Volkswagen Jetta Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 839 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Volkswagen Jetta across 29 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (108). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (31% of reports).
- 839air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 253mention a crash
- 210mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- $980typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 256 of 839 complaints (31%)
- Airbags deployed: mentioned in 81 of 839 complaints (10%)
- Side curtain: mentioned in 69 of 839 complaints (8%)
- Failed deploy: mentioned in 43 of 839 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the Volkswagen Jetta at $980, and half of them between $610 and $2,100.
Based on 35 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 506 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 839 complaints, 253 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 210 an injury.
Volkswagen Jetta air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Jetta | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2023 Jetta | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Jetta | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Jetta | 5 | 7% | 60 |
| 2020 Jetta | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2019 Jetta | 16 | 3% | 6,250 |
| 2018 Jetta | 6 | 19% | 24,600 |
| 2017 Jetta | 21 | 13% | 27,500 |
| 2016 Jetta | 7 | 4% | 18,500 |
| 2015 Jetta | 17 | 9% | 41,500 |
| 2014 Jetta | 37 | 10% | 55,268 |
| 2013 Jetta | 31 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Jetta | 34 | 7% | 63,000 |
| 2011 Jetta | 37 | 6% | 77,000 |
| 2010 Jetta | 31 | 4% | 63,975 |
| 2009 Jetta | 35 | 4% | 75,000 |
| 2008 Jetta | 20 | 11% | 94,000 |
| 2007 Jetta | 35 | 17% | 60,000 |
| 2006 Jetta | 65 | 11% | 85,000 |
| 2005 Jetta | 26 | 10% | 78,600 |
| 2004 Jetta | 21 | 9% | 43,180 |
| 2003 Jetta | 77 | 17% | 38,711 |
| 2002 Jetta | 108 | 15% | 50,000 |
| 2001 Jetta | 97 | 15% | 68,150 |
| 2000 Jetta | 41 | 9% | 65,000 |
| 1999 Jetta | 30 | 9% | 66,000 |
| 1998 Jetta | 9 | 5% | 120,000 |
| 1997 Jetta | 5 | 9% | 92,000 |
| 1995 Jetta | 22 | 10% | 68,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position.
Risk: Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.
Air bags:frontal
Model years: 2019
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta vehicles. An incorrect driver frontal airbag may have been installed during a service/repair visit.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the wrong air bag may not work correctly, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag with the correct part, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y7.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Model years: 2003
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X3.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Model years: 2015
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to November 28, 2014, Golf vehicles manufactured April 2, 2014, to December 3, 2014, and E-Golf vehicles manufactured July 26, 2014, to October 18, 2014. The affected vehicles are equipped a Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) that may have been manufactured improperly. As a result, the front passenger seat occupant may be improperly classified or may not be detected.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger seat occupant is incorrectly classified or non-detected, the passenger frontal air bag may deploy improperly or not at all, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PODS control module, free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswgen's number for this recall is 69L6.
Air bags:frontal
Model years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
There is a known issue released by Volkswagen that certain model years of their vehicles are eligible for a limited extended warranty regarding the clock spring. In their release announcement VWP-18-11 on April 27, 2023, they specifically mentioned vehicle year model 2010 to 2022 qualifies for U37…
Airbag delopy
Suddenly the car showed the abs, cruise control, air bag , and a flashing break light on the dashboard. Took to dealership to get diagnostic and the Abs control module needs to be replaced.
Airbags did not deploy..as per police report
There was an intersection, I hit a car head on and no airbags went off
Frequently asked questions
Do all Volkswagen Jettas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 839 owner complaints about air bags for the Volkswagen Jetta. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Volkswagen Jetta air bags?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the Volkswagen Jetta?
Owners report a typical cost of $980 (half paid between $610 and $2,100), from 35 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Volkswagen Jetta?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 256 of 839 complaints, followed by “airbags deployed” (81).
Other Volkswagen Jetta problems
- Electrical System problems (2,099)
- Power Train problems (1,600)
- Engine problems (1,083)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (854)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (604)
- Fuel System, Diesel problems (527)
- Visibility problems (486)
- Service Brakes problems (482)
See all Volkswagen Jetta problems.