NHTSA complaint: 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — AIR BAGS
I WAS DRIVING MY PASSAT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60MPH, SUDDENLY AN OTHER DRIVER CUT ME OFF. TO AVOID HIM I SWITCHED LANE BUT THE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SLOW AS I WAS APPROACHING A CONSTRUCTING SITE. I HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH CAUSED OTHER 2 CARS AHEAD TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE DAMAGE WAS SEVERE AS THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS CRASHED INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED, HE HAD A SHOULDER DISLOCATION. WHAT SURPRISED ME ARE THE AIRBAGS, THEY NEVER DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH. AFTER FEW DAYS VOLKSWAGEN AMERICA SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE CAR. AFTER HE LEFT I NOTICED THE SEAT BELTS ARE LOOSE AND THE BOTTOM COVER IS OPENED, IT SEEMS LIKE HE DID IT IN PURPOSE. BEFORE HE CAME THE SEAT BELTS WERE FINE. WHAT MOST SURPRISED ME IS HIS DECISION THAT THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOYED IN THIS CASE. I SHOWED HIM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WHERE IS THE CHASSIS, IT WAS BENT FROM THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THE FORCES THAT CAME THROUGH THE BUMPER WHICH ALSO CAUSE THE FRONT BEAM TO TWIST, BUT NEVER GAVE ME A SATISFIED EXPLANATION. PEOPLE WHO TRY TO BUY THIS CAR AND HAVE KIDS PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE, MY FAMILY WAS BLESSED TO GET OUT OF THIS ACCIDENT JUST WITH A SHOULDER DISLOCATION, WHICH COULD BE WORST. MY NEXT STEP IS LAWSUIT AGAINST VW. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation