Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 60 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 60, in the owner's own words
The airbag sensors were issued a recall. The dealer confirmed this. The car dealership is refusing to replace the airbag sensors until other issues with the car are fixed. I paid to have them do a diagnostic on the car to address the other problems. They are refusing to give me the codes to check what other problems exists with the car.
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON..WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY AIRBAG MODULE ...VW DEALER SAYS PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND I CAN NOT GET MY CAR INSPECTED.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON.
TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG LIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN RECALLED ON SEVERAL 03 BEETLES BUT NOTHING THAT INCLUDED THE 03 CONVERTABLE VERSION OF THIS LIGHT BEING ACTIVATED THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT THAT I KNOW OF AND IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN WHERE NONE OF MY AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IF I EVER GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. GOD FORBID. THIS HAS BEEN CHECKED BY THE VIN BUT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE PART IS NOT DEFECTIVE. ALSO OPPOSITE LIGHTS IN THE REAR SEEM TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ELECTRONIC ISSUE NEW FUSES NEW BULBS AND RELAY SEEMS NOT TO FIX THIS ISSUE. COULD POSSIBLE BE PART OF THE SAME 03 BEETLE BREAK SWITCH RECALL??
REGARDING/RELATED TO CLAIM 0484819107 69 COMPLAINTS: 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SEATS: FRONT ASSEMBLY: SEAT ... I OWN A 2003 VW JETTA 1.8T WITH FRONT HEATED SEATS. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A SHORT IN THE SEATS HEATER 2 DAYS AGO ON 12/13/2005 AFTER THE HEATER WAS ON FOR LESS THAN 2 MINUTES. BURNING A SMALL HOLE TROUGH THE SEAT TO THE BOTTOM AREA OF MY LEFT SIDE (BUTTOCK) I HAVE COME TO FIND SINCE THIS HAPPENED, MY NHTSA HAS ... HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/.../SEATS-FRONT_ASSEMBLY-SEAT_ HEATER_COOLER.SHTML 29 COMPLAINTS: 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ENTIRE FUSE BOX ASSEMBLY FREQUENTLY MELTS INTO A GLOB OF PLASTIC, AND REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE OWNED TWO NEW BEETLES ( 2003 & 2004), AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM FOUR TIME BETWEEN THE TWO. MY OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE(S) HAS SHOWN ME THAT IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS ... HTTPS://WHTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/SEARCH/?CX=PARTNER-PUB-6745124734283845%3A6PV4IH4BRAD&COF=FORID%3A10&IE=ISO-8859-1&Q=VW+FIRE&SA=SEARCH&SITEURL=HTTPS%3A%2F%2FWWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM%2FVOLKSWAGEN%2FBEETLE%2F2002%2FSEAT_BELTS_AIR_BAGS%2FWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/.../ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM.SHTML WASN'T IN THE VEHICLE PERSONAL ASSISTANT/PROJECT CONSULTANT HELPING HARD WORKING PEOPLE LIKE YOU FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).? *PM
TAKATA...AIR BAG SYSTEM AIR BAG SENSOR ISSUE...AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPAIRED IN 2008 UNDER RECALL, BUT HAS FAILED AGAIN...
