2005 Volkswagen Touareg Air Bags & Restraints Problems

TRIED TO BUCKLE UP ONE OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS AND BUCKLE PLASTIC HOUSING BROKE. THE DEALER FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A SEAT BELT MECHANISM SHOULD NEVER FAIL. INSTEAD, THE DEALER SAID I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO REPORT THIS CONCERN AND ASKED THEM TO COVER FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY DECLINED TO COVER THIS REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE.

I MANUALLY LOWERED THE REAR SEAT BACK TO ALLOW INCREASED CARGO AREA. AFTER REMOVING THE CARGO, I COULD NOT RAISE THE REAR SEAT BACK TO IT'S UPRIGHT POSITION. THE CENTER SEAT BELT HAD LOCKED IT SELF IN A WAY HOLDING THE SEAT BACK DOWN NOT ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO BE RAISED TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION. A RECALL WAS ISSUED 3-28-2005 REGARDING THIS DANGEROUS SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION PROBLEM EFFECTING 50483 VEHICLES BUT FELL SHORT IN FAILING TO INCLUDE THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT IN THE RECALL. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER ARE LEGALLY OBLIGED TO FIX THIS SITUATION AT THEIR COST. AT THIS TIME MY ONLY OPTION IS TO PAY THE DEALER TO UN-BOLT ALL THREE REAR SEAT BELTS FROM THE FRAME, REMOVE AND DISASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE REAR SEAT, REMOVE THE CENTER SEAT BELT FROM INSIDE THE SEAT BACK, INSTALL A NEW AND WORKING SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AND FINALLY, PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER ALL TO THE TUNE OF THEIR HOURLY RATE PLUS PARTS. IN THE MEAN TIME, MY 5 PASSENGER CAR IS A 2 PASSENGER CAR. HOPE TO HAVE A RESPONSE SOON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS FRUSTRATING SITUATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT WAS RECLINED FOR UTILIZATION OF THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE SEAT BACK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, BUT THE SEAT WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE SEAT TO BE RETURNED UPRIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V592000 (SEAT BELTS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

AIR BAG DEFAULT LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY DURING A CRASH. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS IS IF ONE AIR BAG IS INDICATED NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WILL DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE WHICH VOLKSWAGEN HAS KNOWN ABOUT, BECAUSE IN 2005 IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AIR BAG CONNECTION PLUG LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS TO SHORT AND WOULD COME DISCONNECTED CAUSING THE DEFAULT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO COME. I BELIEVE IN 2005 A FLASH PROGRAM WAS ISSUED FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS, THE FLASH PROGRAM WAS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED INTO THE IGNITION AND THE PASSENGER SEAT IS MOVED WITHIN 10 SECONDS AFTER THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION THIS WOULD CAUSE THE DEFAULT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. BEFORE A MASS COMPLAINT COULD COME OUT VOLKSWAGEN DROP THE FLASH PROGRAMMING AND LEFT IT UP TO THE CONSUMER TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP WITH MY VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP WHOM I BROUGHT THE TRUCK FROM AND CONTINUE TO HAVE ALL MAINTENANCE DONE BY THEM, THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED, AND THIS WILL COST BIG BUCKS FOR THE CONSUMER BECAUSE OF A BAD DESIGNED PRODUCT. THIS PROBLEM MANIFESTED AFTER THE ALARM SIREN STARTED TO GO OUT, AND TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THE ALARM SIREN HAS RECHARGEABLE WATCH TYPE BATTERIES, WHICH GOES BAD AND LEAKS ACID THEN CORRODES CAUSING SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ARE CHARGED BY THE CARS BATTERY. THIS POOR DESIGN WILL CAUSE YOU THE CONSUMER $2000.00 TO REPLACE AIR BAG SENSOR, ALARM SIREN AND YOUR MAIN CAR BATTERY. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE AND I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT HATE WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE AND NO ONE HAVE ANY ANSWERS AND WHEN IT COMES TO A SAFETY DEVICES, LIKE "AIR BAGS" THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD JUMP ON A RESOLUTION INSTEAD OF RUNNING AWAY, BECAUSE AIR BAGS KILL MORE PEOPLE THAN A CRASH ITSELF. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASH SHOWS AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. WATER COMES FROM BEHIND DASHBOARD ONTO DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD WHEN TURNING WHILE DRIVING LIKELY CAUSE BY CLOGGED AC DRAINS BEHIND WHEEL WELLS. FUEL PUMP PREMATURE FAILURE, AFTER REFUELING. HEADLINER FALLING FROM CEILING ON TO DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WEATHER WAS HOT AND HUMID.

