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 Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 76 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 76, in the owner's own words
DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, NO APPARENT REASON. DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT 35 MPH NO APPARENT REASON. INJURED DRIVER WITH BURNS AND RINGING IN EAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VW JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE, THE VEHICLE EMITTED SMOKE AND STALLED. THE AIR BAGS ALSO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED AND THERE WAS SMOKE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 11/12/14*LJ UPDATED 7/27/2015 *JS
PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER GOING INTO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO TIRES, WHEELS, OR BODY OF CAR. INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THE PASSENGER SIDE OVERHEAD AND SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *TR
AIR BAG SENSORS FAILURE. IN EVENT OF A CRASH AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. THERE ARE 1000'S OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET
I WAS DRIVING UP OLNEY ST. IN PROVIDENCE, RI WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE SIDE AIRBAG CURTAIN AND WAIST SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AND IMPACT. *TR
2003 VW JETTA TDI SPONTANEOUS/UNINTENDED PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (SEAT) AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG (WINDOW) DEPLOYMENT. WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY S880 HAYWARD,CA AT 65MPH ON MAR 01 2011. PASSENGER SIDE, SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, IMPACT WITH ROAD DEBRIS OR ROUGH PAVEMENT INVOLVED. IT WILL BE REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. SEEKING REPAIR EARS RINGING, SMOKE, ENGINE SHUT OFF COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD AIR OUT SMOKE AND ENGINE WAS ABLE TO START. STOPPED ONE MILE DOWN ROAD AND REPORT TO CHP ON SIDE OF ROAD AT A STREET. THIS HAPPENED AT 9:25PM ON MY WAY TO WORK. *TR
DRIVER STARTED FROM A STOPPED POSITION, RAN OVER CURB BETWEEN 5-10 MPH, SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 87 IN NEW YORK WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVERSIDE AIRBAGS IN OUR 2003 JETTA DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. NO LIGHTS WHERE ON OR ANY IMPACT OR CRASH. *TR
HEADED WEST ON I70 IN EAGLE COUNTY AND HIT AN ICE BRIDGE AND WENT HEAD ON TO A CONCRETE BARRIER. 03 TDI JETTA WAS TOTALED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. *TR
2003 VW JETTA: SPONTANEOUS/UNINTENDED PASSENGER SIDE, SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. WHILE DRIVING SUBJECT CAR ON MAY 5, 2010, PASSENGER SIDE, SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, IMPACT WITH ROAD DEBRIS OR ROUGH PAVEMENT INVOLVED. REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. SEEKING REPAIR OF SAME. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY CAR OVER RAILROAD TRACKS WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING SLOW AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. MY VW DEALERSHIP INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE AGENT. THEY CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF COLLISION AND REFUSED TO COVER DAMAGES. THEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO VW AND THEY DISCOVERED SOME UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE AND INFORMED MY INSURANCE AGENCY. UPON RE-INVESTIGATION OF THE CAR THE INSURANCE DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD NOW COVER THE DAMAGES THAT ARE ESTIMATED AT AROUND $5,000 BUT I HAVE A $500 DEDUCTIBLE AND MY PREMIUMS WILL NOW GO UP. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED RAILROAD TRACKS SHOULD NOT DEPLOY AIRBAGS AND I SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COSTS RELATED. *TR
2003 VW JETTA - SIDE AND WINDOW AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON PASSENGER SIDE WHILE CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT. NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF IMPACT TO CAUSE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. WILL HAVE TO HAVE NEW AIRBAGS PUT BACK IN AT APPROXIMATE COST OF $2,500. IF DEPLOYED WHILE VEHICHLE MOVING COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. VW TOLD US GOING OVER A POTHOLE CAN ALSO CAUSE THEM TO DEPLOY. *CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 45 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 118,000.
