Problems · by component
2002 Volkswagen Jetta seats problems
101 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta cite seats, 14% of all 711 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
101
14% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
57
Reported by owners
Injuries
37
Reported by owners
What owners say about the seats
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKWAGEN JETTA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT SEAT WARMERS ACTIVATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS BURNED WHEN THE SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTIONED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT NEEDED. THE FAILURE BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
“WHILE DRIVING OUR JETTA AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG AND SIDE SEAT AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT. THERE WAS NO POTHOLE. IT WAS THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD. GOING STRAIGHT.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,000.”
“TURNED THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT WARMER ON TO 2. RANGE BEING 0-5. I SMELLED SMOKE AND TURNED IT OFF AFTER ONLY 10-15MIN OF BEING ON. I NOTICED WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, THAT I HAD A HUGE QUARTER SIZE HOLE IN MY SEAT AND MY DOWN COAT WAS BURNED THROUGH IN 2 LARGE SPOTS. THIS IS UNSAFE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE FIRE IF I HAD NOT TURNED OFF THE WARMER AS SOON AS I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT OVERHEATED AND BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT, CAUSING BURNS TO THE CONTACT'S LEGS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED BEFORE, BUT WAS NEVER SO SEVER THAT IT CAUSED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATED SEATS BEGAN TO SPARK AND BURNED A WHOLE IN THE SEAT. THE SEATS WERE REPAIRED UNDER A PREVIOUS MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.”
Showing 6 of 101 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.