NHTSA Complaint #10485287 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

WHILE PULLING INTO A GAS STATION AFTER LEAVING A STOP LIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED BUTTONS AND LIGHTS (HORN, STEERING WHEEL, ETC) FLICKERED OFF WHEN TURNING. AT THAT POINT, THE BUTTONS FAILED TO WORK UNLESS THE WHEEL WAS TURNED ALMOST TO FULL LOCK CLOCKWISE. IT TOOK ABOUT A DAY OF DRIVING UNTIL THE AIRBAG LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON TELLING ME THERE WAS A FAULT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION LED TO A FAULTY AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING. NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF PEOPLE REPORTING SIMILAR FAILURES ON VW FORUMS WITH SIMILAR MODEL YEARS. A RESEARCH IN PART NUMBERS SHOW IT'S THE SAME PART NUMBER AND VERSION THROUGH VARIOUS VW MODELS INCLUDING 2006-2013 JETTA, GOLF, GTI, PASSAT, TIGUAN, ETC. MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE WITH THOSE CARS HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. THIS PART SHOULD BE REDESIGNED AND REPLACED IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES SINCE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG CAN FAIL TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH EVEN IF THE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT ISN'T ALWAYS ON. *TR