2000 Volkswagen Passat Airbags Problems

Side airbag deployed for no reason while driving straight at the speed limit of 75 mph. The local VW dealer determined the side impact sensor is defective. This is a very interesting situation because a fail safe exists in these systems in that the supplemental restraint control module in the center of the car must simultaneously "see" a side impact g force in order to deploy the side air bag. In other words even with a defective side impact sensor The side air bag should not have deployed. At the time of the incident the vehicle was travelling straight ahead next to a semi truck. No such impact occurred and the VW dealer confirmed the vehicle has no evidence of such an impact. I had this investigated by Volkswagen AG and my local dealer. Suffered broken teeth, bruised ribs, hearing loss in left ear.

NHTSA ID

11705331

Incident

Sep 8, 2025

A RAINY NIGHT, 10:30 PM., ON THE FREEWAY RETURNING HOME FROM A SYMPHONY CONCERT, THE ENGINE SIMPLY QUIT. I, HUSBAND/DRIVER, TRIED THREE TIME TO RESTART IT BEFORE YELLING TO MY WIFE TO TURN ON EMERGENCY FLASHERS WHICH SHE DID. AS WE SLOWED, I REMEMBER SEEING ALL ICONS ON DASH BLINKING. BOTH OF US WERE KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND DO NOT REMEMBER BEING HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INJURIES SUSTAINED: A CONTUSION AND MINOR WHIPLASH BY HUSBAND; FRACTURED C-7 AND T-1 VERTEBRATES AND CONCUSSION BY MY WIFE. SHE HAS BEEN IN A NECK-TO-WAIST BRACE FROM NOV. 10, 2013 UNTIL PRESENT. WE ALWAYS MAINTAINED OUR PASSAT SCRUPULOUSLY ACCORDING TO VW STANDARDS AT THEIR SERVICE CENTERS BY THEIR TRAINED MECHANICS. ONE MONTH EARLIER WE HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START AFTER DRIVING IT SOMEPLACE. TWICE HAD TO WAIT FOR AAA TOWING. AAA ABLE TO START IT RIGHT UP AS THOUGH NOTHING WAS WRONG. VW RAN "FAULT CODES" BUT FOUND NO PROBLEM.WE BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AT VW'S SUGGESTION. SOMETHING WENT HORRIBLY WRONG WITH OUR CAR INSPITE OF OUR RESPONSIBLE MAINTENANCE. WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT TO BE KILLED. WE WISH TO KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER CASES LIKE OURS. AT THE VERY LEAST, WE WANT OTHERS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS POSSIBLE DANGER. I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THIS REPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566419

Incident

Nov 9, 2013

Mileage

137,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED HOWEVER NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10499204

Incident

Nov 25, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

FAX FROM CONGRESSMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REGARDING A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH HER VW PASSAT. *KB IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. SHE WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 8-10 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. *JB UPDATED 09/18/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10202604

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

PREMATURE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILURE. I HAVE RECEIVED AN AIR BAG FAULT' WARNING CODE. FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS HAVE INDICATED THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG IS NECESSARY. THIS ON A 6-YEAR-OLD VEHICLE. CONSIDERING THAT THERE ARE VEHICLES 3 TIMES AS OLD THAT ARE STILL ON THEIR ORIGINAL AIR BAGS, I WOULD CONSIDER THIS FAILURE UNACCEPTABLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10161456

Incident

Jul 5, 2006

Mileage

86,700 mi

THIS VEHICLE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED, AND THE SRS AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND REVERSE WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING TURNED ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THE SRS AIR BAG LIGHT MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103091

Incident

Dec 3, 2004

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON TWICE. THE FIRST TIME FRONT AND SIDE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS WERE REPLACED, COSTING $1200. THE SECOND TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON VW WAS CONTACTED AND THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, $300 FOR A WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE ADVISE, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAPPEN CONSIDERING THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. SERVICE MANAGER AT VOLKSWAGEN COMPARED AIR BAG TO A "LIGHT BULB." SAYING THAT LIKE LIGHT BULBS AIRBAGS ALSO BURN OUT AFTER A WHILE, A RATHER POMPOUS STATEMENT TO MAKE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10078291

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

45,000 mi

2000 VW PASSAT WAGON. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (70 MPH) WHEN HER PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT, BUMP OR INCIDENT WHICH SHOULD HAVE CAUSED DEPLOYMENT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG THEN DEPLOYED ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER WHILE SHE WAS STILL IN MOTION. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION SHOWED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT/MELTDOWN IN THE CENTER CONSOLE WIRING. FUTHER INVESTIAGTION IMPENDING. THANKFULLY THE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT THAT RATE OF SPEED AND A FULL FLEDGED FIRE DID NOT DEVELOP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10064226

Incident

Mar 24, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. CIRCLE VOLKWAGEN DEALER QUOTED ME $900 TO FIX FOUR SENSORS. WE CALLED VOLKSWAGON U.S. AND THEY SAID VW WOULD PAY ALL COSTS TO FIX THE AIR BAGS SENSORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10052794

Incident

Dec 10, 2003

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING I EXPERIENCED A SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE LATERAL AIR BAG IN MY 2000 VW PASSAT. WITH DEPLOYMENT, ALL ELECTICAL POWER WAS LOST TO THE VEHICLE, LEAVING ME WITH NO CONTROL OF THE AUTO. THERE HAD BEEN NO COLLISION OR IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG JUST WENT OFF BY ITSELF. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO PASSENGERS FROM THE AIRBAG, BUT IT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030716

Incident

Aug 4, 2003

Mileage

33,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD.*JB

NHTSA ID

10007366

Incident

Feb 11, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THIS RESULTED IN DRIVER BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED. CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY ON DISABILITY AS THE RESULT OF THE INJURIES OBTAINED BY THIS ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ID

10001553

Incident

Nov 24, 2002

Mileage

1,200 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. VEHICLE RAN OVER A SMALL ROCK AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. WHICH CAUSE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. REPLACED AIR BAG, SENOR LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND STAYED ON. *MR

NHTSA ID

8020378

Incident

Sep 8, 2002

RIGHT FRONT SEAT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE, DAMAGE TO RIGHT WHEEL AND TIRE, VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT, CLAIM 13-7212-517. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6901313

Incident

Dec 27, 2000

CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLAMP WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED.*JB

NHTSA ID

565861

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. LEFT SIDE AIRBAG MADE CONTACT WITH "LEFT CENTER PILLAR POST" WHICH RUPTURED AIRBAG, RELEASING GASSES INTO VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED VISION PROBLEMS AFTER THIS INCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

882319

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

737794

Incident

Nov 24, 2000