# 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — AIR BAGS
> NHTSA complaint `2157786` · 2025-12-16 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** PASSAT
- **Year:** 2000
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** AIR BAGS
- **Speed:** 75 mph
## Narrative
Side airbag deployed for no reason while driving straight at the speed limit of 75 mph. The local VW dealer determined the side impact sensor is defective. This is a very interesting situation because a fail safe exists in these systems in that the supplemental restraint control module in the center of the car must simultaneously "see" a side impact g force in order to deploy the side air bag. In other words even with a defective side impact sensor The side air bag should not have deployed. At the time of the incident the vehicle was travelling straight ahead next to a semi truck. No such impact occurred and the VW dealer confirmed the vehicle has no evidence of such an impact. I had this investigated by Volkswagen AG and my local dealer. Suffered broken teeth, bruised ribs, hearing loss in left ear.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*