I WAS IN A REAR END INCIDENT IN WHICH MY 2003VW JETTA WAS STRUCK ALMOST DEAD-ON IN THE REAR BY A 2009 BMW SEDAN. BOTH MY WIFE, SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, AND I, DRIVING, WERE WEARING THREE POINT SEAT BELTS. THE AIRBAGS IN OUR VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVERS SEAT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WERE RECLINED ALMOST COMPLETELY AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT, TO THE POINT THAT ANY REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WE MIGHT HAVE HAD IN THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN PINNED BY THE RECLINED FRONT SEATS. *TR UPDATED 05/20/09 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 05/27/09.*JB
VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN DRIVER ENCOUNTERED MINOR POT HOLE IN ROAD. THERE WAS NO EXTERIOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR WHEELS DUE TO THE POT HOLE. DRIVER PAID OUT OF POCKET (AND VIA INSURANCE) TO REPLACE AIRBAG SYSTEM. VOLKSWAGEN ACKNOWLEDGES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY SYSTEM OR REPAIRS. DRIVER SUFFERED POTENTIALLY PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE DUE TO BLAST OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR
DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG AND THE PASSENGER WINDOW AIR BAG JUST WENT OFF FOR NOW REASON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND NOTHING HIT MY CAR. *TR
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING A 2003 JETTA GLS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 35MPH WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS "CURTAINS AND SEAT AIRBAGS" SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. AFTER CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON 2002-2004 JETTAS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE THAT IS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED BY VW OF AMERICA.
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THIS WAS NOT PRECEDED BY A POTHOLE, FLAT TIRE, SWERVE, OR ANY OTHER EVENT. DRIVER WAS HIT IN HEAD BY AIRBAG, BUT MANAGED TO CONTROL CAR AND BRING TO HALT IN BREAKDOWN LANE. ONLY DAMAGE TO CAR IS THE AIRBAG. NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. *TR
WAS DRIVING TO A MOVIE THEATER AND A WAS DOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND I HIT A SMALL POT HOLE IN THE ROAD AND MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED THERE NO DENTS NO CRASH NOTHING AT ALL. *JB
THE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA STATION WAGON WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHICH WAS LANDSCAPED WITH 3.5-INCH HIGH BELGIAN BLOCK CURBS. FROM A PARKED POSITION AND AT A DEAD STOP THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AT ALMOST NO SPEED SO THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE CLIMBED ONE OF THE BELGIAN BLOCK CURBS. THE DRIVER WAS ALONE IN THE CAR. AS THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE CLIMED THE BELGIAN BLOCK CURB THE PASSENGER'S SEATBACK SIDE-THORAX AIRBAG AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT AIRBAG WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, BUT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE OF ANY DAMAGE TO ANY PART OF THE CAR ARISING FROM THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND THE BELGIAN BLOCK CURB. *AK
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER IT DEPLOYED. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S EARS. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 60,000. *AK
I PURCHASED A 2003 VW JETTA THIS PAST APRIL. ON NOVEMBER 22, 2006 AT 6:00 AM ON INTERSTATE 395 CT, MY SIDE DRIVER AIRBAGS, BACK SEAT AIRBAG AND DRIVER SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING ON THE HIGHWAY NOR WAS MY CAR STRUCK BY ANY OBJECT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT DAY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD FIND A DEFECT AND FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD OF BEING HELPED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER I WAS ACCUSED OF HITTING SOMETHING. THEY SAID THERE WAS DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY INSURANCE BRANCH AND THEY FOUND NO DAMAGE. VW AGAIN REFUSED MY CLAIM. I THEN HAD THE INSURANCE COMPANY COME TO THE DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT THE CAR. LATER THAT WEEK THE INSURANCE COMPANY HIRED AN INVESTIGATOR TO EXAMINE THE CAR AND HE FOUND NO DAMAGE TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. MY INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY THE $3,000 TO FIX THE CAR AND VW WILL NOT PAY. I HAVE 3 DEPLOYED AIRBAGS AND ONE BROKEN DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. *JB
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JETTA JLS. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF BY A TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, FLIPPED OVER SIDEWAYS, AND END OVER END, LANDING UPSIDE DOWN IN A CANAL. THE DRIVER WAS PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE AND IT BECAME SUBMERGED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE DOORS, THE REAR AND THE FRONT. THE AIR BAG SIDE/CURTAIN, FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY DURING THE CRASH. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE BOTH 35000. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKE NOSE, AS WELL AS, OTHER INJURIES. *AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE WAS T-BONED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FIVE PEOPLE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.
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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