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT DIAGNOSED AT SERVICE BY DEALER (CAMPBELL/NELSON VW) INDICATED THAT A SENSOR OR SWITCH LOCATED IN THE DRIVER-SIDE SEATBELT LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND EVEN WHEN THE SEATBELT WAS LATCHED, THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A $400 REPAIR AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED FOR AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION, FLASHED, AND REMAINED LIT INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V178000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. BATTERY DEAD, NO POWER IN VEHICLE AT ALL. FOUND MELTED BATTERY FUSE BOX UNDER HOOD. ROOT CAUSE DETERMINED TO BE CORROSION ON ALTERNATOR POWER SUPPLY CABLE THAT CREATED HEAT ENOUGH TO MELT PLASTIC (~450F) AND BURN THE PROTECTIVE COVER OFF THE ALTERNATOR SUPPLY WIRE BACK 2 INCHES. POOR CONTACT DUE TO CORROSION CAUSED BATTERY TO DRAIN, WHICH EVENTUALLY COULD NO LONGER SUSTAIN ENGINE IGNITION. NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO ENGINE STOPPING. NO BATTERY POWER ALSO MEANS NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES, NO AIRBAGS DURING COLLISION. ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE AS DEADLY AS THE GM IGNITION SWITCH ISSUE, BUT IT IS NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY VW. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT UNKNOWN AIR BAG WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
FIRST I MUST ASK MYSELF WHY AM I WASTING MY TIME AGAIN? YOU CAN WRITE TO NHTSA ALL YOU WANT AND EXPLAIN YOUR COMPLAINT / DEFECT BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS IT GOES, THEY NEVER RESPOND AND NOTHING GETS REPAIRED FOR FREE UNLESS NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE YET DIE! *TR
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH. PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OUT FROM UNDERNEATH. CALL TO THE VW DEALERSHIP YIELDED COMMENT FROM SERVICE DEPARTMENT "SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT LATCH BREAKS; YOU NEED TO BRING IT IN AND HAVE IT REPLACED (AT MY COST)". ON MAY 14, 2014 I HAD THE SERVICE REPAIR DONE. MILEAGE WAS 49,486. COST WAS $292.16. SERVICE WAS DONE BY JIM ELLIS VOLKSWAGEN MARIETTA, 1860 COBB PARKWAY, MARIETTA, GA 30060. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. IF WE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, MY PASSENGER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR; THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN LIFE-THREATENING, THEY COULD HAVE DIED. I THINK VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD MAKE A RECALL OF 2003 BEETLE CONVERTIBLES AND REPLACE THE LATCH AND SENSOR (TO AIRBAG) AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER. *TR
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP WE WERE TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG HAD FAILED AND THAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT, AND THAT IT COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT CAUSE WHILE DRIVING. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN ADDRESSED IN 2008 WITH THE VECHICLE AND THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARLY REPAIRED "IT WAS JUST ADDRESSED". I COULD NOT GET ANY FURTHER RESPONSE. I HAVE NEVER HAD OR READ ABOUT A CAR HAVING TO HAVE AIRBAGS REPLACED AS A SCHEDULED SERVICE OR MAINTANCE. AIRBAG FAILURE SHOWES THAT IT WAS NOT DONE RIGHT TO BEGAIN WITH. THE CAR WAS PURCHACED WITH 34,000 MILES AND NOW HAS 60,111 MILES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIRBAG POSSIBLITY DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING MORE THAN NOT DEPLOYING DURING A CRASH. ANY HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THIS MATTER IS MUCH APPRICIATED. *TR
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE ONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 83000 MILES ON IT. THE PARTS TO REPAIR THIS WINDOW ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE - OVER $500. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED WELL OVER $1500 REPLACING THE REGULATORS ALREADY. VOLKSWAGEN IS MAKING DEFECTIVE PARTS AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I FILED A COMPLAINT EARLIER ON THIS VEHICLE FOR A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. I'VE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. THE AIRBAG WAS NEVER DEPLOYED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE IT IS BECAUSE VW PUTS DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING SOUND IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE ROLL OVER BAR SUDDENLY DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,600.
