A California couple recently filed a VW airbag lawsuit against Volkswagen, alleging that their vehicle had dangerous airbag defects that the company later failed to fix.

The plaintiffs, Eileen and Carlos A., purchased their new Volkwagen car on Nov. 6, 2014 from California dealer McKenna Motors Cerritos, Inc. The specific model they purchased is a 2014 Volkswagen Passat.

According to Eileen and Carlos’ VW airbag lawsuit, their Volkswagen vehicle came with severe defects in its airbag defects. The VW airbag lawsuit claims that the driver-side airbag was defective and failed under excessive internal pressure. Volkswagen was allegedly aware of severe defects associated with its airbag systems in certain vehicles, the VW airbag lawsuit alleges, including airbags known to rupture and to expel metal fragments when deployed.

Clearly, any defect to an airbag system can be dangerous. If an airbag doesn’t engage properly during an accident, passengers could be at even greater risk. An airbag that flings out bits of metal would, for obvious reasons, be even worse.

Not only does a defective airbag diminish the owners’ safety, it also impairs both the vehicle’s use and value, the VW airbag lawsuit claims. As a result, the plaintiffs chose to bring their Volkswagen Passat to a Volkswagen facility, thinking that the express warranty they were issued at point of purchase would necessitate the company’s cooperation in repairing the dangerous defect.

Despite the fact that the couple was issued an express warranty by Volkswagen, the company failed to repair the vehicle “within a reasonable time,” the VW airbag lawsuit alleges—or simply replace the vehicle with one that is not defective.

The VW airbag lawsuit was filed on June 19, 2017, and requests actual damages related to car payments as well as a civil penalty amount.

If you either own or lease a vehicle involved in the Audi airbag recall, you may be able to file an airbag recall lawsuit over the defective airbags. Taking legal action may result in some compensation for either injuries or loss of value.

VW Airbag Recall

A number of Volkswagen owners have experienced serious defects with their vehicle’s airbag system. The Takata airbag, used in many Volkswagen and Audi vehicles, has been linked with a number of serious defects that can cause serious injuries. According to the VW airbag recall, the affected cars’ front airbags can explode. Some of these incidents have reportedly caused horrible injuries and even killed both the driver and front passenger.

Volkswagen has voluntarily recalled several of its vehicles because of Takata airbag defects. While airbags are supposed to inflate rapidly, the defective Takata airbags involved in the VW airbag recall explode way too forcefully. Indeed, instead of inflating to provide cushion and save lives, these airbags can explode with enough force to eject and rupture the metal cartridge inside, which sends shrapnel throughout the vehicle. Passengers may be hit with flying metal shards, which can lead to serious or even deadly injuries. On top of these problems, a defective airbag cannot properly protect people in the event of a crash.

Affected Volkswagen vehicles include:

• 2009-2017 Volkswagen CC
• 2010-2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
• 2010-2014 Volkswagen Eos
• 2010-2014 Volkswagen Golf
• 2010-2014 Jetta SportWagen
• 2013 Volkswagen Golf R
• 2009-2014 Volkswagen GTI
• 2010-2014 Volkswagen Passat
• 2007-2010 Volkswagen Passat Sedan
• 2007-2010 Volkswagen Passat Wagon
• 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat Sedan
• 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat Wagon

If you own a Volkswagen vehicle or another car involved in the Takata airbag recall, you may be able to file a VW airbag lawsuit.

The VW Airbag Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-22540-FAM, in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.