There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR CENTER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE INDEPENDENT DEALER WHO SOLD THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE DID NOT VERIFY IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,677. .. UPDATED 12/22/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED ONE HOSE WAS REPLACED AND THERE IS A HOLE IN ANOTHER HOSE, AND ALSO MISSING BRACKETS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS GETTING AN ALLERGIC REACTION FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE REACTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE DECELERATING(EX..COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT)THE ENGINE JUST STOPS AND THE GENERATOR LIGHT COMES ON.I CAN START IT UP AGAIN RIGHT AWAY.IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I FEEL LIKE I MAY GET REAR-ENDED I HAVE READ ONLINE THREADS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING A SOLUTION.I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW AND NOW IT ONLY HAS A LITTLE OVER 115,000 MILES ON IT.
THE CAR TAKES 15 MINUTES TO HEAT UP TO 190, OTHERWISE THE CAR WON'T DRIVE FORWARD IN PROPER GEAR WITHOUT JERKING. IT DRIVES LIKE IT IS A STICK SHIFT INSTEAD OF AN AUTOMATIC CHANGING GEAR ON IT'S OWN. THE CAR STOPS WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE BRAKES AND SOMETIMES JUST TURNS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. IT SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE IN THE CAR. THE CD PLAYER, CLOCK AND VEHICLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS ON AND OFF. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. AUTONATION PERFORMED A MULTI POINT INSPECTION AND SAYS THE CAR NEEDS A TIMING BELT, COOLANT FLANGE AND AFTER RUN PUMP, AND ROLLERS. *TR
TRAVELING DOWN PET SITES ROAD ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICE MY CAR SUDDENLY RUNNING HOT. I PULLED OVER AT THE NEAREST SAFEST PLACE TO DO SO AND PROCEEDED TO CHECK MY FLUID LEVELS. AS I WAS UNSCREWING THE WATER RESERVOIR CAP I NOTICE WHAT SHOULD BE ANTI-FREEZE AND WATER MIX, IS A MUDDY BROWN COLOR. I FELT THE SUBSTANCE AND THEN REALIZED IT WAS OIL IN MY RESERVOIR, AND ALMOST ALL MY OIL HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM MY ENGINE AND IM GUESSING WAS DISPLACED TO MY RESERVOIR. MY CAR NEVER ONCE HAS ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO RUN HOT, NOR HAD IT UNTIL 6-19-2013. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT IS DO WITH MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VWS THAT THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AS A MASS RECALL ISSUE. I AM DUMBFOUNDED THAT THIS CAN BECOME AN ISSUE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON THE CAR. *TR
WE WERE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY IN OUR 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WAGON (GLS 1.8T) WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, AN LOUD "POOF" SOUND WAS HEARD, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, AND WE SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. THE CAR REGAINED POWER, THEN A SECOND "POOF" SOUND WAS HEARD, AND THE POWER FLICKERED IN THE CAR, AT WHICH POINT THE CAR BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE. WE ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS, PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND EVACUATED THE VEHICLE. WE PULLED OUT WHAT BELONGINGS WE COULD, BUT RETREATED FROM THE CAR ONCE FLAMES APPEARED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE INTERIOR. APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE LATER, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. WE ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE ESCAPED WITH OUR LIVES. HERE ARE THE SPECIFICS OF OUR VEHICLE: MODEL:JETTA TRIM:GLS BODY STYLE:4 DOOR WAGON ENGINE:1.8L I4 20V MPFI DOHC TURBO TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC. *TR
