2015 Volkswagen Golf Airbags Problems

15V483000 (VW Recall Code 69L2) was issued for 2014 Volkswagen Golf's indicating a "clock spring" affecting a cable that powers the air bag. This is indicated also by the airbag emergency light coming on. I believe a similar, if not the same, issue is occurring in my 2015 VW Golf. Furthermore, the issue has affected all mechanical buttons on the steering wheel. I had taken my vehicle to a VW mechanic that indicated a recall had been issued for this problem. However, upon my own further investigation, I found 2014 was the cut off year for the recall. The issue appeared during the winter last year. I did contact my nearest VW dealership to instigate as to if this issue could be repaired under the aforementioned recall for the 2014. I was informed they could not. As this is an issue in pervious models and is a safety concern, I am issuing this letter in hopes this safety issue could be repaired at the expense of Volkswagen.

NHTSA ID

11750947

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

Air bag error appeared on dashboard. Horn is not functioning as well. May be due to a faulty switch in the steering.

NHTSA ID

11529909

Incident

Jun 29, 2023

Clock spring issue in VW golf’s should re reinvestigated. These are failing on these cars and companies are not looking into fixes or warranty help for these devices that should last. It’s shortsighted for consumers to continue to deal with this issue.

NHTSA ID

11508805

Incident

Feb 3, 2023

My airbag light came on today as I was backing out of a parking space (7/29/22 and mileage 235845), and this was after plastic creaking/cracking noises coming from my steering wheel for quite a while when I turned it. The frequency and amount of noise when I turned the wheel had increased a lot lately. This is the second time this exact thing has happened - I had to replace the clock spring in the steering wheel once before (3/19/19 at milage 154165). While I know I drive a lot, it’s mostly straight on the interstate since I live in a rural area, so I am not turning the wheel constantly. I’m hesitant about if it’s worth it to spend money on replacing it since the last time it was almost $800, and has now broken again, only 80k miles later. I know that earlier years of VWs had this part recalled and I am wondering if that should have extended to 2015s - although I’m not sure what good that would do me since the replacement one I had installed at the dealer also broke.

NHTSA ID

11476528

Incident

Jul 29, 2022

Clockspring broken it’s the third time in 4 years. I was pulling out of a parking lot making a left turn. There was a ratcheting sound from the steering wheel. I then had an airbag error and none of the steering wheel mounted controls were working including the horn. The defective part is still installed.

NHTSA ID

11446968

Incident

Jan 8, 2022

We purchased our VW Golf TDI ([XXX]) in January 2015 and have now had to replace the clock spring three times. The first two times were covered under the 69L2 limited warranty(See attached bills) but our car now has 128,000 miles and is considered ineligible. We do not understand why our model year was not included under the unlimited warranty extension as part of the 69L2 campaign. When a major component fails three times over a six year period, there is obviously something wrong with it that has not been addressed. Our teenage son drives the car and it is unsafe to have life-saving components like the airbag and horn fail on a regular basis. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11444518

Incident

Nov 1, 2021

Steering wheel started clicking when turned. Airbag light came on.

NHTSA ID

11436071

Incident

Sep 30, 2021

The steering control module and clockspring is faulty. My transmission light and airbag light came on. I brought it to my German auto repair shop and he did some research. It was confirmed as a faulty part and vw should pay for it. My functioning airbags and cruise control are things i rely on for safety. I will bring it in to a dealership because the clockspring has to be programmed by a dealership. I live 300 miles from a vw dealership and it is a real pain.

NHTSA ID

11421339

Incident

Jun 7, 2021

CLOCK SPRING BROKE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND RECALL FOR PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT MINE. SYMPTOMS ARE AIRBAG LIGHT ON, INOPERABLE STEERING WHEEL ACCESSORIES INCLUDING HORN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS UPON STARTING FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

11406568

Incident

Apr 4, 2021

Mileage

1,001,060 mi

THE CLOCKSPRING BROKE ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO I HAD IT REPLACED. IT BROKE AGAIN LAST WEEK. THE AIRBAG IS DISABLED AS IS THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11355305

Incident

Sep 10, 2020

Mileage

112,000 mi

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF AIRBAGS THEY ARE, I'VE HAD TO HAVE MY CLUTCH REPLACED, WATERPUMP AND THERMOSTAT AND MY HEATER CORES, NOW MY COOLANT HOSE HAS GONE OUT ALL THIS IN LET THAN 3 MONTHS AND I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE, ROTORS TWO TIMES IN TWO YEARS IT'S GOT TO BE SOME WRONG I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR IT ONLY HAVE 72686 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11230853

Incident

Mar 28, 2019

Mileage

69,896 mi

KEPT HEARING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. TODAY WHEN BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT, THERE WAS A REAL LOUD CLICK, ALMOST LIKE A SNAP, AND MY AIR BAG ERROR MESSAGE IMMEDIATELY SHOWED UP AND NONE OF THE BUTTONS ON MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD WORK ANYMORE

NHTSA ID

11208694

Incident

May 20, 2019

Mileage

52,000 mi

I WAS TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO PARALLEL PARK TODAY AND HEARD A 'CLICK' FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ONE. I DID SOME INVESTIGATION, AND MY PROBLEM IS EXACTLY WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THIS ARTICLE: HTTPS://AUTOWEEK.COM/ARTICLE/RECALLS/NHTSA-INVESTIGATE-415000-VW-VEHICLES-AIRBAG-ISSUE MY HORN IS NOT WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE LOST ELECTRICAL CONTROL ON ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS INCLUDES VOLUME BUTTONS, HANDS-FREE PHONE CONTROL BUTTONS, AND THE BUTTON THAT CHANGES THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY.

