2002 Volkswagen Gti

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING OUT OF PARKING LOT, TURNING INTO THE MAIN STREET WHEN SUDDENLY WE HEAR A LOUD EXPLOSION AND INSIDE THE CAR WAS COVER IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE AND WHITE POWER. IT TOOK US FEW MIN TO REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED SINCE WE BOTH HAD RINGING EAR FOR A MOMENT. WE FINALLY WE WERE ABLE TO COME BACK AND THINK STRAIGHT AGAIN TO REALIZE THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND SIDE-HEAD CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED, WE INSPECTED THE CAR TO SEE IF WE GOT HIT ANOTHER CAR, NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE INDICATION ANY TYPE OF CRASH. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT BUCKLE PART (1Y1858471G - "FCN BUCKLE") HAD FAILED. THIS PART ALSO FAILED 7/06 AT 45,900 MILES ALONG WITH THE COMPARABLE PART FOR THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE WHEN THIS PART DOES NOT FUNCTION. IN 8/06 VW MADE A PARTIAL, GOODWILL WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002.5 GTI DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 40MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT AIR BAGS WENT OFF. THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT AND SMOOTH OTHER THAN NORMAL EXPANSION JOINTS. MY WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND HAS BRUISING AND MINOR BURNS ON HER ARM. ONCE THE BAGS WENT OFF THE CAR SHUT OFF BUT I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER IT OFF THE ROAD WAY SAFELY. I HAVE CONTACTED VWOA ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND I HOPE THEY WILL SATISFACTORILY RESOLVE THE ISSUE. *JS

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 5 MPH, I HIT A CURB AND THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE. I CALLED VW AND THEY SAID THAT REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED OF THE ACCIDENT IF THE CAR FEELS ANYTHING NEAR THE CRASH SENSORS THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO NEED AND ACTUALLY MADE THE SITUATION MORE DANGEROUS AND TROUBLESOME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR IMPACT. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 05/19/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED VOLKSWAGEN STILL HAS THE VEHICLE AFTER 3 MONTHS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE PARTS. UPDATED 05/20/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 75-80 MPH, THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. AS OF DECEMBER 13, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 67,000. UPDATED 3/4/08 *CN THE DEALER DECIDED TO FIX THE VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI WHEN SUDDENLY THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE, ROCK, OR ANY OBJECT OF ANY KIND. THE ENGINE THEN SHUT OFF BUT I MANAGED TO SAFELY MOVE MY CAR TO THE RIGHT LANE. AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT I SUFFERED MINOR BURNS AND A SORE BACK. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TELLING ME IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT AND THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING. THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE GTI INTO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAGS TO HAVE DEPLOYED. HE THEN SENT THAT INFORMATION TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. TWO DAY LATER THEY CALLED ME TO ASK ME TO ONCE AGAIN BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SO THAT A REPRESENTATIVE COULD INSPECT THE CAR. I WILL BE BRINGING THE CAR IN TOMORROW. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER 400,000 TIMES. IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS GOING TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I AM NOW PURSUING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. I AM ABSOLUTELY STUNNED THAT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE DEFECTS. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VW AGAIN, AND I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO DISCOURAGE ANYBODY I KNOW FROM PURCHASING A VOLKSWAGEN. THESE CLAIMS NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT BEFORE SERIOUS INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH, OCCURS. *JB

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM VISITING MY PARENTS IN LOUISIANA OVER THE HOLIDAYS. I WAS GETTING ONTO 45/75 GOING NORTH FROM INTERSTATE 30W HERE IN DALLAS, TX. AS I CROSS OVER THE LANES, I HEAR A REALLY LOUD POP. THERE WAS A LARGE FLASH AND THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED, WHICH CAUSED ME TO SWERVE TO MISS ANOTHER CAR. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WENT WRONG. MY FIRST ASSUMPTIONS WERE THAT EITHER I BLEW A TIRE OR THAT SOMEONE HAD SHOT A FIREARM AT MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER DOWNTOWN AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EXTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE (TIRES WERE FINE AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING). FOR SOME REASON MY PASSENGER SIDE UPPER FRONT AND REAR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS DID THE SIDE AIR BAG IN THE SEAT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAGS. I AM VERY HAPPY AND FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR AT THE TIME AND THAT I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. I AM REPORTING THIS TO VWOA. *NM

SPONTANEOUS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT 8-10-05 I WAS DRIVING ALONE DOWN A BOULEVARD AT 35 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE A GUNSHOT FROM MY RIGHT SIDE. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LEAVING ME WITH AN EAR ACHE, AS WELL AS INTERIOR FULL OF SMOKE AND DEBRIS. WORST OF ALL, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I COASTED ABOUT 200 FEET THEN TURNED ONTO A SIDE STREET. I'M FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE, RUT, CURB OR ANYTHING ELSE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A WELL-TRAVELED SMOOTH ROAD IN DENVER (SOUTH BROADWAY). THE AIRBAGS JUST DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AFTER GATHERING MY WITS AND AIRING OUT THE CAR, I RESTARTED IT AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO MY LOCAL VW SERVICE FACILITY. THE NEXT DAY, MY SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THE MECHANIC SAW EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT ON THE SIDE OF THE FRAME. I EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR WAS ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I ALSO MENTIONED THAT 18 MONTHS AGO I HAD HIT A SQUARE-EDGED RUT IN THE ROAD THAT CAUSED SOME RIM DAMAGE TO THE FRONT-RIGHT WHEEL AND ALSO CAUSED A TIRE IMPACT SEPARATION (BUBBLE). PERHAPS THIS IS THE IMPACT MARK THAT THE MECHANIC DETECTED. I GAVE THIS STATEMENT TO VWOA AT MY ADVISOR'S REQUEST. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS THE CAR IS LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD AND UNDER 50,000 MILES. MY LOCAL SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME BACK TO SAY THAT A SUPERVISOR WILL DETERMINE HOW TO PROCEED WITH REPAIRS. EVIDENTLY, THIS IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY A WARRANTY ITEM. VWOA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FULLY INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER AND TAKE PREVENTIVE ACTIONS IMMEDIATELY. THERE ARE SEVERAL VW OWNERS IN MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY. WE ARE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIRBAG SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE EVEN AFTER REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED. *NM