FIRST ISSUE, THE ENGINE IS BURNING OIL. I'VE NOTICED THAT MY CAR ENGINE STARTED BURNING OIL WHEN IT HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT TOOK ME ALMOST TWO YEARS TO PROVE TO THE VW DEALERSHIP MECHANICS THAT THE ENGINE IS BURNING OIL. AT 73,000 MILES THE VW DEALERSHIP MECHANICS REBUILT THE ENGINE. MY OIL CONSUMPTION NORMALIZED. NOW, AT AROUND 115,000 MILES, I'VE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE STARTED BURNING OIL AGAIN. 1,800 MILES AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, JIFFY LUBE MECHANIC HAD TO ADD 2.5QT OF OIL. SHOULDN'T THE ENGINE LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES AFTER REBUILD? IT SEEMS THAT THIS ENGINE ONLY LASTS 45,000 MILES. THIS FEELS LIKE A MAJOR DEFECT AND VW HAS TO RECALL THE ENGINE. SECOND ISSUE, MY CAR IS ONLY 8 YEARS OLD BUT IT'S ON ITS THIRD TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT 32,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 73,000 MILES. I'M AT 115,000 AND I'M GETTING VERY WORRIED BECAUSE I'M STARTING TO FEEL LITTLE JERKS. THIS LOOKS TO BE A 40,000 MILES TRANSMISSION. HOW CAN VW DO THIS TO CONSUMERS? IT WOULD SEEM REASONABLE TO ME IF THIS TRANSMISSION GETS RECALLED. I'M NOT EVEN MENTIONING MANY OTHER MALFUNCTIONS. ONE OF WHICH INCLUDES GETTING FLOODED DURING RAINY SEASON. I CAN'T BELIEVE MY CAR, 2002 VW JETTA 2.0L GLS WAS ALLOWED TO BE ON THE MARKET. *TR
WAS DRIVING WHILE IT WAS RAINING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED JERKING AND WOULDN'T LET ME GO FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ASR AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE DRIVING AT 6AM WITH NO ONE ON THE STREETS. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS HAPPENINGS IN THE PAST BUT I READ ONLINE YOU JUST TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. I TRIED IT THIS MORNING AND THE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON. THIS WAS AT 6 AM IT IS NOW 9:49 PM AND STILL NO LUCK. I ALSO HEARD IT MIGHT BE DUE TO ENGINE COILS BUT I HAD MINE REPLACED LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. *TR
LOSS OF POWER ON FREEWAY, WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE LOST POWER, THEN, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE POWER BY 'PUMPING' THE ACCELERATOR, SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR, RESULTING IN A VERY RAPID DECELERATION FROM 70 MPH TO 45 MPH. THIS OCCURRED TWICE IN ONE HOUR, AT BOTH TIMES REQUIRING FOLLOWING MOTORISTS TO SWERVE SEVERELY TO AVOID. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 15-20 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWENTY TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON TEN TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED WITH NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY MANUFACTURER RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL DEFECT COULD POSSIBLY BE RELATED TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND PLANNED TO SELL THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2002 VW JETTA AND JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME HE HAS SEEN MANY 2002 JETTAS WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WAS RELATED TO A PROBLEM WITH A BAD COIL THAT WAS PART OF A RECALL AND CAUSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS TO FAIL ABNORMALLY FAST. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT IT APPEARS VW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND IS IGNORING THE ISSUE. THE REPAIR COSTS MORE THAN $1000 AND I AM UNABLE TO PASS STATE INSPECTION WITHOUT GETTING IT DONE. *TR
OUR VOLKSWAGEN JETTA DEVELOPED TRANSMISSION ISSUES JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD RAN OUT. THE TRANSMISSION JERKS AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN YOU HIT THE ACCELERATOR. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THERE IS NO SAYING WHEN THIS WILL CONK OUT. THE WATER PUMP ALSO CONKED OUT RECENTLY. REPLACING THE TRANNY IS ABOUT $6000. REPLACING THE WATER PUMP COST US AROUND $900. I HEAR DEALERSHIPS CHARGE A LOT MORE FOR THIS SERVICE. THE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA IS TOO EXPENSIVE A CAR, FOR IT TO HAVE SUCH POOR QUALITY. HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP MAKE THEM PAY FOR RIPPING CUSTOMERS OFF IN THIS WAY. THIS OUTRAGEOUS. *TR
2002 VW JETTA 2.0 STOPPED AND SPUTTERED ON MAIN HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF IGNITION COIL FAILURE. THE CAR HAS 7500 MILES AND VW ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM FOR 1.8 LITER ENGINES BUT NOT FOR 2.0 LITER. THEY ARE RECALLING 90000 1.8 CARS BUT ARE CHARGING $600 FOR THE 2.0 FIXES. SURELY, THEY BOUGHT THEM FROM THE SAME SUPPLIER. *TR
