Problems · by component
2002 Volkswagen Jetta power train problems
108 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta cite power train, 15% of all 711 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
108
15% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
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.”
“THE SHIFTER FIRST LOCKED UP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THEN LATER CAME COMPLETELY LOOSE IN TRAFFIC. THE VW PARTS DEPARTMENTS SAID THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED SO MUCH THAT NO ONE WITHIN 200 MILES HAD THE PARTS IN STOCK AS THEY WERE SOLD OUT. VW REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU IN RESOLUTION. THE BBB TOLD ME TO REPORT TO THE NHTSA>”
“AFTER SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE CAR SUDDENLY WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE ENGINE RACES AND I AM STUCK IN FIRST. I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE AT HIGH RPMS IN 1ST JUST TO GET HOME. IT HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST, BUT NOW IT HAPPENS DAILY IN TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG. TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAY THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REBUILT FOR $6000. IF I TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT COOLS DOWN, I CAN SOMETIMES GET IT TO STAY IN GEAR. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO A FREEWAY NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE ROADWAY. UNREAL THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS "UNAWARE" OF THIS ISSUE AND CAN'T SEEM TO REPAIR IT. PLEASE RECALL! *TR”
“ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST ALL POWER AND TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE CAR RESTARTED AND RAN NORMALLY FOR 6 MONTHS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER. 10 MINUTES AFTER THE SECOND EPISODE, MECHANIC WASN'T ABLE TO FIND A FAULT CODE AND DROVE IT WITHOUT THE STALL RECURRING. *TR”
“AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND LETTING IT WARM UP. I DROVE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO THE STOP SIGN. MADE A RIGHT TURN AND THEN A QUICK LEFT. AFTER TURNING THE CAR COULD NOT GO INTO GEAR,THE RPMS KEPT RACING UP. BUT THE GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE. PULLED INTO A STORE PARKING LOT AND DROVE AROUND IN CIRCLES AT THIS LOW SPEED. UNTIL FINALLY THE CAR JUMPED INTO GEAR AND I TOOK OFF. CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A BAD MOTHER BOARD TO THE CARS COMPUTER. IT DROVE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS THEN AT A STOP LIGHT IT JUMPED OFF AGAIN. (CAR WAS WARM BECAUSE I HAD DRIVEN A DISTANCE). TODAY I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND CHANGED. NO IMPROVEMENT AGAIN. USUALLY THE CAR WILL DRIVE STRAIGHT AFTER IT'S REAL WARM. BUT IF I MAKE A SHARP TURN THE CAR JERKS AND REVS UP THE RPMS JUST AS IF IT WAS COLD. THE VW FOLKS KEPT MISDIAGNOSING AND GIVING ME THE WRONG PARTS (THESE MUST BE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT MADE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY'VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR ASSISTANCE VERY UNKNOWLEDGEABLE. I HAVE BEEN BUYING VOLKSWAGENS SINCE 1974. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A CRAPPY PIECE OF A CAR(ALSO MY FIRST TIME OWNING A CAR WITH A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND MY LAST). IT DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY (WHEN IT'S WORKING) BUT HAS ALL…”
“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…”
Showing 6 of 108 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.