NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 7 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon.

2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon owner complaints

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon, describing incidents dated August 30, 2012 to February 16, 2018.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 3 complaints
Engine 2 complaints
Air Bags 1 complaint
Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint
Tires 1 complaint

Of the 7 complaints on file, 2 report a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11073872 · Filed February 20, 2018
FUEL LEAKING FROM FITTING ON TOP OF TANK NEAR FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT.
ODI #10958738 · Filed March 6, 2017
DIDNT EXPLAIN FULLY THE FIRST TIME, SO HERE GOES. MY VW HAS ENGINE FAILURE, VW HAD A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM SOME YEARS BACK BECAUSE OF A ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE RAN HOT BECAUSE IT WAS A TURBO POWERED ENGINE, PLUS NOT HAVING ENOUGH OIL TO KEEP IT COOL. CAUSING THE OIL TO BREAKDOWN AND MAKE…
ODI #10957389 · Filed February 27, 2017
ENGINE FAILURE, CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECT NO PROBLEMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS VIBRATING AND SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL. CALLED MY MECHANIC HE TOLD ME TO BRING IT BY, I STARTED ON MY WAY TO DRIVE TO THE SHOP SO HE COULD TAKE A LOOK. CAR DIED 1 MILE FROM SHOP WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING…

Read all 7 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

7 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11073872

Incident: February 16, 2018 · Filed: February 20, 2018

FUEL LEAKING FROM FITTING ON TOP OF TANK NEAR FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT.

Engine

ODI #10958738

Incident: February 22, 2017 · Filed: March 6, 2017

DIDNT EXPLAIN FULLY THE FIRST TIME, SO HERE GOES. MY VW HAS ENGINE FAILURE, VW HAD A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM SOME YEARS BACK BECAUSE OF A ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE RAN HOT BECAUSE IT WAS A TURBO POWERED ENGINE, PLUS NOT HAVING ENOUGH OIL TO KEEP IT COOL. CAUSING THE OIL TO BREAKDOWN AND MAKE SLUDGE WHICH CLOGGED UP THE OIL PUMP AND STARVED THE ENGINE OF OIL LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS WHAT IM EXPERENCING RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO SLUDGE. VW LOST THAT LAWSUIT AND STILL WONT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DESIGN FLAW, IM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON MY CAR, IT RAN PERFECT. ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS ARE DOCUMENTED, THE CAR IS IN ALMOST PERFECT CONDITION FOR A 2002. I WANT VW TO FIX WHAT THEY CREATED, I DONT HAVE 3000 DOLLARS TO BUY AN ENGINE FOR IT. ITS NOT MY DESIGN! I WAS DRIVING DOWN ATLANTIC AVE IN RALEIGH NC GOING 45 MPH WHEN MY ENGINE DIED, HAD TO PUSH MY CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT.

Engine

ODI #10957389

Incident: February 22, 2017 · Filed: February 27, 2017

ENGINE FAILURE, CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECT NO PROBLEMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS VIBRATING AND SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL. CALLED MY MECHANIC HE TOLD ME TO BRING IT BY, I STARTED ON MY WAY TO DRIVE TO THE SHOP SO HE COULD TAKE A LOOK. CAR DIED 1 MILE FROM SHOP WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING 45MPH WGEN IT FAILED, I HAD TO GET OUT THE CAR PUSH IT OUT OF TRAFFIC BY MYSELF. A VW PASSAT WAGON! HEAVY? YES VERY MUCH SO. GOT IT TOWED MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT WASNT GETTIN ENOUGH OIL.

Service Brakes

ODI #10726421

Incident: June 2, 2015 · Filed: June 21, 2015

MOTOR VEHICLE LIGHT: ABS BRAKE LIGHT ON. MECHANICS TELL ME THESE COMPUTER ARE ALWAYS DEFECTIVE. REPAIR COST 750.00. MILEAGE 235,000. LOTS OF COSTLY REPAIRS. LIGHT CANNOT BE RESET SO I HAVE TO PAY THE ABOVE AMOUNT TO FIX IT AND BE ABLE TO RESELL IT. THIS ABS HAS BARELY BEEN USED. COMPANY SHOULD FIX IT [XXX]/ [XXX]@AOL.COM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

Air Bags; Structure; Service Brakes

ODI #10563783

Crash

Incident: February 7, 2014 · Filed: February 10, 2014

I WAS DRIVING UP SOMEWHAT OF A HILL AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO A BIT OF TRAFFIC FLOW. I HAD REALIZED I WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN I THOUGHT SO I BRAKED A LITTLE HARDER THAN USUAL. MY BRAKES WERE GRABBING ON TIGHTLY TO THE GROUND LIKE THEY SHOULD BUT THEN SEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN OUT AT THE LAST COUPLE SECONDS. MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, RESULTING IN BOTH MY FRONT AIRBAGS GOING OFF. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SWUNG OUT AND HIT MY RIGHT HAND, RESULTING IN SOME MINOR BURNS AND SCRAPES. I THEN STARTED GOING BACKWARDS AFTER THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS HIT. I HIT MY BRAKES TO STOP MY CAR FROM ROLLING AND THERE WAS NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT LET ME BRAKE. SO I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT PARK. FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED ROLLING BACKWARDS AND WE WENT TO GO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE AT THIS POINT, SO I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THE BRAKES ARE WORKING FINE NOW FOR THE MOST PART AND THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS. THERE WAS NEVER A LIGHT INDICATOR THAT SAID THAT MY BRAKES NEEDED TO BE CHECKED NOR HAD THEY FELT DIFFERENT. *TR

Service Brakes

ODI #10509823

Crash

Incident: April 10, 2013 · Filed: April 29, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.

Tires

ODI #10473787

Incident: August 30, 2012 · Filed: September 4, 2012

LEFT REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED AT THE SIDEWALLS , LEAVING 2 RUBBER RINGS AT EACH SIDE OF THE RIM, 3 INCH WIDE. CAR WAS GOING 65 MPH WITH NO LOAD, EXCEPT DRIVER. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OR VISIBLE CRACKING. AIR PRESSURE WAS CHECKED BEFORE TRIP AND FOUND IN COMPLIANCE WITH CAR SPEC. *TR

Other Volkswagen Passat Wagon model years

Check your 2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Volkswagen Passat Wagon at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Volkswagen VIN