WHEN LAYING THE REAR SEAT DOWN IN MY 2005 VW TOUAREG, THE SEAT BELT BECOMES LOCKED IN PLACE, PREVENTING THE MIDDLE SEAT FROM COMING BACK UP. HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR FIX AND EVEN REPLACED THE SEAT BELT 15 MONTHS AGO AND THE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED TWICE SINCE THEN, THE ONLY TWO TIMES WE LOWERED THE REAR SEAT. THE DEALER UNBOLTED THE SEAT BELT, SO I COULD DRIVE IT UNTIL WE GOT A RESOLUTION ON THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BELT. I CALLED VW TO LOG A COMPLAINT AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIXING IS MINE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE MORE PRO-ACTIVE ON FIXING RATHER THAN PASSING THE COST ON TO THE CONSUMER. ALSO, LOOKED ON A TOUREG FORUM SITE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE 2005 VW TOUAREG. THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT LOCKED UP AND JAMMED WHEN I FLIPPED THE REAR SEAT DOWN TO LOAD THINGS INTO THE TRUNK. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT IS BY CUTTING THE ENTIRE SEATBELT IN ORDER TO PUT THE SEAT BACK UP. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD TO REPAIR THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT, HOWEVER IT ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SEAT. *TR

WE PURCHASED A VW TOUAREG 2005, IN MAY 2005, THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT IS JAMMED AND CAN NOT LIFT UP REAR SEAT WITHOUT CUTTING THE SEAT BELT. VW SERVICE HAS HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE SEAT BACK UP. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES 3/1/06, 4/10/06 & 6/9/06. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME WE PUT OUR SEATS DOWN TO LOAD THE BACK WITH STUFF, AND THEN TRY TO PUT THE SEAT BACK UP INTO SITTING POSITION. *NM UPDATED *JB

MY 2005 TOUAREG HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE ON 5 OUT OF THE 8 AIR BAGS IN THE CAR. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IF WAS DEFECTIVE, THAN AFTER IT WAS REPLACED IT CAME DISCONNECTED. THE 2 FRONT WINDSHIELD AIRBAG COVERS HAD TO BE PLACED. THE 2 BACK COVERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. SEAT BELT COVER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND ANOTHER HAS LOCKED UP AND CAN NOT BE MOVED. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. STARTED WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. 64 MILES 2-24-05 AND SAID THAT 2 WIRES WERE REPAIRED INVOICE 913036. INVOICE 962683 ON 8-14-07 LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN WITH A DESCRIPTION OF DRIVER/PASS SIDE AIRBAGS AND REPLACE PASS SIDE WIRING 1660 WV03 (RECALL) MILEAGE 37233. 5-24-2010 INV 663865 AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN, WENT TO FOREIGN AUTO SHOP IN WENATCHEE TO HAVE CHECKED OUT. DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG HAS IGNITER PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT SIGNAL LOSS. 7-6-2010 MILEAGE 60364 AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN INVOICE 663865. INVOICE STATES THAT THEY DID NOT HEAR FROM VW ON HELP FOR AIR BAG LIGHT, NO FURTHER WORK AT THIS TIME ALTHOUGH THEY DID RESET THE LIGHT AND NOT PUT IT ON THE INVOICE. WHEN QUERIED ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED OR WHY IT WAS RESET THEY WOULD GIVE NO INDICATION OR WHETHER THE AIR BAGS WOULD WORK OR NOT. THIS IS BECOMING WORRISOME AS I HAVE HEARD THAT WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON THE AIRBAG SYSTEM DOESN'T FUNCTION. I KNOW THAT IF THIS WAS A SEAT BELT THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED LONG AGO BUT SINCE IT IS A AIRBAG IT ISN'T THEIR PROBLEM. ARE NOT THE AIRBAGS IN A CAR DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE SEAT BELTS IN PREVENTING INJURIES AND ARE THEY NOT ALSO A INTEGRAL PART OF THE SAFETY DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. IF SO SINCE WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR IS IT SO HARD TO IT FIXED AS IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED THAT WE HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS CAR. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG WILL ONLY WORK FOR 2 MONTHS AT ANY GIVEN TIME THEN STOPS WORKING. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS THE CENSOR THAT INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS NOT WORKING COMES ON. I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER, THEY RESET THE CENSOR, THEY TELL ME MY AIRBAG IS FIXED, INSISTING THAT THIS TIME THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. AND 2 MONTHS LATER THE CENSOR IS ON AGAIN INDICATING THE AIRBAG IS NOT WORKING. I THOUGHT THIS WAS SIMILAR TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, WHEN IT IS ON THE CAR STILL RUNS, WITH THE DEALERSHIP A 200 MILE TRIP, I WAS NOT IN ANY HURRY TO RUSH IN EVERY TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER 2 YEARS OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM THE DEALER SHIP TOLD ME THAT WHEN THAT CENSOR INDICATES THE AIRBAG IS NOT WORKING, THE AIRBAG IS TRULY NOT WORKING, AND IF MY VEHICLE WERE TO GET INTO A ACCIDENT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND VW HAS BEEN VERY INSENSITIVE AND FRANKLY HARD TO DEAL WITH IN REGARDS TO THIS HORRENDOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WITH MY WARRANTY RUNNING OUT IN 5000 MILES AND THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR 3 FULL WEEKS WORKING ON A FIX/REPAIR, AND ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE COME TO ME AND SAID THAT IT IS FIXED, THEY WILL NOT EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE AIRBAG. THE ONLY REASON THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR FIX IS THAT IT IS NOT FIXED AND THEY KNOW IT. *TR