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2002 Volkswagen Passat Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2002 Volkswagen Passat, and owners have filed 636 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
636
owner complaints to NHTSA
10 / 46
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–23
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Delivery (fuel system)

    NHTSA 08V156000 Reported 412,000 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

    Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or…

    Remedy: Dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also…

  2. Tires

    NHTSA 03V154000 Reported 11 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

    Certain sedans and station wagons equipped with 4.0l w8 engines fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the affected vehicles are equipped with tires of the maximum load rating index 93h; however, they should have been equipped with tires with the load rating…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace all four tires with the proper size tires. Owner notification began september 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…

  3. Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)

    NHTSA 02V026000 Reported 487,284 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

    On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.

    Remedy: Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the…

636 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Volkswagen Passat have filed 636 complaints with NHTSA; 10 describe a crash and 46 describe a fire. Reports cite 19 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 55,418 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 193 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this letter as a formal complaint regarding an authorized automobile dealer’s refusal to perform an open safety recall on my vehicle. Vehicle information: * Yea”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 7, 2026 · Fuel/propulsion system

“I was letting my car run for a couple of minutes for the AC to cool down the car and I went into my house. When I came out about 2 minutes later, there was a large puddle of gas under the car in front”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 26, 2023 · Fuel/propulsion system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat (Passat 4motion, Passat Wagon, Passat Wagon 4motion). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–23 mpg
City / Highway16–19 / 23–28
FuelPremium
EPA classCompact Cars, Midsize Cars, Midsize Station Wagons
Engine4/6/8 cyl, 1.8/2.8/4 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S5); Manual 5-spd

Compare Volkswagen Passat model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Passat model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1988 Volkswagen Passat10
1989 Volkswagen Passat10
1990 Volkswagen Passat234
1991 Volkswagen Passat124
1992 Volkswagen Passat139
1993 Volkswagen Passat368
1994 Volkswagen Passat125
1995 Volkswagen Passat193
1996 Volkswagen Passat140
1997 Volkswagen Passat037
1998 Volkswagen Passat4331
1999 Volkswagen Passat5664
2000 Volkswagen Passat3507
2001 Volkswagen Passat3430
2002 Volkswagen Passat3636
2003 Volkswagen Passat6628
2004 Volkswagen Passat3279
2005 Volkswagen Passat3148
2006 Volkswagen Passat7576
2007 Volkswagen Passat7262
2008 Volkswagen Passat4168
2009 Volkswagen Passat4146
2010 Volkswagen Passat4163
2011 Volkswagen Passat016
2012 Volkswagen Passat11484
2013 Volkswagen Passat9748
2014 Volkswagen Passat10594
2015 Volkswagen Passat7243
2016 Volkswagen Passat5106
2017 Volkswagen Passat7110
2018 Volkswagen Passat445
2019 Volkswagen Passat112
2020 Volkswagen Passat318
2021 Volkswagen Passat118
2022 Volkswagen Passat013

Checking a specific 2002 Volkswagen Passat

How do I know if my 2002 Volkswagen Passat has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2002 Volkswagen Passat; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V026000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.