Friday, August 7, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2002 Volkswagen Passat engine problems

13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2002 Volkswagen Passat2% of all complaints for this model year.

13
Engine complaints
2%
share of all complaints
131,400 mi
median reported incident mileage
0 / 4
crash / fire reports

What owners report

  • 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…

    filed Feb 14, 2019

  • Low oil pressure light came on for the first time and now engine makes a ticking noise. There was a recall for this issue. Now I'm stuck with a car I can't get fixed. For an issue that had a law suit.

    filed Mar 28, 2016

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.

Related service bulletins

  • Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards

    V171901201285565 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2023
  • Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

    V171901201285562 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2023
  • Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

    V171901201285560 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
All 2002 Volkswagen Passat TSBs →

Engine problems in other Passat years

YearReportsShare
2018 Passat1124%
2017 Passat76%
2016 Passat1716%
2015 Passat5322%
2014 Passat7713%
2013 Passat10414%
2012 Passat408%
2010 Passat4125%
2009 Passat6041%
2008 Passat4326%
2007 Passat2811%
2006 Passat6411%
Passat engine problems by year →

Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.