Safety Recall 69BC / Driver Frontal Airbag – 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle & Beetle Convertible

December 16, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V785000

Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Explode

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V785

Manufacturer Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Components AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 105,652

 

Summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles. The driver’s side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

 

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 69BC.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Volkswagen has a Recall

 


Problem Description

The driver’s side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

 

Corrective Action

Replace driver frontal airbag.

 

Code Visibility

On or about March 19, 2021, the campaign code was applied to affected vehicles.

 

Owner Notification

Owner notification took place in March 2021. Owner letter examples are included in this bulletin for your reference.

 

Repair Overview

Replace driver frontal airbag.

 

Section B – Repair Procedure

WARNING

Risk of injury. Refer to “Warning and Safety Precautions”, found in Appendix A at the end of this document.

Disconnect the 12V battery with the ignition switched ON:

 

WARNING

Accident risk. When working on pyrotechnic components (such as airbags and belt tensioners), the battery must be disconnected with the ignition switched ON.

• Turn ON the ignition.

• Access the battery.

• Loosen the nut <3>.

• Remove and isolate the battery ground cable <2> from the battery terminal.

 

Replacing driver frontal airbag:

NOTE

• The screwdriver mentioned in the following should be about 175 mm long and have a blade width of 7 mm.

• The following describes removing and installing the airbag unit inside a multifunction steering wheel.

• Move the steering wheel to the lowest position.

• Adjust the steering wheel depth (reach) so it is in the fully extended position.

• Turn the steering wheel to the position illustrated.

• Insert a screwdriver all the way into the hole on the back of the steering wheel.

• Turn the screwdriver 90° <arrow A>.

• This will release the retainers <1> in the direction of the <arrow B> for the airbag unit on the right side of the steering wheel.

 

NOTE

If it is not a multifunction steering wheel, then the airbag must be removed from the steering wheel bezel on the upper edge after actuating the lock.

• Turn the steering wheel 180°.

• Open the retainer for the airbag unit on the left side of the steering wheel, as described.

• Turn the steering wheel back to its center position.

• Loosen the airbag unit from the steering wheel.

 

WARNING

Before handling pyrotechnic components (for example, disconnecting the connector), the person handling it must “discharge static electricity”. This can be done by touching the door striker, for example.

• Release the connector lock and disconnect the airbag connector <1>.

• Vehicles with multifunction steering wheel:
Release the connector lock and disconnect the connector <2>.

• Install new airbag in the reverse order of removal.

Crit.Part NumberPart Description
AD, 015C5-880-201-AD 81UAirbag
AE, 015C5-880-201-AE 81UAirbag

 

• Connect the airbag connector <1> with the wiring harness to the back of the airbag unit <3>.

• The airbag connector must click into place.

• Insert the connector <2> in the connector lock.
This is required only on the multifunction steering wheel.

• Press the airbag unit <3> into the steering wheel until it audibly engages.

• Gently pull on the airbag unit to make sure it is locked securely inside steering wheel on the left and right sides.

 

Reconnect 12V battery:

WARNING

Ignition must be ON when connecting battery. If pyrotechnic components (e.g. airbag, belt tensioner) are not repaired correctly, they may deploy unintentionally after connecting battery. There must not be anyone inside the vehicle when connecting the battery.

• Disconnect the connector <2> from the Battery Monitoring Control Module -J367- <3> (if equipped).

• Attach the battery ground cable clamp by hand to the battery negative terminal and torque the nut <1> to 6 Nm.

• Reconnect the connector to the Battery Monitoring Control Module -J367- (if equipped).

• Cycle the ignition off and back on.

• Set clock to local time.

• Activate the convenience open/close functions.

• Check the DTC memories of all the control units and erase under-voltage faults if necessary.

 

NOTE

• After connecting the battery and switching on the ignition, the ASR/ESP Control Lamp -K155- and Electromechanical Power Steering Indicator Lamp light up continuously. The indicator lamps switch off automatically after driving a short distance (less than 100 meters).
This activates Steering Angle Sensor -G85-.

• Once -G85- is activated and the ignition is cycled, the Start/Stop function (if equipped) will also start working again and any faults related to the battery being disconnected should be able to be cleared.

 



6 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
VOLKSWAGENBEETLE2012-2014
VOLKSWAGENBEETLE CONVERTIBLE2012-2014

 


16 Associated Documents

ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – 69BC_VW Customer

RCONL-20V785-6958.pdf 97.182KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V785-3391.pdf 1003.732KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Date: March 18, 2021 Repair Available – Safety Recall 69BC / Driver Frontal Airbag

RCMN-20V785-2157.pdf 197.123KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – 69BC_VW Customer PRI

RCONL-20V785-1932.pdf 109.624KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2021-1

RCLQRT-20V785-2769.PDF 211.158KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V785-7063.pdf 1917.584KB

 


Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V785-5351.PDF 215.925KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V785-5594.pdf 244.155KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Date: December 22, 2020 Advance Notice – Safety Recall 69BC / Driver Frontal Airbag (Takata SDI-D Inflator)

RCMN-20V785-3264.pdf 196.504KB

 


ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – 69BC__ INTERIM_ VW Customer Letter PRI

RIONL-20V785-0985.pdf 130.301KB

 


ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – 69BC__ INTERIM_ VW Customer Letter

RIONL-20V785-1619.pdf 113.846KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2021-2

RCLQRT-20V785-5594.PDF 211.263KB

 


69BC Recall FAQ

RMISC-20V785-4120.pdf 464.335KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2021-3

RCLQRT-20V785-8912.PDF 211.355KB

 


69BC Recall FAQ_12012021

RMISC-20V785-8901.pdf 394.726KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V785-3392.pdf 1266.592KB

 


Latest Recalls Documents

 


1 Associated Investigation

Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA ID: EA15001
Dated opened: February 24, 2015

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers. All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.

During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers. Nonetheless, at ODI’s insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation. The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures. As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.

Takata’s initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida. Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas. Takata’s testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions. During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.

Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina. Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls. Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity. Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing. All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.

The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time. ODI’s investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.

The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492


 

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