2014 Volkswagen Passat Airbag Problems

Which parts fail

• Frontal › Driver clockspring/spiral cassette
  9

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  2124%
• 25k–50k
  2225%
• 50k–75k
  2225%
• 75k–100k
  1315%
• 100k–150k
  1011%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while stopped at a yield sign, the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags partially deployed upon impact which resulted in the contact hitting her head on the steering wheel. The contact later went to the hospital where she was treated for whiplash and a concussion. A police report was filed. Due to the failure, the contact could not use any of the electrical features on the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that her air bag failure was linked to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000(Air Bags); however, once the recall was serviced, the contact was informed that the recall was related to the air bag inflator, not the actual air bag. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …

A prior recall that was supposedly fixed, broke again. Submitted several complaints with Nhtsa and Volkswagen. Volkswagen said i had to pay a fee to verify what was wrong with my vehicle because the recall had already been fixed before. Months of waiting and waiting for an appointment and then vw would still not refix the recall. So years and years went by before the recall was recalled and vw sent out notice. Only to schedule you vehicle for service months out and then call and cancel because there is a shortage of parts and no known time in getting them. Anyways the recalled recall is an air bag spring that caused all of my vehicles "functions" to stop working. No horn, no steering wheel button functions, no computer functions. And during this time of not having my vehicles safety features... …

In 2022 I was in an accident on the highway; a dear hit my car while I was traveling at 70 MPH. My airbags did not deploy and I ended up hitting my head on the driver side window really hard and it gave me a concussion and I injured one of the disks in my back. I almost got hit by semi trucks traveling behind me as well. Again, my airbags didn't deploy after this and I've seen many recalls on the 2014 VW Passat specifically about the vehicles airbag deployment being that they're also Takata airbags that had major recalls too. They should've deployed on a head on collision. My insurance didn't total my car but I have proof that the entire frame was bent from the accident and my entire front headlight, fender and bumper are smashed in and wires for my transmission were severed. I still haven't settled this claim yet. I'm considering getting a lawyer about it.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking spot, she heard an abnormal snapping sound coming from the steering wheel. The steering control buttons and the horn ceased to operate as designed. Additionally, the driver's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the clock spring had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the same diagnostic was provided. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V483000 (Air Bags) because the mileage had been exceeded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the control buttons on the steering wheel were no longer operable and the horn would fail to honk when engaged. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Volkswagen certified independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed that the part for repair was not available. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V483000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but informed the contact that they could not cover the repair due to the vehicle mileage and the part was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the airbag warning light illuminated the instrument panel. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where he was informed that the clockspring was defective. The mechanic then called the dealer and was provided an estimate for the cost of a new clockspring. The contact then took the vehicle to a second independent mechanic who informed him of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V483000 (Air Bags) and referred him to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the contact heard an abnormal sound in the steering wheel as if a spring had broken. The contact stated that once she parked and restarted her vehicle, there was no electrical function on the steering wheel. The contact stated that the buttons, horn, and air bag had become inoperable. The contact stated that her air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,828. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was occasionally illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-15 MPH and pulling out of a parking lot, the airbag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she continued to drive the vehicle and noticed that the horn and the buttons on the steering wheel would fail to respond when engaged. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Airbag complaints in other Passat years