2002 Volkswagen Passat Engine And Engine Cooling Problems
NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How engine and engine cooling ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 636 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Volkswagen Passat overview page.
What owners report
“CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL HEAVILY JERK AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND…”NHTSA complaint 10004204 — filed 01/21/2003
“CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE THEN LOSE POWER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS”NHTSA complaint 10003869 — filed 01/15/2003
“MY 2002 VW PASSAT HAS HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE COILS. ON 12-1-02, WITH 7,504 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE #2 COIL BROKE AND I…”NHTSA complaint 10002625 — filed 01/13/2003
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2002 Volkswagen Passat have engine and engine cooling problems?
Engine And Engine Cooling is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Volkswagen Passat: 56 of 636 complaints on file (8.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2002 Volkswagen Passat have in total?
636 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 46 involved a fire, 19 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
