Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Volkswagen Passat problems

Owners filed 650 complaints about the 2002 Volkswagen Passat with NHTSA between Sep 2001 and Jan 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (221).

Complaints
650
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
46
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system221
  2. Engine and engine cooling137
  3. Fuel system, gasoline55
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic47
  5. Exterior lighting32
  6. Structure31
  7. Power train28
  8. Visibility27
  9. Equipment25
  10. Service brakes18
  11. Fuel/propulsion system16
  12. Suspension16
  13. Vehicle speed control16
  14. Engine15

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
20013
200267
2003195
200437
200542
200656
200745
200841
200932
201040
201121
201214
20139
201416
20158
20168
20179
20183
20192
20200
20210
20220
20231
20240
20250
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

Electrical system

221 reports2 crashes17 fires
“WHILE DRIVING AT 75MPH OR IN CITY TRAFFIC I GET AN ALARM WARNING THAT MY DRIVER'S DOOR IS OPEN. TO SHUT THE LOUD WARNING OFF, I MUST OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR WHILE GOING 75MPH OR IN TRAFFIC. EITHER I OPEN THE DOOR WHILE DRIVING OR PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC, I FIND THIS VERY DANGEROUS!!! THIS HAPPENS DAILY THIS IS MY SECOND VW PASSAT THAT THE DOOR LATCH HAS FAILED AND WAS TOLD THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGENS THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS OF HAVING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO RESET THE LATCH ELECTRICAL SWITCHES THAT ARE DEFECTIVE!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 17, 2015Electrical system, StructureODI 10764641

Engine and engine cooling

137 reports2 crashes18 fires1 related recall
“DECEMBER 30, 2011, THE ENGINE EMISSIONS LIGHT CAME ON. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES WERE SLOW TO RESPOND, ESPECIALLY IN QUICK RESPONSE SITUATIONS, I.E. TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR TO PEP BOYS FOR A DIAGNOSTIC ON BRAKES/EMISSION. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. COST $100. FEBRUARY 10, 2012, THE ENGINE EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES WERE SLOW TO RESPOND ESPECIALLY IN QUICK RESPONSE SITUATIONS, I.E. TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VW DEALER/REPAIR SHOP. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS AND CHANGED THE BRAKE FLUID. I STILL EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE PROBLEM DURING COLD WEATHER (BELOW 15 DEGREES AND WIND CHILL). VW SUGGESTED BRINGING THE CAR IN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS THE SAME AS THE TEMPERATURE THAT I EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS MARCH AND THERE WERE NO FURTHER COLD DAYS. I BEGAN TO THINK THE CAR WAS A WARM WEATHER VEHICLE. COST $776. DECEMBER 14, 2012, THE VW DEALER/REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. COST $377. DECEMBER 26, 2013, THE ENGINE EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES WERE SLOW TO RESPOND, ESPECIALLY IN QUICK RESPONSE SITUATIONS, I.E. TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VW DEALER/REPAIR SHOP. THEY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Service brakesODI 10583913

Fuel system, gasoline

55 reports3 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V156000 (FUEL SYSTEM), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VENTILATION VALVE WAS FRACTURED AND CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK. ALSO, THE TANK ONLY LEAKED WHEN IT WAS MORE THAN HALF FULL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. UPDATED 01/25/17*LJ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2016Fuel system, gasolineODI 10896086

Service brakes, hydraulic

47 reports1 crash1 fire
“IN AUGUST OF 2013, WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLENUM THAT HOLDS THE BATTERY AND BRAKE BOOSTER WAS NEARLY FILLED WITH RAIN WATER. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO REMOVE ONE OF THE DUCK-BILLED DRAIN PLUGS IN THE PLENUM AS ALL WERE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS, PREVENTING WATER FROM DRAINING OUT. THE FLOODED PLENUM APPEARS TO HAVE RESULTED IN WATER BEING DRAWN THROUGH THE VACUUM LINES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THIS, IN TURN, CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE DRAWN INTO THE CRANKCASE. WATER WAS ALSO DRAWN INTO THE CYLINDERS RESULTING IN MISFIRING. AFTER REMOVING AT LEAST ONE DRAIN PLUG IN THE PLENUM FOR PROPER DRAINAGE, AND DOUBLE FLUSHING THE CONTAMINATED OIL IN THE CRANKCASE, I EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER BRAKING PROBLEMS UNTIL FREEZING WEATHER IN NOVEMBER 2013. IN NOVEMBER, WHILE BRAKING NEAR THE BOTTOM OF A HILL, I AGAIN EXPERIENCED A HARD PEDAL WITH NO DEPRESSION AND ALMOST NO BRAKING ABILITY, RESULTING IN THE CAR GOING INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE FULLY STOPPING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE WAS AGAIN THE SYMPTOM OF A HARD…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, EngineODI 10560909

Exterior lighting

32 reports1 crash1 fire
“HEADLIGHT PIGTAILS HAVE MELTED ,FUEL PUMP HAS GONE ,AND THE PLASTIC RESERVOIR PEICE FROM MY COOLANT PUMP HAS MELTED OFF DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM BAR HAS MALFUNCTIONED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2018Suspension, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11122958

Structure

31 reports1 crash
“WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR GETS FLOODED CAUSING THE WHOLE WIRING SYSTEM THROUGH THE CAR TO GET DAMAGE. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND DIE AS YOUR DRIVING. SEEMS TO HAPPEN. WHEN ON HIGHWAY MOST. THE CAR WILL NOT START OR CRANK. I'VE HAD TO VACUUM THE FLOOR BOARDS AND TRUNK, SEARCH FOR DAMAGED WIRES, CHANGE RELAYS AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AND FUEL PUMP.AS WELL AS SENSORS. TRYING TO GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION JERKS VERY HARD WHEN TRYING TO GO INTO REVERSE AND MOST OF THE TIME IN SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WITHIN1OR 2 SECONDS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2019Power train, Structure, EngineODI 11180192
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.