY. MY APPROXIMATE SPEED WAS 25-25 MPH AND ALL MY FRONT COMPONENTS IN THE CAR WERE DAMAGED. THAT INCLUDES THE RADIATOR, THE AIRCONDITIONING ALL THE FANS IN THE FRONT AND THE ENGINE COVER. IT COST ME AROUND 9000 TO FIX IT. BUT THE POINT IS WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE IN THE FRONT THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN SUCH AN ACCIDENT BEFORE AND NOW I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THAT CAR. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS WILL EVER WORK ALSO. *TR

SHOULDER BELT IN CENTER REAR POSITION IS FULLY RETRACTED AND LOCKED, MAKING IT UNUSABLE. UNKNOWN CAUSE THIS TIME. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED TO US. THE FIRST TIME, WE FOLDED DOWN THE REAR SEAT FOR CARGO AND THEN WERE UNABLE TO PULL IT BACK UP. THE FIRST TIME, THE RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ESTIMATE TO REPLACE IT THIS TIME IS $450. ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF THE PROBLEM WERE FOUND IN DISCUSSION GROUPS ON THE INTERNET. *TR

DRIVING NORTH IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE ON GALLATIN PK IN NASHVILLE, TN, ANOTHER DRIVER IN THE SOUTH BOUND TURNING LANE TURNED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING. MY VIEW WAS OBSCURED BY THE LINE OF TRAFFIC IN THE LEFT HAND NORTH LANES. THE CAR I WAS DRIVING (2002 VW PASSAT) HIT THE CAR THAT TURNED IN TO MY LANE IN A DIRECT, CLASSIC T-BONE HIT. I NEVER SAW THE CAR AND HIT THE CAR AT APPROX. 32 MPH WITHOUT BRAKING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG ON MY CAR FAILED TO DEPLOY ALTHOUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY. I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT THE CAR SEAT ALSO SLID FORWARD AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE BACK SEATS CAME UNLATCHED AND EVERYTHING FLEW FORWARD THROUGH THE CAR AT IMPACT. *NM

FAILURE OF AIR BAG SYSTEM CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE MICRO SWITCH IN DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE. FAULT OCCURRED AT 52,000 MILES, AT 104% OF THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURE BY REPLACING PART. CAR HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER TRAUMATIC EVENT. *NM

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED WITHIN 1 WEEK OF EACH OTHER. THE BUCKLES NO LONGER HOLD THE BELT. *NM

AIRBAG LIGHT AND BUZZER STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. PRESTIGE AUTO OF SANTA ROSA WANTED TO CHARGE ME OVER $100 JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT. ACCORDING TO WHAT I'VE READ, A SAFETY PROBLEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED WITH NO CHARGE. *JB

FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL HIT A POTHOLE WHILE TURNING RIGHT, WHICH FLATTENED THE TIRE. ALL DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS AS WELL AS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SENSORS APPEARED TO BE OVERLY SENSITIVE AS THERE WAS NO IMPENDING ROLL OVER OR COLLISION. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH

WHEN VEHICLE LIGHTLY HIT RETAINING WALL WHILE PARKING THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED TAKING OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT VW PAY HIS INSURANCE COMPANY FOR DAMAGES. *SCC