2002 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel system Problems

WHILE MAINTAINING SPEED AT OR ABOVE 40 MPH AND WITH 1/4 TANK OR LESS OF FUEL REMAINING, MY JETTA WILL CONSISTENTLY STALL OUT AND TURN OFF FROM FUEL STARVATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BETWEEN 40 AND 80 MPH SEVERAL TIMES, BOTH IN THE CITY AND ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, THE FUEL SENDER, AND THE FUEL PUMP WITH NO SUCCESS. ADDITIONALLY, THE JETTA WILL DIE THE FIRST TIME I TRY TO START IT AS MY FUEL LEVEL APPROACHES 1/4, ESPECIALLY IF I AM PARKED ON AN INCLINE. HOWEVER, IT NEVER FAILS TO START ON THE SECOND TRY ONCE SOME FUEL HAS BEGUN MOVING THROUGH THE SYSTEM. FULLY REFUELING ALLEVIATES ALL PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11100021

Incident

Mar 30, 2017

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS GETTING AN ALLERGIC REACTION FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE REACTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10955330

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

WATER PUMP REPLACED, TIRES ALWAYS HAVE ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE RIM DESIGN, CODE ERRORS, REAR RODS REPLACED, MUFFLER, MISFIRING, RADIATOR ECT.

NHTSA ID

10872122

Incident

Jun 4, 2014

ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS AT OR BELOW A 1/4 TANK OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING... THERE IS A LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING RENDERING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HERE IS A ONLINE DISCUSSION OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM... HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?4971876-CAR-STALLING-WHILE-AT-SPEED-IS-LOW-FUEL-THE-PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10780149

Incident

Apr 7, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH WITH A QUARTER TANK OF GAS, MY 2002 JETTA GLX DISPLAYED THE BATTERY LIGHT AND THEN STALLED AT FULL SPEED. THE CAR SLOWED, THE STEERING AND GAS PEDAL WERE STIFF AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. I HAD THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR REPLACED, NEW SPARK PLUGS PUT IN AND THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED. I TEST DROVE THE CAR AND ONCE AGAIN, THE ENGINE STARTED TO STALL AT AROUND 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR DID NOT COMPLETELY STALL. THIS DEFECT SEEMS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND SEEMS TO BE UNACCEPTABLY PREVALENT ON VW JETTAS. MY NEXT PART TO REPLACE IS THE FUEL PUMP BUT IT APPEARS THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10622574

Incident

Aug 6, 2014

Mileage

70,000 mi

THE FUEL GASKET DECIDED TO CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE SENDING UNIT THAT SENDS DIESEL TO THE ENGINE. IT FILLED THE TOP AND SPILLED DOWN OVER THE TANK ONTO THE CONCRETE. $250 REPAIR FOR THE GASKET + LABOR NOT AT A DEALERSHIP. IT'S PROBABLY A FIRE HAZARD AND VW SHOULD RECALL THE GASKETS.

NHTSA ID

10408263

Incident

Apr 29, 2011

Mileage

132,500 mi

VEHICLE LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. FURTHER APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SECOND FROM FOURTH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE FROM 70 TO 40 MPH, AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SPAN OF AN HOUR, AND IS ENTIRELY INTERMITTENT. THREE VW DEALERS ARE AT A COMPLETE LOSS FOR AN EXPLANATION. THE ECU DOES NOT RETURN A FAULT CODE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS COMPLETELY AT RANDOM, REGARDLESS OF FUEL LEVEL, INCLINE, OR THROTTLE POSITION. THE ONLY CONSISTENCY IS THAT IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED AT A SPEED OVER 50 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10396605

Incident

Apr 17, 2011

Mileage

102,000 mi

LOSS OF POWER ON FREEWAY, WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE LOST POWER, THEN, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE POWER BY 'PUMPING' THE ACCELERATOR, SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR, RESULTING IN A VERY RAPID DECELERATION FROM 70 MPH TO 45 MPH. THIS OCCURRED TWICE IN ONE HOUR, AT BOTH TIMES REQUIRING FOLLOWING MOTORISTS TO SWERVE SEVERELY TO AVOID. *TR

NHTSA ID

10344809

Incident

Jul 22, 2010

Mileage

95,600 mi

2002 JETTA TDI WAGON; I HAVE HAD 6 GLOW PLUGS REPLACED THEN TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FOR A BAD GLOW PLUG HARNESS. DEALER IN BUFFALO TOLD ME THAT THE OEM HARNESS WAS MADE FROM INFERIOR MATERIALS AND MANY FAIL, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED; NOW FACED WITH $150 PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254256

Incident

Jun 6, 2007

Mileage

117,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT CONSTANTLY SMELLS A SLIGHT HINT OF GASOLINE AFTER PLACING FUEL INTO THE VEHICLE. WHILE PLACING GASOLINE INTO THE VEHICLE, THE SMELL INTENSIFIED. THE CONTACT REFERRED TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, WHICH ADVISED NOT TO OVERFILL THE FUEL TANK. HE THEN REALIZED THAT HE WAS OVERFILLING THE TANK UNKNOWINGLY. HE CONTINUED TO SMELL THE ODOR AND REMOVED THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE, AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE HAD OVERFLOWED INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE NEEDED THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT THE COST OF $650. THE DEALER STATED LATER THAT A $1,600 FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT REFUSED AND SOUGHT A SECOND OPINION. HE THEN NOTIFIED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND FILED A COMPLAINT. HE WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED (CASE NUMBER 80256757). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 09/10/08.*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS TANK WAS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID

10234663

Incident

Aug 10, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE A 2002 JETTA GLS TDI. I AM CONSTANTLY REPLACING GLOW PLUGS. HAVE A COOLANT TEMP CODE READING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND ALSO FUEL INJECTION PUMP, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHAT IS CAUSING GLOW PLUGS TO GO BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215472

Incident

Jan 20, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON INCESSANTLY SINCE ORIGINAL ACQUISITION. REPAIRS EFFECTUATED AT LEAST THREE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY AND ISSUE HAS RETURNED. WHEN PARKED AFTER LONG PERIOD OF TIME A LOW BUBBLING/GURGLING AND FIZZLING SOUNDS COMES FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10198235

Incident

Jul 1, 2007

SEPTEMBER 2002 - LEASED 2002 VW JETTA 1.8T. JULY 2003 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IGNITION COILS HAD TO BE REPLACED PER RECALL. NOVEMBER 2003 - PLUMES OF BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAILPIPE - THEY DETERMINED THE OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING. NOVEMBER 2003 - (A DAY LATER) SMOKE STILL COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE, THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS OIL IN THE TURBO, THEY HAD TO REMOVE AND INSTALL NEW TURBO CHARGER AND THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK, THEY HAD TO REMOVE AND INSTALL OIL LINE. NOVEMBER 2003- CAR MAKING WHOOSING NOISE, HAD TO RESCURE LOOSE INTAKE HOSE. MAY 2004 - REPLACE BREAKLIGHT SWITCH PER RECALL. JULY 2004 - DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL - HAD TO HAVE BOTH WINDOWS AND CLAMPS REPLACED PER RECALL. (IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AFTER HOURS, MY CAR COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN VANDILIZED, FORTUNATELY IT WAS DURING THE DAY AND I WAS NEAR THE DEALER SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THEM WEDGED SHUT BEFORE THEY COULD GET THE CAR IN TO BE FIXED.) JULY 2004 (A DAY LATER) - BATTERY DIED, GOT JUMPED AND WAS TOWED TO SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. NO PROBLEMS FOR ALMOST A YEAR, THOUGHT I WAS HOMEFREE... MAY 2005 - CLACKING NOISE IN ENGINE, SLUDGE ON DIPSTICK AND IN OIL FILL CAP. NO OIL LIGHT OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER CAME ON. HAD TO ALSO HAVE HAZARD SWITCH REPLACED PER RECALL. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER MY WARRANTY. MY CAR NEEDS TO HAVE THE OIL PAN REMOVED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. I WAS NEVER TOLD TO YOU USE SYNETHIC OIL IN MY CAR AND THAT APPARENTLY IS THE CAUSE OF THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. FROM LOOKING ONLINE, IT SEEMS MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST MYSELF HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. VW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS.

NHTSA ID

10120216

Incident

May 8, 2005

I OWN A 2002 VW JETTA TDI (DIESEL). AT 49,500 MILES, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE PROBLEM WAS A CLOGGED FUEL INTAKE SYSTEM. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM, AS IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. I CALLED THE VW HEADQUARTERS, AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR IF SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED. I HAVE DONE ALL OF THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, AT A GREAT EXPENSE. FINALLY, VW HAS AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE $520.00 BILL TO CLEAN THE FUEL INTAKE. AFTER DOING WEB RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FACING MANY VW TDI OWNERS. BECAUSE VW TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I BELIEVE THAT VW IS NOT HONORING THE WARRANTY BY PAYING THE ENTIRE EXPENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114322

Incident

Mar 14, 2005

Mileage

49,500 mi

MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS TURBO, 26,000 MILES CAUGHT ON FIRE IN WASHINGTON STATE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. I SMELLED GAS WHILE DRIVING AND PULLED OVER OPNED HOOD AND A FE SECONDS LATER A FIRE STARTED. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH 911 THERE WAS A MINOR EXPLOSION AND I RECEIVED MINOR BURNS TO THE FACE AND HANDS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED 20 MILES TO KARMART VW IN BURLINGTON, WA. THE NEXT VW OF AMERICA CALLED AND SAID THEY WERE INVESTIGATING IT. THREE WEEKS LATER THEY CALLED AND DENIED THE CLAIM FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. ABOUT $10,000 IN DAMAGES. MY INSURANCE COMPANY ALLSTATE IS INVOLVED AND HIRED AN ENGINEER TO INVESTIGATE IT. HE DETERMINED IT IS MOST LIKELY A FACTORY DEFECT. VW DENIED TO FIX OR REPLACE THE CAR BECUASE THERE NO CLAMPS PRESENT WHERE THE FIRE OCURED. THE HOSES BURNED OFF ABOUT 3-6 INCHES. ALLSTATE FOUND THE ONE OF THE CLAMPS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I THINK IT REDICULOUS THAT VW WILL NOT COVER THE DAMGES OR REPLACE THE CAR. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH A 2 YEAR CAR WITH MAJOR FIRE DAMAGE. I HAVE LOST TOTAL FAITH IN THE VEHICLE AND DON'T WANT. I WILL HAVE A HARD TIME SELLING IT WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, WHO WOULD WANT TO BUY CAR TWO OLDS KNOWING IT WAS IN A SERIOUS FIRE? WHAT PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THIS? I FEEL WITH MY MINOR INJURY AND BEING A NEW CAR VW SHOULD DO SOMETHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10105742

Incident

Nov 30, 2004

Mileage

26,100 mi

MY 2002 VW JETTA, VIN# [XXX] HAS APPROXIMATELY 22,334 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN AT PACIFIC VW SINCE MARCH 18, 2004. THE CONCERN WITH THE VEHICLE, WHICH THE DEALER/FACTORY REPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REMEDY IS WITH A COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION. *AK WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL SLIGHTLY ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 15-20 MPH AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PROPEL FORWARD AT ANY FASTER RATE, EVEN WITH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ACCELERATION IS RESUMED WHEN THE PEDAL IS BROUGHT UP TO THE TOP AGAIN AND DEPRESSED YET AGAIN TO GET ANY NORMAL TYPE OF ACCELERATION. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT POOR ACCELERATION BUT RATHER AN INABILITY FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED TO BE REMEDIED BY MY DEALERSHIP BY REPAIRING/REPLACING THE ECM, TCM, FUEL PUMP, WIRING HARNESS AND A RADIATOR HOSE - THE HOSE WAS DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND IS UNRELATED TO THE VEHICLES TRUE CONCERNS. ALL OTHER ITEMS WERE UNSUCCSESSFUL. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN MERGING OR TURNING ONTO TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THERE IS A HUGE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IF THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, EVEN WITH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I FEAR THAT A REAR END ACCIDENT MAY ENSUE IF THIS CONDITION IS NOT FIXED BY VW. I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE DESPITE MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS AND AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION TO VW. KIND REGARDS, [XXX]. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10072758

Incident

Mar 18, 2004

Mileage

22,334 mi

THE VEHICLE'S TDI (TURBO INJECTED INJECTION) FAILED TO START. IT WAS SAID TO BE DUE TO BUILT UP WITH CARBON AND SOOT. THE CONSUMER'S SON AND FRIEND EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10050398

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

Mileage

29,319 mi

I HAD A 2002 VW JETTA 1.8T THAT DEVELOPED SERIOUS PROBLEMS RELATED TO A COMPTER GLICHE THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL EMISSIONS AS PER THE VW ENGINEER I SPOKE WITH. THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE ENGINE MISFIRES RESULTING IN SYMPTOMS OF HIGH ENGINE IDLING, DECREASED ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, STUTTERING OF THE ENGINE UPON START OR WITH GEAR CHANGES AND OVER ALL SLUGGISHNESS WHEN DRIVING. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS AWARDED TO ME AFTER I FILED A LEMON LAW CASE AND VW STATED THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS GIVEN THE EXACT SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE IN NOV 2002. THIS VEHICLE STARTED DOING THE SAME THING IN JULY 2002. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO STATED VW HAD NOT YET COME UP WITH A FIX. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER BUT WITHIN IN A WEEK THE CAR WAS EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS. AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND INFORMED THEM I WAS GOING TO FILE A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT AGAIN. THE NEXT THING I KNOW A VW REP IS IN TOWN LOOKING AT MY VEHICLE. I WAS THEN INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REP DID SOMETHING TO THE COMPUTER AND NOW I CAN ONLY USE PREMIUM GASOLINE. MY CONCERN IS THAT HE TWEEKED THE COMPUTER AND THAT MY VEHICLE MAY NOT BE MEETING THE FUEL EMISSION STANDARDS. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS RE: THE 1.8T MODEL ON ALL THE VW SITES YET VW APPEARS TO BE SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG. CHECK OUT WWW.MYVWLEMON.COM AND YOU WILL SEE THE MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM YET VW WILL NOT ADDRESS IT UNLESS ONE IS PERSISTENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT A VEHICL THAT NEVER REQUIRED PREMIUM GASOLINE BEFORE REQUIRES IT NOW AFTER THE ENGINERR "TWEEKED" IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030639

Incident

Jul 29, 2003

Mileage

6,682 mi

IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS MY 2002 JETTA 1.8T HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES FOR FAULTY COIL PACKS AND NOW I NEED ALL NEW FUEL INJECTORS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE HAD 2 NEW SETS OF REDESIGNED COIL PACKS AND I STILL GET AN ENGINE LIGHT CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER AND RUN ROUGH, NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT HAPPENING TO YOU WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES A HOUR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I WISH VOLKSWAGEN WOULD ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE REALLY GETS HURT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016886

Incident

Dec 3, 2002

Mileage

18,000 mi

THE GASKET RIPPED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING DO TO A PIECE OF DEBREE IN THE ROAD. TS

NHTSA ID

10005996

Incident

Jan 18, 2003

FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT GO TO FULL MARK. DROPS BETWEEN 1/2 AND FULL MARKS. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL SENDER 3 TIMES, FUEL PUMP ONCE, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BOARD TWICE. PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**769766

NHTSA ID

10006927

VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IS REFUSING TO NOTIFY CONSUMERS & DEALERS OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION EXPERIENCED BY MANY NEW 2002 1.8-T JETTA. DT

NHTSA ID

769651

Incident

Aug 31, 2002