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2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

crash1 injured · 575681 · 2006-03-14

Vehicle

Make
VOLKSWAGEN
Model
JETTA
Year
2002
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Component
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Miles at failure
50,000
Speed
3 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

THE '02 JETTA 1.8T 4-DOOR WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE JETTA PROCEEDED INTO INTERSECTION. JETTA WAS HIT (T-BONED) ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR BY 1995 GRAND MARQUIS, MERCURY IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH. TICKET WAS ISSUED FOR FAILING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, NO BRAKING ON PART OF THE MERCURY. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE JETTA - THE FRONT DOOR WAS DRIVEN INTO THE DRIVERS CAGE WHICH MOVED THE FRONT SEAT AND BENT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FORMED A LARGE CRACK, PROBABLY FROM A SIDE STRESS POINT AND DID NOT SHATTER, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS IN BOTH DOOR SHATTERED. SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE COULD BE SEEN AND NONE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOORS COULD OPEN, NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE EITHER AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAGS (2), LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO DAMAGED DOORS AND ALSO THE AIRBAG BETWEEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND WINDSHIELD FAILED TO DEPLOY. VW CLAIMS THAT THE CAR DECIDED BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS IN USE, THE CAR MADE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION NOT TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. THIS IS EITHER FALSE OR AN ERROR IN HOW THE CAR IS DESIGNED. AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY AND NOT DECIDE THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS SUFFICIENT - IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT, AS THERE WERE MEDICAL INJURIES. JETTA IS TOTALED, BUT BEING HELD BY USAA, PENDING ANYONE WHO WILL INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE ON MY BEHALF. OTHERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUFFER IF A PROBLEM CAN BE IDENTIFIED HERE AND RESOLVED. *JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10152649
Machine
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