Side/window Air Bag problems of the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta - part 2

Curtain airbag on passenger's side, seat airbag on the passenger's side , and the dashboard airbag cover fell off. Dealer refused to repair it. While drivign the consumer heard aloud bang. The passenger side air bag had deployed although there was no imppact. No injuries were stated.

Problems with air bag system resulted in unnecessary deployments. Vw refused to discuss the matter with the dealer or the consumer. There was an intermittent air bag deployment of the head and side passenger air bags during normal travel. The vehicle was still under warranty. The consumer discovered that 40 other 2002 Jetta owners experienced this same problem.

While driving between 30 and 35 mph consumer hit a pot hole and front passenger and side curtain air bags deployed. Dealer notified.

Passenger side/window airbag deployed. Dealer stated that computer was reading crash damage. Consumer indicated vehicle was not involved in a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer pulled data off the computer that indicated that there was a crash and damage to the right front wheel. Due to their findings the manufacturer refused to cover any repairs under warranty. The consumer's insurance company also performed an investigation and they concluded that there was no evidence of a crash. The insurance company and manufacturer are trying to schedule a time to get together and take the air bags apart to determine what caused them to deploy.

Unintended deployment of airbag at 55 mph. No crash involved.

While driving at 35 mph passenger side airbags deployed after hitting a small bump in the road.

While accelerating from a stop at 10 mph the side impact air bags on the passenger side inadvertently deployed. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

While drive my 2002 Jetta about 55-60mph the driver side window and seat airbags deployed without impact. I drove my car right to the dealership I purchased it from. They had the car for 4 days to tell me that the computer system states that the car was in a collision, I do not have any damage on my car and I was not is an accident. They (camelback Volkswagen) or Volkswagen of America will not repair the damage.

I was driving on the freeway at around 2:00p. M. In the afternoon and all of a sudden the passenger side front air bag,side seat air bag and the rear air bag deployed without any collision. My car was not damaged at all. The supervisor technician at trans ocean vw refused to cover the cost to repair three of the airbags even though my car was still under warranty. They claimed that the computer sensor detected an impact which triggered the deployment of the airbags. It was lucky that the deployment of the airbags wasn't on the driver's side, otherwise, I would have lost my control on the steering wheel leading to more serious consequences. I was just in shock at that time but the highway patrol was managed to guide me off the freeway. At last I claimed my insurance and paid $500 deductible from my pocket to fix the airbags. The insurance premium increased a lot after this so-called "accident". I hereby ask vw of America to recall all defective vehicles to prevent future accidents from happening.

I own a 2002 vw Jetta that I have had numerous problems with. The most recent incident occurred on December 29, 2003. My passenger side panel air bag deployed while I was driving. There was someone in the passengers seat and I am thankful that he was not injured. The dealer has had my car for 5 days now. They are waiting for vw to investigate because they don't see how the airbag could deploy on its own. There is some rear damage that is over a year old and they are trying to relate the airbag issue with the old dents. I don't feel safe in my vw and I certainly don't trust it.

While driving on I 75 s from chattanooga, I heard a loud pop and saw smoke. Thinking a tire had blown, I pulled over. I realized the passenger side airbags had deployed. Triple a took the car to the dealership as I was terrified to drive it. It has been two weeks and I still have not got my car back or even been told if they will fix it. The dealer is having to e mail pictures to vw to show that no damage was done. They are saying a sensor went off. No doubt! it is obvious to me and my witnesses that this is a manufacture defect that should be covered. I have researched and found that I am not the only person this has happened too. I plan to investigate it further to find out what can be done, before someone is killed in a Jetta.

Was driving 15-20 mph, when the vehicle ran over a pothole. The side air bags deployed inadvertently. The manufacturer and the dealership were contacted. Consumer didn't take the vehicle to dealership to have mechanic check. Please provide further information.

I was driving down I-64 in richmond, va and my driver side airbags spontaneously deployed.

I own a 2002 volkwagen Jetta which has side impact airbags. I have a one month old baby which sits in a rear facing carseat behind the passenger. I am concerned about the side impact airbags harming my child if I were in a motor vehicle accident. I am unable to put my child in the middle backseat position because then I do not have enough room in the driver seat to drive the car. Right now the passenger seat is so far up due to the carseat behind it that no one is able to even sit in this seat. I have contacted Volkswagen and they were unable to tell me exactly how far out or down the side airbags go when inflated and also refuse to turn the side airbag off.

Vehicle air bags deployed for no apparent reason. The two right inside air bags deployed for no reason while driving between the speeds of 45 to 55 mph.

Consumer states while traveling 45-55 mph and without any indication passenger side air bag deployed. Because the airbags deployed it cost the consumers over $2000. 00 worth of damages. Consumer dealer notified because they were concerned about the defective airbags and they should not be held responsible for cost of repairs.

While traveling 55-65 mph and without any indication v passenger side air bag deployed.

While driving the side and curtain air bags deployed inadvertently. There was no collision of any kind involved. The dealer refused to fix the air bag problem.