FROM DAY ONE THIS CAR HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHICH WERE DENIED BY THE DEALER ON 5 VISITS, AFTER I SOLD THE CAR I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM VW, NOW THAT I AM LOOKING AT BLOGS THEY HAVE APPARENTLY RECALLED THIS RECALL TO SUIT THEM. OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE WINDOW TROUBLES, CONVERTIBLE ROOF TROUBLES, ELECTRONIC TROUBLES, SEATBELT TROUBLES, AIRBAG TROUBLES. I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WILL ALLOW THIS CAR TO STILL BE SOLD OR ON THE ROAD. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD ON WHEELS. *TR
THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE CAR HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS AND I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. VW SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG, BUT REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND IT. THEY WANT $750 TO FIX IT. IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE EACH WINDOW MOTOR. THEY COST $400 TO REPLACE. THE DRIVER SIDE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THAT MEANS THE FIRST REPLACEMENT LASTED LESS THAN FOUR YEARS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 77,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT AS OF 1/1/11, THESE WERE RECALLED FOR 2004-2006 BEETLES AND 2003-2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLES. NO RECALLS YET FOR 2003 BEETLES, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEMS THAT ARE YET TO BE FIXED BY VW!!! SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE JUST DELAYING THE RECALL UNTIL THEY RECEIVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS/INJURIES. 2 RECALLS OF A FRONTAL SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE IN 4/2008 & A PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (POD) DEALER REPROGRAM REPAIR IN 12/2004 BUT AGAIN NOTHING FOR 2003 MODELS EVEN THOUGH IT STARTED IN LATE 2003. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
RECALL ON AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR BACK IN 2008, WHICH WE HAD REPLACE . HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM CONSTANTLY HAPPEN WERE THE AIR BAG CREASE SENSOR LIGHTS COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WHEN YOU CALL THE DEALERSHIP THEY WANTS TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER. THERE IS ALWAYS A JERKING IN THE POWER TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING . THIS IS DANGEROUS YOU WOULD THINK THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP GOING UP HILL. I MADE A COMPLAINT BACK IN 2009 COMPLAINT #102868 NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THE WIRES UNDER THE SEAT BEGAN EMITTING SMOKE AND THE PLASTIC COATING WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,610.
MY CAR WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NONE OF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND MY FIANCE, WHO WAS DRIVING, SUSTAINED A SPRAINED NECK AND A CONCUSSION AS A RESULT OF HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR
THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT TO SAFERCAR.GOV AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY CONTACT FROM ANYONE ON THIS MATTER. ALL I WANT IS FOR MY AIR BAG SYSTEM TO BE FIXED FOR FREE BY VW IN STOCKTON CA. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN FOUR YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD THE 03 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AND EVERY TIME, VW HAS FOUND THAT THE SENSOR IS AT FAULT. NOW THIS TIME, VW WANTS TO CHARGE ME 678.00 TO FIX IT. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. IT IS 00003 CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE. I AM EXTREMELY ANGRY THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. VW KNOWS THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIX THE SENSORS FREE OF CHARGE EACH TIME, BUT THIS TIME, THEY WILL NOT. THEY NEED TO MAKE A RECALL ON THIS THING. IM SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING TO HAVE MY CAR SERVICED OVER A LIGHT. PLEASE HELP ME. *TR
WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND STAYS ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT GOES OFF AFTER THE CAR IS STARTED EVEN WHEN NO SEATBELTS ARE PUT ON. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 08V178000, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE SYMPTOMS SEEM SIMILAR.
1) I DRIVED MY CAR AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN MARCH 2007. THE FOLLOWING THREE TIMES THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, WAS WHEN I WOULD START MY CAR UP. 2) MARCH 2007-FIRST TIME AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON:HAMMER LANE VW CHARGED ME FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. DECEMBER 2007-AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN:ELK GROVE VW DID NOT CHARGE ME JAN 2008-AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN:ELK GROVE VW DID NOT CHARGE ME JUNE 2008-AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN:ELK GROVE VW DID NOT CHARGE ME SEPTEMBER 2009-AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN:ELK GROVE VW WANTS TO CHARGE ME 230.00 FOR LABOR AND 678.63 FOR PARTS TO FIX AIR BAG LIGHT AND KERRY FROM VW STATES THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL. THE SELF DIAGNOSIS PROTOCOL SAYS 00003 CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE AND 00532 SUPPLY VOLTAGE LOWER LIMIT NOT REACHED SPORADIC. THE SOFTWARE PART NUMBER IS 6Q0909605E 3)BOB FROM BOB'S GERMAN AUTO REPAIR REPLACED AIR BAG SENSOR PASS SIDE FRONT THE FIRST TIME. SECOND TIME: ELK GROVE REPLACED AND REPLACED SEAT BELT DRIVERSIDE AND RESET FAULTS. THIRD TIME:ELK GROVE VW REPLACED SENSOR IN PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. FOURTH TIME: I DECLINED SERVICE FROM ELK GROVE VW AND THEY CHARGED ME 115.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS FAIR AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS HASSLE AND PAY UNFAIR FEES WHEN THERE IS RECALLS ON THIS BEETLES ALL OF THE TIME. IM YOUNG AND I AM GOING TO COLLEGE. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME AND THE MONEY TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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