Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Volkswagen Golf problems

Owners filed 81 complaints about the 2002 Volkswagen Golf with NHTSA between Feb 2002 and Aug 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (22).

Complaints
81
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags22
  2. Engine and engine cooling15
  3. Electrical system12
  4. Exterior lighting11
  5. Visibility7
  6. Power train7
  7. Seat belts4
  8. Structure3
  9. Steering3
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  11. Tires2
  12. Equipment2
  13. Fuel system, gasoline2
  14. Engine1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20024
200319
200410
20059
200617
20077
20084
20095
20101
20111
20120
20131
20140
20150
20160
20171
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

22 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MILES PER HOUR, THE SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT BOLSTER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THEIR OWN. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE THAT PRECEDED THIS INCIDENT. THE AIRBAGS SIMPLY DEPLOYED BY THEMSELVES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS GENERATION OF VOLKSWAGENS: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/GOLF/2002/SEAT_BELTS_AIR_BAGS/AIR_BAGS-SIDE_WINDOW.SHTML”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2017Air bagsODI 11000923

Engine and engine cooling

15 reports1 related recall
“2002 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM IS THAT THE COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE STRUT. NOW THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEMS STARTED AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDED. THE BATTERY DIED. 5 DAYS LATER, THE MIL APPEARED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MISFIRING. IN MARCH OF 2007 THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO A FAULTY COIL. IN APRIL OF 2007 THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO A FAILED ALTERNATOR. *JB THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 12/12/07”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2007Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10201525

Electrical system

12 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IN RAINY WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION COIL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT LOCATED A VOLUNTARY MANUFACTURERS RECALL FOR THE FAILURE BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE VOLUNTARY RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2011Electrical systemODI 10390105

Exterior lighting

11 reports4 related recalls
“2002 VW GOLF WITH CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO FIFTH GEAR WHEN SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE**CC THE CONSUMER DETERMINED THAT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHEN HE BACKED HIS VEHICLE UP TO THE GARAGE DOOR, HE NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT/ STOP LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL'S FAILURE TO DISENGAGE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED PREVIOUSLY UNDER RECALL WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2007Exterior lightingODI 10200297

Visibility

7 reports
“WHILE DRIVING MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 VW GOLF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DROPPED. TURNS OUT ALL OVER THE INTERNET THERE ARE COMPLAINTS OF THE TABS HOLDING THE WINDOWS BREAKING. IN FACT WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALER I FELLOW OVERHEARD ME AND SAID HE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON HIS 2001 VW GTI. VW HAD A TSB AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BY A FEW YEARS ON THIS BUT IS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. A WINDOW DROPPING IS A HUGE SAFETY FACTOR FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. THE WINDOW IS A PROTECTION DEVICE TO SHIELD YOU IN AN ACCIDENT OR FROM DEBRIS AT 65MPH AND FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL SAFETY IF ON THE WRONG SIDE OF TOWN. I CALLED THE VW DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM THEY SAID YES THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR FREE YET UPON ARRIVING I WAS TOLD I WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DROPPING OF THIS WINDOW CAUSED MY WIFE TO HAVE TO PULL OVER ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT SEE IN THE RAIN WITH IT BLOWING IN HER WINDOW. ONCE A GAIN A FAULTY WINDOW HOLDING MECHANISM IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2009Visibility, StructureODI 10267719

Power train

7 reports1 crash
“I BOUGHT A 2002 IN 2005 WITH 30,000 FROM A CERTIFIED USED VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. AFTER ONLY DRIVING THE CAR SOME 29,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. FORTUNATELY I HAD 11 MILES LEFT UNDER WARRANTY SO THE NEARBY DEALERSHIP HONORED THE WARRANTY AND FIXED MY CAR. HAD IT NOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT $7-9,000. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2007Power trainODI 10195108
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.