NHTSA Complaint #10061865 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN; ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE TURN MY DRIVERS' SIDE FRONT AND REAR SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS AS WELL AS THE DRIVERS' SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THERE IS A POT HOLE AT THAT INTERSECTION, HOWEVER I DO NOT REMEMBER HITTING IT, I ONLY REMEMBER GETTING HIT IN THE HEAD BY THE AIRBAG. IF I HAD HIT THE POT HOLE, THE AIRBAGS STILL SHOULD HAVE NOT DEPLOYED BECAUSE I WAS ONLY GOING AT MOST 10MPH, THE RIMS NOR THE TIRES WERE DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR AT ALL BESIDES THE AIRBAGS. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED, THEY WOULD NOT FILL OUT A COMPLAINT SINCE THERE WASN'T ACTUALLY AN ACCIDENT. I THEN CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT SINCE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER VW AMERICA HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA. THEY TOLD THE DEALERSHIP NOT TO FIX IT AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FILE WITH OUR INSURANCE BECAUSE THERE WERE CRASH DATA CODES. THEY DID NOT BOTHER READING THE CODES TO SEE HOW FAST I WAS DRIVING, BUT THEY DECIDED IT WAS MY FAULT SINCE THE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, THEREFORE I MUST HAVE HIT A POTHOLE. AFTER 3 WEEKS OF FIGHTING WITH VW AMERICA, WE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, AFTER 2 WEEKS OF WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM, THEY ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP, THEY STOPPED HELPING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ACCIDENT VICTIMS OVER A YEAR AGO. WE FILED A CLAIM WITH OUR INSURANCE AND HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE. WE ARE CURRENTLY FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE STATE FOR THE POTHOLE THAT ALLEGEDLY CAUSED THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I HAVE CONSTANT HEADACHES AS A RESULT OF GETTING HIT IN THE HEAD BY THE AIRBAGS. I WILL NEVER AGAIN OWN A VOLKSWAGEN, THEY ARE UNSAFE VEHICLES AND THE WAY THEY TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS IS UNACCEPTABLE! *AK