2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS from North America - Comments

Hi I own a 2002 Jetta 1.8 turbo with an automatic transmission. I have recently been trying to fight Volkswagen for failure of the transmission at 64,000 miles. I also have had a string of problems with the car since I bought it brand new in 2002. My radio died 4 times and had to be replaced twice; additionally, all ignition coils were replaced after my car broke down on the road from ignition coil failure in 2003. My bumper has been ripped off many times due to it improperly latching on to parking curbs when driving away. Also; the spring beneath drivers seat has broken off, there is peeling of interior door handles and dash console, and there is a broken latch in the middle console. Not to mention, my turn signals were faulty and bulbs kept burning out, including the brake light bulbs.

More importantly, I have had engine, transmission, and electrical problems with this car. After the ignition coil failure, I have had to take it in twice for engine problems; the engine light turning on, a broken air pump, and engine oil leakage, and recently I have had to replace more ignition coils and all spark plugs after my warranty was over at 50,000 miles.

While under warranty, the coolant temperature light turned on 4 separate times and to 2 different Volkswagen dealerships. After finally being fixed the 4th time, and the warranty was already over 50,000, the car broke down recently while on the road 2 more times because of coolant hose leaks and other cheaply made parts that needed to be replaced in the coolant/engine system.

After all of these repairs, I still held on in believing this to be a good car.

Now I am at 64,000 miles and I have had a transmission failure and was told it is intermittent by the dealership. The reverse gear stopped working one day and there was no engine or warning light on. So I took it in to another dealership and they performed a diagnostic test which I paid for. The onboard diagnostic showed that I needed to replace some shorts in the shifter, but did not show any other faults that are related to the failure of the transmission. I agreed to pay out of pocket expenses of $1000 for these parts because the dealer told me they needed to replace these in order to further diagnose the transmission. Now they have said it has failed and I need a whole new transmission that will cost $6000, which is nearly half the worth of the car. Now what should I do?

I called Volkswagen Customer Service and made several complaints, but they were completely unwilling to help. I even called the BBC Autoline and they also told me that I am out of warranty. Since I have been doing lots of research about the VW Jetta, I have found that most VW Jetta complaints were during the years 2000, 2001, and 2002. It seems that most of us just got a bad bunch of lemons from the factory and all of us have similar complaints. If you check http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems, you can look through hundreds of government-documented complaints of the VW Jetta.

Since I am stuck with an unsafe and inoperable car, I am trying to figure out what I can do in order to pursue this further. I am completely unsatisfied with Volkswagen Customer Service and Volkswagen's claims to offer reliable, safe and outstanding performance.

If anyone has similar issues as mine I would like to hear them! Email me. LOzeri81@aol.com.

This was a very helpful review. I am experiencing very similar problems as you are with my 2002 WW 1.8 Turbo Jetta GLS automatic (Transmission type EYP). The dealership has told me that I need to replace my transmission. I have 86K miles on my car - which is far too few for transmission failure. I'm not convinced it's the transmission. The slippage and lurching stopped after the dealership "re-flashed the codes" in the car, which tells me that maybe this is yet another electrical issue. Has anyone found VW to be responsive to there problems? Maybe it's time for a serious letter writing campaign. I love my Jetta - but all of the problems and recalls have been so disheartening. Email me if you feel the same or have any input (sms25@go.com).

I'm in my 8th year of owning a '99 Jetta and have regretted my decision to buy my "dream car" almost immediately. VW had to completely replace my engine at 12K (yes, 12K) miles and I have had nothing, but constant problems. By the the time I had 40K on the odometer, I had replaced 3 tires, brakes, brake lights, O2 sensor and fuel pump.

I now have 125K miles on it and the tranny's gone out. What's worse is the lack of mechanics who will work on these cars. Way too much of a pain in the butt! I will never own another one!! Not enough room to describe all I've had to have done to it!

Hi My name is Tahnee Merideth, I bought a 2002 VW Jetta 1.8 liter Turbo in Dublin California about 1 year ago for my 18 year old daughter. The car only had 43,000 miles on it at time of purchase. When we bought the car we specially went to a VW dealer "thinking" they were all VW certified as they do sell VW's so if they sell used one's they know the car and would not the most about what condition it was in. Thinking the car had low mileage and was SAFE for our daughter to drive this was our choice. Well, the car was driving funny from the beginning, but because I drive a V 8 GMC Yukon I thought it was because I was used to driving a car with a larger engine. I then drove the car after my daughter complained and we took it to Tracy VW. I tell them the car shifts weird, it seems to have low power and she is complaining the car was eating more fuel then normal. Well, they keep the car a few days. I then go to Tracy VW to pick this car up and am charged $500 PLUS for basically nothing. The man who checked me in was sitting right there. I stated that what are you charging me $500.00 for when you did not fix the car. He stated to me there is "absolutely NOTHING" wrong with this car!! His EXACT words!!! I asked him if they drove the car he stated yes they even drove the car on the freeway. WELL... my daughter then feels safe (as the car was JUST at VW and they 'said" it checked out OK) she takes a trip to Disneyland and on the way home the car starts shifting weird. She calls me and we ended up having the car towed in to the same local VW dealership. They now say the transmission needs replacement and it is a $5300.00 job. I ask about the warranty as the car only has 57,000 miles on it. They say my warranty ended on 02.20.07 as the car first sold on 02-20-02. They then state if the car is certified then they will cover the transmission. I call Dublin VW where I bought this car and they state to me that it is not certified. I tell them I thought all their used VW at a VW dealership would be certified nope does not work that way. I feel EXTREAMLY ripped off. My daughter is 18 starting college on Monday and trying to do what is right and making her small payments on her car. Now she is without a car because of this. This is her first car buying experience and she went with a VW thinking it was safe and would run forever. They call me and then offer me $7000.00 to trade the car in 1/2 of what she owes on the car. I told the salesman who's name by the way is AC that he must think we are stupid. We got a quote here in town for $3000.00 to replace the transmission and I then told AC why doesn't Dublin VW do what is right and repair it for the quote we got here in town as we would feel better knowing it was fixed at a VW dealership. He tells me he will talk to service and get back to me in which he never did. All he wanted to do was to get me to trade it in and (loose my butt on that) then when he found out we would not GIVE the car away he does not call back. I feel VW advertises a certain name and they should stand behind that name. If they know they have had problems with certain years then they should stand behind it and fix it. Well, I am going to be the largest thorn in their side and I am going to look up anything and everything about this year, make and transmission and I am going to complain to any and every agency I can about this year as well as Dublin VW. I have never in my life felt so ripped off. A transmission costing more than half of what the car is worth. Anyway, I would like to get together with you to put info together and get as many articles and people we can and fight against VW and this problem. If this has been an issue there should have been a recall. I am even more upset that we took it in and they told me they drove it and there was nothing wrong with it.

Oh yeah, I forgot, my ex husband then called Tracy today to talk with the guy he stated that we just had the car in and complained about it they will take no blame stating the transmission can break at a moments notice. This is a bunch of crap we JUST had the car in there and they did not take care of this problem from which I knew when leaving asking them how they could say as the car was driving funny then. Had they diagnosed it then, it may have been slight. Anyway... What do you think? Let's get these complaints compiled and let's do something about this.

Tahnee Merideth@aol.com.

Hello,

My name is Frances and I also own a 2002 Jetta. I purchased the 2002 Jetta GL in 2004 with 42000 miles on it and now it has 96400 miles. My mom and I purchased the Jetta because it has been my dream car since I was 8. I love the Jetta solely for its looks. BUT gosh I have encountered so many problems with this car! First, the alternator went out about 85,0000 miles, then around 90,0000 miles the headgasket blew out. AND NOW for the biggest repair of them all, the transmission needs to be REBUILT!

I am so frustrated with Volkswagen for making a car beautiful on the outside, but not on the inside.

Basically, I need some advice. I don't know whether or not I should just get it fixed and keep the car or trade in my car for another...

What should I do?

What steps do I need to take?

And do car dealers purchase cars with transmission problems?

Any help or advice please email them to secnarf182@yahoo.com.

Thanks!

-frances.

I'm having the exact same problem with my 2002 jetta. I bought it used, my warranty just expired and now my tranny needs to be rebuilt. Not only that, but VW says that the transmission has MELTED due to the previous owners neglect. The dealership from where I bought the car will claim no responsibility for this since the warranty has expired, however they sold me a car that had a faulty transmission with the wrong transmission fluid in it!!!

Same question... will VW buy back a car without a working transmission??

I can't afford to fix this.

I bought a new 1.8T Jetta in 2002 and am having the exact same problems everyone here is describing. I feel like I am reading my own story when I look at some of these comments, including the same actions taken by the service departments!

I brought my car into the VW dealership at 69K for the routine 70K service. The service manager told me that the car needed a new air flow sensor, but that it was not "necessary." Considering the price of the part I opted to have it replaced at a later date. Other than that they said the car was fine.

I had to bring in my car about 10 weeks later (2,000 miles later) because it was shifting weird. The VW dealership told me I needed a new transmission, new brakes, new air flow sensor, a new door latch, and new radio (which worked fine.) They gave me an estimate well over $8,000 gave me an estimate. They said they found about 8 error codes and valve leaks. I was not told any of this 10 weeks prior and find it very hard to believe that all of these errors and malfunctions occurred in under 2000 miles!!! Furthermore, they told me to "just trade it in and get a better one."

Something is seriously wrong here. There are way too many coincidences. Lets do something about this.

And oh yes, we bought a 2002 Jetta Wagon; it has 78,000 miles on it and the transmission just went, and is estimated at around $5000 dollars, which just about totals it out. So -- this is the last VW we will buy.

I've owned 10 Volkswagens over the years, some some good, some bad (Most were pretty good cars, though). After reading all of the problems with the newer ones, I don't think I'll be buying another VW anytime soon.

It's a shame that Volkswagen's quality has slipped so badly, but when so many customers are experiencing the same problems, I don't think it can be a fluke.

I have a 2002 Jetta 1.8T and my transmission is slipping in 4th and 5th gears. Volkswagen wants to charge me 5-7000 to fix it. I have had nothing but problems with the car I so longed for at one time. I have rebuilt the entire oil system, taken it in for 3 recalls, the drivers side seat is broken, the drivers side window has scratches from falling off track so many times, and my brake lights have repeatedly went out. What a hunk! missy_rankin@hotmail.com.