1999 Volkswagen Passat Airbags Problems

FAULT FOUND WITH AIRBAG. CLOCKSPRING LOCATED IN STEERING WHEEL HAS CONNECTION FOR AIRBAG. IGNITER COULD CORRODE AND CAUSE AIRBAG TO FAIL IN EVENT OF HEAD ON COLLISION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER, IT WAS THEN SERVICED BY AN AUTO DETAILER. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ISSUE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH RESISTANCE IN THE WIRING FOR THE AIR BAGS. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE HAS FOUR AIR BAGS: TWO IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND TWO IN THE SEAT BACKS. THE COST TO REPAIR THEM WOULD BE $600 PER AIR BAG. THE CONTACT REFUSED THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE FAILURE SHOULD BE VOLKSWAGEN'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

LOOSE AIRBAG IGNITER CONNECTION UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE ITSELF. THIS INCIDENT IS FREQUENT AS REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS (AUDIWORLD, VWVORTEX, USENET NEWSGROUPS, ETC). AN INTERNET SEARCH ON "AIRBAG IGNITER: DRIVER SIDE RESISTANCE TOO HIGH" ON GOOGLE RETURNED NUMEROUS REPORTING ON THIS ISSUE. IN MY PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH A 1999 VW PASSAT 1.8T/20V AND A 2000 VW GOLF 1.9L TDI. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND DID NOT GO OUT. REPAIRED AND RECURRED EIGHT TIMES. *BF *SC

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AS A RESULT, AIR BAGS BECAME INOPERATIVE, AND WOULDN'T DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED VEHYICLE AT LEAST 10 TIMES, AND LATELY DEALER CHARGED TO THE CONSUMER EVERY TIME VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM.*AK *TC

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BAD SENSOR THAT RENDERED THE AIR BAGS INOPERATIVE. *AK

WHEN MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB *TT

AIRBAG FAULT INDICATOR STAYS ILLUMINATED. DEALER INDICATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE, SIDE-AIRBAG SENSOR IS BAD. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. ONLY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, WITH THE EXECPTION OF PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TRIM REPLACED AFTER ADHESION FAILED. THE RADIO HAS POOR FM RECEPTION AND NO AM RECEPTION. I ONLY INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE ANOTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINT (ODI ID: 840263) HAS INDICATED SIMILAR SYMPTOMS.*AK

AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHIILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE R/F AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED DUE TO AN UNDERSIDE IMPACT, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE SIDE IMPACT BEAM OR ANYWHERE ON THE STRUCTURAL FRAME. NLM

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, DEALER HAS REPLACED AIRBAG SENSOR 5 TIMES. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN REP HAD DEALER REWIRE ENTIRE VEHICLE. AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AT THIS TIME. PLEASE ADD FURTHER COMMENTS. *AK

AFTER PURCHASE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT SIGNAL OR SYSTEM, REPAIR COMPLETED ON THE SPIRAL RING ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CONTINUED TO INDICATE PROBLEMS, SEVERAL OTHER REPAIRS UNTIL THE FINAL REPAIR OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM FOR REMEDY DUE TO NEGLIGENCE AND REPAIR ISSUES. *MJS

SRS INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT REMAINS ON. CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. CAR OWNED LESS THAN 24 MONTHS BUT SRS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SIMPLY DUE TO MILEAGE BEING OVER 24,000. IF SRS IS SAFETY RELATED WHY DOESN'T THE GOVERNMENT HOLD MANUFACTURERS MORE RESPONSIBLE AS WITH EMISSIONS? THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE GOVERNMENT STANDARD, AS WITH EMISSIONS. HOLDING MANUFACTURERS MORE ACCOUNTANTABLE FOR SRS WITH STRICTER REQUIREMENTS, AS WITH EMISSIONS, WILL HELP ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. I TOOK THIS VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL REPAIR (STEERING TIE-RODS) AND NO SOONER THAN A WEEK LATER, THE SRS LIGHT WENT ON AND NOW I MUST PAY TO DETERMINE WHAT EXACTLY IS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. THIS SEEMS RATHER UNFAIR FOR A NEW CAR LESS THAN 24 MONTHS OLD. AND SINCE THE WORK PERFORMED WAS IN THAT QUADRANT OF THE CAR WHERE THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE, I AM WONDER IF THIS IS SOMEHOW RELATED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING A 25 MPH IN RAINY CONDITIONS WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING OPPOSITE DIRECTION LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE/ FISHTAILED, HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE TWICE. DUAL FRONTAL AND SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON 5 TIMES. IT SEEMS THAT ALL 5 TIMES HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHIE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH. FIRST TIME, THE DEALER RESET THE AIRBAG SENSORS. SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH TIME, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER INVOICE, THE AIRBAG/SRS CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA INFORMING THEM THAT I BELIEVE MY CAR TO BE A LEMON AND AM DEMANDING RELIEF UNDER THE LEMON LAW OF MY STATE (MA).

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH NOTICED AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WAS COMING ON. THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME. CONTACT DEALER, AND HE REPLACED AIRBAG SENSOR, AND FLIPPED A SWITCH. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 60 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE/ PASSENGER'S OR SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 60 MPH, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK