NHTSA Complaint #10059073 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHILE TURNING INTO THE PARKING DECK AT ONE OF MY SATELLITE OFFICES, MY PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT ANYWHERE ON THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL VW SERVICE CENTER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT BEGIN WORK ON THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY CONTACTED A VW REPRESENTATIVE DUE TO A TECHNICAL BULLETIN. IT TOOK 3 DAYS BEFORE THE VW REPRESENTATIVE RETURNED A CALL TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT TOOK SEVERAL DAYS LONGER BEFORE THE NAMED REPRESENTATIVE FROM VW CUSTOMER RELATIONS CONTACTED ME. THE SERVICE CENTER AT VW ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS CRASH DATA AND A MARK ON THE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE. AFTER SEVERAL MORE DAYS AND AFTER INVOLVING MY INSURANCE COMPANY, VW FINALLY RESPONDED ADVISING ME THAT I MUST HAVE HIT A CURB OR SPEED BUMP WHICH CAUSED MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. IT IS NOW OVER THREE WEEKS LATER AND I HAVE JUST TODAY BEEN INFORMED THAT THE PARTS TO FIX THE VEHICLE ARE BACKORDERED AND NO OTHER PARTS ARE AVAILABLE IN COUNTRY. IN THE SHORT 7 MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCIDENT (MALFUNCTION) AND BOTH TIMES THE PARTS HAVE BEEN BACKORDERED FROM OVERSEAS CAUSING A DELAY IN SERVICING THE VEHICLE OF MORE THAN THREE WEEKS.*AK