Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Safety risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Safety risk
A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Air bags
24
55,000 mi
Power train
21
78,000 mi
Engine
9
33,882 mi
Service brakes
6
63,000 mi
Electrical system
5
62,133 mi
Steering
3
97,200 mi
Unknown or other
3
56,200 mi
Exterior lighting
2
68,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
2
60,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
25 mi
Engine and engine cooling
1
—
Fuel/propulsion system
1
107 mi
Power train: automatic transmission
1
4,500 mi
Service brakes, air: antilock: ABS warning light
1
50,000 mi
Structure: body
1
26,000 mi
Traction control system
1
63,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
65,000 mi
Visibility: power window devices and controls
1
26,000 mi
The 2009 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2011 model has 4 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Open investigations
An investigation is not a recall. It indicates that NHTSA is currently evaluating an alleged defect but has not reached a final determination.
EA18003Air Bag Clockspring Failure
Air bags: frontal: driver clockspring/spiral cassette
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.