2002 VW JETTA VR6 WITH CYLINDER NO. 5 MISFIRING, ROUGH IDLE AND CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACK INJECTORS AND THE CAR HAS BEEN TUNED, HOWEVER, THE TECH'S AT THE DEALER CAN NOT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR WILL NOT PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. *TR
I BOUGHT A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS FROM A USED CAR DEALER LAST APRIL. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE PROBLEMS THAT I THOUGHT WAS UNIQUE TO MY SPECIFIC CAR, HOWEVER, AFTER HOURS OF RESEARCH I'VE FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OTHER JETTA OWNERS ARE HAVING SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. 1. THE VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE CRAYONS 2. THE HEATER STOPS WORKING AND ONLY BLOWS OUT HOT AIR. 3. THE ENGINE EATS OIL AND HAS A PROBLEM WITH SLUDGE. THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE AND NO ONE IS TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR HAS A REMEDY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. I'M AFRAID THE FUMES FROM THE VEHICLE MAY BE TOXIC AND AM UNABLE TO GET RID OF THE CAR. *TR
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2002 COOLING FAN FAILURE/ INOPERATIVE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS WITH NO LUCK AND I ALSO DID RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE SOMEONE PLEASE HELP. *TR
I HAVE TWO PROBLEMS, ONE WITH TEMPERATURE COOLANT SIGN. MANY JETTA'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM, IT OCCURS EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE CAR, SIGN ALWAYS COMES ON. THIS CAUSES SIGNALS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS IN THE CAR TO BE CONFUSED, AND IS ALWAYS A DANGEROUS LIGHT BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY CAR'S COOLANT OR RADIATOR. I HAVE REPLACED THIS PART ABOUT TWO TIMES THROUGH A MECHANIC SHOP WITH A VW PART TWICE. STILL IS A FAILURE, AND I READ MOST JETTAS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT VW CAN NOT FIX THIS EXPENSIVE PART FOR ITS CUSTOMERS. ALSO I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY ALTERNATOR ONE DAY AGO. MY VEHICLE WAS FORCED TO STALL ON THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY CAUSING ME ALMOST TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. FOR SOME REASON MY CAR LOST ALL ITS POWER, BATTERY WAS ONLY ONE OR TWO WEEKS OLD, AND NOW MY ALTERNATOR DIED. MY CAR HAS ONLY 71,400 MILES ON IT, IT IS NOT VERY OLD, IT IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO SEE AN ALTERNATOR DIE THAT EARLY IN THE CAR, MAKES ME WONDER WHAT OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS I HAVE IN THE FUTURE, LET ALONE WHAT I HAD IN THE PAST. NOW I HAVE TO FIX THIS CAR, AND WILL TAKE ONE WEEK TO FIX AND GET THE PART READY, COSTING ME ALMOST $600 IN REPAIR. NOT ONLY DID MY CAR BREAK DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY BUT THE CAR SMELT LIKE IT WAS BURNING, VERY DANGEROUS!!THIS A VW DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO ALL VW OWNERS ABOUT THEIR ALTERNATORS, IT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE IF THIS CAR KEEPS BREAKING DOWN, TIRED OF THIS CAR.OTHER RECALLS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE MAKE ME WANT TO QUESTION WHETHER TO DRIVE IT NOT, IF IT HAS A COUNTRY WIDE BRAKE PROBLEM IN THIS CAR. *TR
TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AT 89,000 MILES PER MY REQUEST AT VW DEALERSHIP MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS FAILED AT 136,000, MOTOR DROPPED ONTO CROSSMEMBER AND STEERING COMPONENTS. ONLY ONE OF TWO HORIZONTAL BOLTS WAS PRESENT AT FAILURE, REMAINING ONE BOLT SHEARED OFF AT BLOCK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MPH IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE DROVE VERY ROUGHLY AND FELT AS IF IT WOULD SHUT OFF. MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE COIL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND WORKED FINE FOR A MONTH BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WORKED NORMALLY TEMPORARILY, BUT THREE WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE COIL FAILED AGAIN AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A DIFFERENT PART. SINCE THE MOST RECENT REPAIR, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, WHO ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026