2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI Air Bags Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID OVER ICE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND APPROACHING A RAMP, THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE HEADLINER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. VW VOTEX WEB PAGE (FOR VW ENTHUIASTS) LISTS THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH A SEAT BELT SENSOR THAT TRIGGERS AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. I HAVE HAD IT RESET THREE TIMES AT 60.00 A SESSION...FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SOME TIME WITH THE LIGHT ON. I HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE WRITTEN VW ABOUT IT AND WAS GIVEN A LAME EXCUSE AND THEN IGNORED.

Mileage: 103,000

2003 VW GTI AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT, COLLISION, BUMP OR CRASH AND STAYED ON ALL THE TIME, THIS CONDITION MAKES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM INOPERATIVE AT THE TIME OF A REAL COLLISION, I BELONG TO A VW CLUB ( VWVOERTWX.COM) AND THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY POPULAR ISSUE AMONG VW GTI TWO DOOR, TECHNICALLY THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT VW SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO CORRECT. *TR

Mileage: 67,800

DRIVING TO SCHOOL AND WAS ABOUT TO PULL INTO THE SCHOOL WHEN I WAS CUT OFF, SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY AND WENT ON TO THE CURB AT AN ANGLE TO WHERE IT ONLY HIT THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. I QUICKLY CAME DOWN AND MY SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS GOING ABOUT 30 BUT SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 10 MPH RIGHT BEFORE IMPACT. I HAVE HIT POTHOLES HARDER AND NOTHING HAPPENS. SEEMS LIKE A CLEAR MALFUNCTION MY FRIEND WAS HIT BY THE AIRBAG, BUT SUFFERED NO SERIOUS INJURIES. THE ONLY EXTERIOR DAMAGE WAS THAT I GOT A LEAK IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND HAD TO GET IT REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 62,174

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A HIGH RESISTANCE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE THAT CAUSES THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT IS A WARRANTY ITEM AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

Mileage: 45,000

DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70MPH DOWN I 75 N IN OHIO. I DID NOT HIT, CLIP OR GRAZE ANOTHER VEHICLE. CLEAR MALFUNCTION, HAVE PICTURES TO PROVE IT. LUCKILY IT WAS 5:30AM MONDAY AUGUST 4TH, 2008 AND THERE WERE FEW CARS ON THE ROAD. *TR

Mileage: 97,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE RESISTANCE IN THE IGNITER WAS TOO HIGH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB

Mileage: 68,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A POTHOLE AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE EMULATED A CRASH AND ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 06/08/07. *JB

Mileage: 45,000

WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT DOWN INTERSTATE 5 IN WASHINGTON, ADHERING TO THE SPEED LIMIT. WHEN MY PASSENGER CURTAIN AIRBAG AND SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT IS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. MY FRIEND SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS BRUISED UP RATHER NEATLY. *NM

Mileage: 50,600

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS A MAJOR HIGHWAY. PULLED INTO THE LANE OF TRAFFIC WHEN AN ONCOMING CAR MOVED INTO MY LANE. I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 20 MPH, AND CONSEQUENTLY SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. IN AVOIDING THE CAR I TURNED LEFT AND THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR HIT A CURB. THE CAR DROVE UP ONTO THE CURB AND THEN QUICKLY OFF OF IT. IT WAS NOT A DIRECT IMPACT, THE CURB WAS HIT AT AN ANGLE. THE CURTAIN AND SIDE AIRBAGS BOTH FIRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DECELERATION, AND I HAVE HIT POTHOLE HARDER THAN THIS IMPACT AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEGIN EVALUATED BY MY LOCAL DEALER. *JB

Mileage: 57,000

I WAS DRIVING AT 15 MPH AND HIT A POTHOLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ALONG WITH THE PASSANGER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR WHAT SO EVER. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY IMAGINE AIRBAGS DEPOLYING EVERY TIME SOMEONE RAN OVER A POTHOLE. THE DEALERSHIP (WWW.REYDELVW.COM) REFUSES TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRENTY.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 5 MPH AND STRUCK A POT HOLE AND SIDE DOOR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, AND SEAT RECLINER BROKE. *AK

Mileage: 7,950

AS I WAS GETTING INTO MY CAR AT NIGHT (2003 VW GTI) I NOTICED IT WAS VERY COLD. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO TURN THE CAR ON BUT THE STARTER WOULD NOT GIVE, THEN TO NO AVAIL I NOTICED THAT THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. ROADSIDE ASSITANCE THROUGH VW WAS CONTACTED AND STATED UNFORTUNATLY UNDER THE EXTREME COLD AND DUE TO IT BEING SO LATE AT NIGHT THEY COULD NOT CONTACT A TOW TO ASSIST ME . *AK

Mileage: 31,850

WHEN THE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI VR6 WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A SUV AND AS A RESULT WAS TOTALED THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE MORE FAULTY AIG BAGS OUT THERE IN THE 2003 YEAR MODEL GTI'S. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. PEOPLE, YOU'RE SAFETY IS AT RISK.*AK

WHEN THE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI VR6 WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A SUV AND AS A RESULT WAS TOTALED THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE MORE FAULTY AIG BAGS OUT THERE IN THE 2003 YEAR MODEL GTI'S. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. PEOPLE, YOU'RE SAFETY IS AT RISK.*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH, BUT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DID DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. THE CONSUMER REFUSED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED T BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE WAS A FRONT END COLLISION, IN WHICH MY CAR WAS IN A FRONT IMPACT ACCIDENT WITH A SUV. MY CAR IS A LITTLE 2 DOOR VW GTI VR6 2003. THE SUV WAS A HONDA PILOT. THE FAILURE WAS THAT MY CAR WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND BY THE BODY SHOP MY CAR WAS TOWED TO AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WENT OFF, BUT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON AND MY AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THAT MY NECK AND BACK HURT DAILY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE THAT I KNOW OF TO THIS DAY TO CORRECT THE ACTION. I WOULD SUGGEST LOOKING AT THE ENGINEERING OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM DEALING WITH THE AIR BAG.*AK

Mileage: 17,367

HIT A CURB AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED ( LESS THAN 5MPH) AND DRIVER SIDE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ONLY EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO CAR WAS FLAT TIRE.*AK

Mileage: 18,000

CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB