2001 Volkswagen Jetta Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 97about this part
- Share
- 15%of 668 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 68,150miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 97 complaints about the air bags of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, 15% of the 668 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 68,150 miles. 29 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The passenger side air bag on my 2001 vw Jetta deployed while I was parking my car at work. As I came to a full stop where I was going to park my car I heard a loud bang from inside the cab of my Jetta. The loud bang distorted my thinking process as I was trying to figure out where the loud noise came from. …”
NHTSA complaint #10783328, filed 2015-10, 190,000 miles“I was stopped at a stop sign. While preparing to drive off. I was struck in the back of the car. I lost consciousness momentarily. An ambulance was called. I was put on a stretcher and transported to the hospital for 8 hours. The airbag of the vehicle did not deploy. Some time after the accident I noticed the airbag light was on. Volkswagen inspected the car and determined that the airbag was faulty in the vehicle”
NHTSA complaint #10810694, filed 2015-12, 100,000 miles“I was driving on the road like 35 or 40 MPH and all the sudden the passenger's airbag exploded,, the one from the seat and the curtain airbag one ... I almost went down out of the road ... It got me by surprise”
NHTSA complaint #11064303, filed 2018-01, 195,500 miles“On a clear day, dry pavement, went to brake in city traffic and brakes failed causing me to rear end the car in front ( causing $2600 damages) and totalling my car. No injuries. Air bag did not deploy, possibly due to the low speed I was travelling.”
NHTSA complaint #10224597, filed 2008-04, 140,000 miles“I was driving to my parents house on christmas morning with four other passengers when I hit a pot hole going less than 25 MPH when my passenger side curtain and passenger thorax airbag deployed without warning shutting off my engine and filling my car with smoke. There was no visible exterior damage to the body, suspension, or tire of my vehicle and not noticeable difference in handling after the incident. Two of my passengers sustained bruises and scrapes to their arms, shoulders, neck, and ribs, as well as temporary hearing impairment one of those passengers being a child. …”
NHTSA complaint #10668359, filed 2014-12, 156,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10213836Jan 22, 2016Airbag Issues.
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 4% |
| 2023 | 1 | 2% |
| 2022 | 1 | 2% |
| 2021 | 5 | 7% |
| 2020 | 2 | 4% |
| 2019 | 16 | 3% |
| 2018 | 6 | 19% |
| 2017 | 21 | 13% |
| 2016 | 7 | 4% |
| 2015 | 17 | 9% |
| 2014 | 37 | 10% |
| 2013 | 31 | 6% |
| 2012 | 34 | 7% |
| 2011 | 37 | 6% |
| 2010 | 31 | 4% |
| 2009 | 35 | 4% |
| 2008 | 20 | 11% |
| 2007 | 35 | 17% |
| 2006 | 65 | 11% |
| 2005 | 26 | 10% |
| 2004 | 21 | 9% |
| 2003 | 77 | 17% |
| 2002 | 108 | 15% |
| 2001 | 97 | 15% |
| 2000 | 41 | 9% |
| 1999 | 30 | 9% |
| 1998 | 9 | 5% |
| 1997 | 5 | 9% |
| 1995 | 22 | 10% |
| 1994 | 4 | 3% |
| 1986 | 1 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
117 complaintsEngine cooling
109 complaintsExterior lighting
80 complaintsBrakes
77 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
71 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
62 complaintsBody and structure
43 complaintsFuel system
28 complaintsSeats
27 complaintsEquipment
19 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
18 complaintsOther or unknown
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology