2002 Volkswagen Passat GLS review from North America
"Completely unreliable"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Two failed ignition coils within 5 months of ownership.
Leak in gas tank resulting in spillage and fire department intervention - first weekend of ownership.
General comments?
Two of the car's four ignition coils have failed in the first five months we have owned it. Each failure rendered the car inoperable. VW acknowledges that all of the ignition coils in 2001, 2001.5, and 2002 1.8T Passats are "susceptible to failure," but they refuse to replace the remaining coils until they "actually fail." For us, that means two more breakdowns and two more tows - the only question is when and where. VW says it is not treating the ignition coil defects as a recall because this is not a "safety issue." Having been stranded on the side of the road twice in the last month, I could not disagree more. I am extremely disappointed in VW's handling of this known defect and will never buy another VW.
Recommended reviews
| 2002 - Passat GLX 4 MOTION 2.8 V6 30 Valve Great car, more than what you would expect |
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| 2001 - Passat GLX 4 Motion wagon 2.8 Entry Level Luxury with problematic mechanicals |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8T Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 0 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 500 miles |
| Most recent distance | 14000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Maxima |
| Date of Entry | 30th January, 2003 |