Vehicle Data Hub

2003 Volkswagen Jetta air bags problems

82 complaints about air bags have been filed for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, which is 15% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the 3rd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
82 15% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
36,000 miles 59 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
15 and 1
Injuries and deaths
29 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When air bags problems show up

Air bags complaints by mileage, 2003 Volkswagen Jetta Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 36,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 13 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 19 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 6 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 3 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 7 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 4 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 3 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 2 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 1 complaints 200k+ miles: 1 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 36,000 miles
Based on 59 complaints that include mileage. 64% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles13
20k to 40k miles19
40k to 60k miles6
60k to 80k miles3
80k to 100k miles7
100k to 120k miles4
120k to 140k miles3
140k to 160k miles2
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles1
200k+ miles1

What the data shows

Of the 59 air bags complaints that report mileage, the median is about 36,000 miles, and 64% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 15 crashes, 1 fire, 29 injuries.

What owners wrote

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 MPH through an intersection, the vehicle was t-boned on the passenger side. The side and curtain air bags did not deploy. Five people sustained minor injuries and a police report was taken. The dealer was not contacted.

Reported at 57,000 miles, December 2006 CrashInjury

Motor vehicle accident in residential area with moving 2003 VW jetta and parked honda/toyota? Driver of jetta came around the corner, looked down & away from the road momentarilly while driving apx. 30 MPH when she hit the other vehicle without any breaking. This full frontal impact and the entire front end of this jetta was taken out and the other vehicle was totaled. None of the 4 airbags deployed. We are currently being told "no changes or alterations will be made with regard to the airbags".

Reported at 20,000 miles, April 2005 CrashInjury

Other problems reported for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta

Air bags problems in other years

Air bags problems across all Volkswagen models