While driving down a dirt road between 45-55 miles an hour, my drivers side passenger airbags deployed. Managing to pull over to the side of the road, I got out of the car fully expecting to see a cow or horse embedded into the side of my car. However, there was no damage - a professional investigative engineer has verified that. Volkswagen is taking no responsibility due to the fact the sensor reads crash data stored. from the looks of the number of similar complaints, I can see this is not the first time a vw Jetta has had this happen. Vw needs to own up to this defect.

On the morning of Sunday, may 4th, 2003, I made a sharp right hand turn and inadvertently drove over the curb with my passenger side front wheel. I immediately heard a loud noise and the two driver's side airbags went off. I suffered only bruises from the impact of the airbags. This incident was reported to my insurance company on Monday, may 5th. On Tuesday, may 6th, I called the dealer to get my car in for work. As of today, Friday, may 9th, I still have not heard back from the dealer, who needed to order the parts. When I'm able to schedule the appointment to take my car in, my insurance company asked to have them check to see if there was a jolt to the floor pan or suspension that might have caused the airbags to go off. There is no visual damage to the wheel, and the car is drivable. (I've been driving it to and from work this week). I don't believe the airbags should have went off in this particular situation. I'm now very afraid to drive it with the fear of hitting a speed bump or a pot hole!!!! if there had been a lot of traffic at that time of the morning, a very bad accident could have resulted.

Request for information and complaint (ref tis request #7094 dgd). The passenger-side side-impact andside-curtain air bag deployed without an impact.

While driving within the city, the front driver and passenger air bags deployed. The vehicle was taken to a Volkswagen dealership which diagnosed the problem. Dealer stated the computer had indicated and accident had occurred. Please describe details.

While driving our two month old Jetta on route 80 our driver's side air bags went off without any type of impact. There is no visible damage to the car which was confirmed by the closest volkwagen dealer we drove it to. Volkswagen says the computer says there was an impact though no damage what so ever is visible. They said we must report the claim to our insurance company. They will assume no responsibility. We are afraid this will keep happening until Volkswagen decides to take responsibility. We are afraid to drive our new car. Dt.

While traveling on the highway without prior warning the side airbags went inadvertently deployed. The dealership is aware of the problem.

While driving down a street at speed limit of 55 mph, an object came through the windshield hitting driver in leftside of face. This cause driver to veer off to rightside of road into a ditch, where the car jumped a curb head on. When this happened, the driver side seat airbag deployed along with the driver side front and back curtain airbags deploying. There was no collision w/exception of the curb involved in this accident. The airbags would have no reason to deploy like this. This accident was very short of being a fatality. The impact from the side airbags shattered all of the bones on the leftside of the drivers face, and the glass from the windows shattering cut his left eyeball in 3 places causing the eye loss of his eye. The driver had to be rushed to a local trauma unit to undergo emergency surgery to try to save his eye. Unfortunately it was not successful, as well as having to have reconstructive surgery to try and put the bones in his face as close to back together as possible. Thanks to someone watching over him he is still alive. But it is far past time to have something done about these airbags! we will not stop until it is successful! dt.

Lower side air bags depolyed while driving down street. Upper side airbags deployed after driver and two passengers exited vehicle at curb and vehicle was stopped.

Passenger's side airbags accidentally deployed without any accident, deceleration or apparent contact the road bed.

While driving and for no reason, the passenger side air bags deployed, the passenger sustained some aches and burns, the dealer stated that the computer indicated that the vehicle was in a collision, however after inspection it was obvious that the vehicle had no signs of damage anywhere, it is uncertain as to if the air bags were front or side.

Passenger front airbags deployed without cause while driving on the freeway. This is the second safety problem with this Jetta, the first being unintentional accelleration.

While driving, consumer swerved to the right to avoid hitting an object in the road, when doing so the passenger air bag deployed, claim 59-y129-766.

While driving 55 mph, passenger side window curtain and passenger seat air bag inadvertently deployed without cause. Dealer and manufacturer were notified. There was no impact that caused the air bags to beploy, the passenger sustained injury to arm when air bag deployed.

Driving on the turnpike, the driver side air bag deployed without any sort of impact. There is no visible damage to the vehicle, which was only 2 months old at the time. Fortunately the only injury was a burn from the airbag on the side of my arm. My biggest fear is knowing relatives and friends who drive Jettas and who have young children in their car. This incident could have easily been fatal. Hopefully your establishment can encourage vw, where I have failed, to do something about this defect.

While driving, vehicle hit something, causing the passenger side air bags to deploy, there is no evidence of collision damage, claim 33-0397-972.

Driving @ a below avg. Speed 3 side airbags deployed w/o any sort of impact. There was no visible damage (I have pics) to the body of my brand new car (w/less than 2500 mls) the utterly random deployment of these airbags is enough to cause an accident on its own. Fortunatly, that wasn't the case here- but it's only a matter of time until somebody dies. Hopefully your establishment can persuade vw to give this 'major defect' the attention that it needs! thank you for your time. Ie04-078.

Consumer had a minor accident which caused minor damage to the front spoiler on the drivers side of the vehicle. Six(6) hours later, the passenger side air bag exploded. Volkswagen service dept. Couold not explain why it happened.