2002 Volkswagen Passat Wagon recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Fuel/propulsion system

  FUEL LEAKING FROM FITTING ON TOP OF TANK NEAR FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT.

  Feb 16, 2018 · 135,000 miles
• Engine

  DIDNT EXPLAIN FULLY THE FIRST TIME, SO HERE GOES. MY VW HAS ENGINE FAILURE, VW HAD A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM SOME YEARS BACK BECAUSE OF A ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE RAN HOT BECAUSE IT WAS A TURBO POWERED ENGINE, PLUS NOT HAVING ENOUGH OIL TO KEEP IT COOL. CAUSING THE OIL TO BREAKDOWN AND MAKE SLUDGE WHICH CLOGGED UP THE OIL PUMP AND STARVED THE ENGINE OF OIL LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS WHAT IM EXPERENCING RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO SLUDGE. VW LOST THAT LAWSUIT AND STILL WONT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DESIGN FLAW, IM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON MY CAR, IT RAN PERFECT. ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS ARE DOCUMENTED, THE CAR IS IN ALMOST PERFECT CONDITION FOR A 2002. I WANT VW TO FIX WHAT…

  Feb 22, 2017 · 105,000 miles
• Engine

  ENGINE FAILURE, CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECT NO PROBLEMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS VIBRATING AND SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL. CALLED MY MECHANIC HE TOLD ME TO BRING IT BY, I STARTED ON MY WAY TO DRIVE TO THE SHOP SO HE COULD TAKE A LOOK. CAR DIED 1 MILE FROM SHOP WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING 45MPH WGEN IT FAILED, I HAD TO GET OUT THE CAR PUSH IT OUT OF TRAFFIC BY MYSELF. A VW PASSAT WAGON! HEAVY? YES VERY MUCH SO. GOT IT TOWED MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT WASNT GETTIN ENOUGH OIL.

  Feb 22, 2017 · 105,000 miles
• Service brakes

  MOTOR VEHICLE LIGHT: ABS BRAKE LIGHT ON. MECHANICS TELL ME THESE COMPUTER ARE ALWAYS DEFECTIVE. REPAIR COST 750.00. MILEAGE 235,000. LOTS OF COSTLY REPAIRS. LIGHT CANNOT BE RESET SO I HAVE TO PAY THE ABOVE AMOUNT TO FIX IT AND BE ABLE TO RESELL IT. THIS ABS HAS BARELY BEEN USED. COMPANY SHOULD FIX IT [XXX]/ [XXX]@AOL.COM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

  Jun 2, 2015 · 235,000 miles
• Air bagsCrash

  I WAS DRIVING UP SOMEWHAT OF A HILL AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO A BIT OF TRAFFIC FLOW. I HAD REALIZED I WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN I THOUGHT SO I BRAKED A LITTLE HARDER THAN USUAL. MY BRAKES WERE GRABBING ON TIGHTLY TO THE GROUND LIKE THEY SHOULD BUT THEN SEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN OUT AT THE LAST COUPLE SECONDS. MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, RESULTING IN BOTH MY FRONT AIRBAGS GOING OFF. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SWUNG OUT AND HIT MY RIGHT HAND, RESULTING IN SOME MINOR BURNS AND SCRAPES. I THEN STARTED GOING BACKWARDS AFTER THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS HIT. I HIT MY BRAKES TO STOP MY CAR FROM ROLLING AND THERE WAS NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT LET ME BRAKE. SO I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN…

  Feb 7, 2014 · 96,000 miles
• Service brakesCrash

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.

  Apr 10, 2013 · 151,000 miles
• Tires

  LEFT REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED AT THE SIDEWALLS , LEAVING 2 RUBBER RINGS AT EACH SIDE OF THE RIM, 3 INCH WIDE. CAR WAS GOING 65 MPH WITH NO LOAD, EXCEPT DRIVER. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OR VISIBLE CRACKING. AIR PRESSURE WAS CHECKED BEFORE TRIP AND FOUND IN COMPLIANCE WITH CAR SPEC. *TR

  Aug 30, 2012 · 103,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.