NHTSA ID

11175917

Incident

Feb 9, 2019

Mileage

27,800 mi

AS I WAS TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL, I HEARD A CRINKLE SOUND AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I REALIZED LATER THAT I COULD NO LONGER HONK THE HORN. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE, THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN WITHIN WEEKS. I CANNOT HONK MY HORN AND I AM CONCERNED THAT MY AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

NHTSA ID

11142378

Incident

Sep 1, 2017

AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHTS ON. TOOK TO DEALER VENTURA VOLKSWAGEN. THEY CHARGED ME $145 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THEN SAY IT WILL COST $615 TO REPLACE THE "CLOCK SPRING." THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER HAVE DEPLOYED. VENTURA VOLKSWAGEN SAYS IT IS NOT UNDER RECALL NOR COVERED BY MY WARRANTY AND WILL CHARGE ME $615 TO FIX IT. INVOICE FROM THE DEALER IS ATTACHED.

NHTSA ID

11092378

Incident

May 7, 2018

TAKATA RECALL- 2015 GTI. TURNED CAR ON AT 5:30 AFTER WORK AND AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT CAME ON, NO CONTROLS IN STEERING WHEEL WORKING LIKE VOLUME , BLUE TOOTH CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN. CAR WAS PARKED FOR 8 HOURS. LIGHT DRIVING CITY TRAFFIC USUALLY FROM AND BACK TO WORK. THERE WAS NO INDICATION, JUST STOPPED. 44.000 MILES. CAR WAS BOUGHT AT 34500 MILES EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO (2017) NO HORN AND NO AIRBAG WORKING AS OF YESTERDAY IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND DEALERSHIP SAID THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR MAKE MODEL YEAR !

NHTSA ID

11076024

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

Mileage

44,000 mi

STEERING COLUMN CONTROL MECHANISM, AIR BAG SENSOR, LOCK MECHANISM. SAW AN ARTICLE POSTED LAST WEEK ABOUT PREVIOUS RECALL NOT RESOLVING A KNOW ISSUE WITH AIRBAGS THAT AFFECTS THE STEERING COLUMN. I JUST HAD TO PAY $641.10 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VW SHOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP MY MONEY.

NHTSA ID

11047379

Incident

Oct 11, 2017

Mileage

39,000 mi

ONGOING AIRBAG DEFECT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING. ALSO WARNING ON INFORMATION SCREEN. DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. CAR HAS ONLY 5700 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10947669

Incident

Nov 14, 2016

Mileage

4,800 mi

I'M A DRIVER WHO DRIVE THIS CAR WHEN I TRIED TO TURN LEFT THE VEHICLE HAS AIRBAG POP UP AND THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND HIT WHEN IM OFF THE FREEWAY

NHTSA ID

10936218

Incident

Jun 13, 2015

Mileage

6,198 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON 210N PASADENA FWY WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AND OFF AVE43 AROUND 4AM. I TRIED TO TURN WHEEL FOR OFF BUT AIRBAG FROM WHEEL COME OUT WHILE I TURN OFF FWY AND THAT DAY I JUST WENT TO ONE OF VWDEALER FOR CHECK SOME THING AND AFTER THAT I GOT A LOGO OF VW ON MY HAND LIKE A TATTOO AND MY CAR IT WAS TOTAL LOSS. MY GIRLFRIEND SHE WAS PAIN INSIDE HER BACK BECAUSE WE BOTH GOT AN ACCIDENT FROM SOMEBODY HIT BEHIND MY CAR. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR AND FIRST TIME BUYER AND I NEVER KNOW ABOUT GAP INSURANCE ON THAT TIME I JUST BOUGHT FOR ABOUT 2MONTH AND STILL OWN THAT MONEY EFFECT TO MY CREDIT UNTIL NOW. MY JOB IS DRIVER AND I NEED A CAR SO HOW CAN I DO WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10929773

Incident

Jun 13, 2015

Mileage

5,400 mi

AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT RECOGNIZING OCCUPANT IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. AIRBAG IS OFF WITH SEAT OCCUPIED. CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE TO ASK ABOUT RECALL 69L6 WHICH DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD OUR VIN WAS NOT IN THE RECALL ALTHOUGH YOUR WEBSITE GIVES OUR MANUFACTURE DATE OF 18 JULY 2014 AS INSIDE THE RECALL RANGE. PERHAPS THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. AIRBAG LIGHT ON AT ALL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10821849

Incident

Jan 21, 2016

Mileage

33,000 mi