Problems · by component

2002 Volkswagen Jetta electrical system problems

150 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta cite electrical system, 21% of all 711 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
150
21% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, IT "JERKS" OR MAKES A SHAKING MOVEMENT. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT STAYS ON ALTHOUGH ALL DOORS HAVE BEEN OPENED AND CLOSED. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT WORKING. WHILE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE REAR MIDDLE PASSENGER SEATBELT IS NOT USEABLE. THE DRIVER'S DOOR REMAINS UNLOCKED AFTER PRESSING THE "LOCK DOORS" BUTTON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2018Power train, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11131795
“KNOWN MELTING FUSE BOX ON TOP OF BATTERY. FROM SCHEMATICS, APPEARS S180 FUSE (COOLANT FAN) AS PREDOMINANT POINT OF FAILURE. ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED (VIA WEB) ACROSS NUMEROUS MODELS AND YEARS. CALLED VW FOR FIX; AS TECHS APPEAR VOID OF A GENERAL CONSENSUS TO PROBLEM/FIX. UNFORTUNATELY, VW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND/OR PROVIDE SOLUTION TO CUSTOMER(S). REFERS ME TO DEALER, WHICH IS OVER AN HOUR AWAY. JUST NEED INFO TO ORDER REPAIR KIT AND RESTORE VEHICLE INTEGRITY/SAFETY. CONCERNED AS THIS MAY BE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD; DUE TO THE VOLUME OF HEAT GENERATED BY WIRING WITHIN INTERNAL COMPARTMENT. IN TURN, I UNDERSTAND THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE NORMAL WARRANTY PERIOD. AS STATED, JUST WANT AN ANSWER TO REPAIR; HOWEVER, VW CUSTOMER CARE REP COMMENTED I SHOULD REPORTING THIS ISSUE IN HOPES TO DRAW ADDITIONAL ATTENTION OF OTHER OWNERS AND, EVENTUALLY, THE NHTSA TO GET VW TO RESPOND TO CUSTOMERS QUESTIONS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2017Electrical systemODI 11030653
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE WINDOWS WERE STEAMING. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT AND A POLICE REPORT WERE FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BURNED HAND INJURY, BUT DID NOT NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2016Electrical system, StructureFire reportedODI 10853472
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE AND FIRE UNDERNEATH THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT BOX. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE WITH THE CHILD BEFORE THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FILED A FIRE REPORT AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2015Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10761408
“WHILE REACHING HOME, I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENGINE, SMELL OF HEATED PLASTIC, AND THE ALTERNATOR WARNING LITE ON. SWITCHED OFF THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD. NOTED THAT THE SMOKE AND SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE PLASTIC FUSE BOX THAT IS ON THE TOP OF THE BATTERY AND THAT THE FUSE BOX COVER HAD BURNT HOLE. THE WIRE FROM THE ALTERNATOR TO ONE OF THE FUSES IN THE FUSE BOX HAD MELTED THE PLASTIC. I REPLACED THE FUSE BOX, CLEANED THE WIRE AND ATTACHED IT BACK. ON 6/23/15, I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR. THE BATTERY WAS WEAK AND NOTED THAT ONE OF THE FUSES IN THE BOX HAD MELTED THE PLASTIC.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2015Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10730855
“THIS IS A FOLLOWUP ON MY NHTSA COMPLAINT WITH ODI 10660489. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V584000 WHICH PRECISELY DESCRIBES THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH MY JETTA. PLEASE NOTE THAT MY JETTA IS ALSO A 2002 MODEL AS NOTED IN THE ABOVE CAMPAIGN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10660504

Showing 6 of 150 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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