2002 Volkswagen Jetta Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/14/2026

56Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints

8%Of all 702 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER86 · 12.3%

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW63 · 9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION61 · 8.7%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION56 · 8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM51 · 7.3%

Share of the 702 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta overview page.

What owners report

“TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING BY ITSELF, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REDLINE AND NEARLY…”NHTSA complaint 10003241 — filed 01/23/2003

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta have power train:automatic transmission problems?

Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta: 56 of 702 complaints on file (8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta have in total?

702 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 31 involved a crash, 71 involved a fire, 75 reported injuries, and 10 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.