RoadVitals

2002 Volkswagen Jetta Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jun 2, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
1%
of 702 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel systemOther / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Jun 2, 2016

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
Suspension
Filed May 3, 2011

MY RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SPRING. I OPENED MY CAR DOOR AND SAT IN MY CAR AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. IT TURNED OUT THAT 1/2 OF A COIL SNAPPED OFF OF MY RIGHT FRONT SPRING. IT LOOKS LIKE RUST WAS NOT AN ISSUE AND THE SPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND FAILED. I'M GLAD I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE CONTACTED VWOA TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE FAILURE AND AM ASKING THEM TO REPAIR THE PART AT NO COST TO ME EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10398753
Incident
May 1, 2011
Mileage
113,500 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspensionTransmission
Filed Feb 19, 2009
Crash reported

I PURCHASED A 2002 VW IN 2005. I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT IN DEC '08. SHORTLY AFTER THE COLLISION PLACE REPAIRED MY CAR. THE VEHICHLE STARTED MISFIRING AND ESSENTIALLY WASN'T DRIVABLE. THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING WERE REPLACED $800 (AT THE VW PLACE) AND THE SERVICE DEPT SAID THAT THEY WOULD CHECK FLUIDS IN PARTICULAR THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T HAVE THE UPDATED TRANMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) AND HAD TO REPLACED ( $700 PART AND 300 LABOR) THE SERVICE TECHNICAN DID STATE THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST STEP IN DIAGNOSING AND CORRECTING THE PROBLEM AND THAT THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT NOT A RECALL. WELL $1000 SPENT ON THIS STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOW THEY SAY THE NEXT STEP IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON A CAR THAT HAS 87K MILES ANOTHER 4K. WELL, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT VW IS UNRELIABLE AND DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR NAME, PRODUCT OR REPUTATION. THIS IS SHAMEFUL. I AM VERY DISSAFIED AND LEARNED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB RELATED TO TRANSMISSIION, TCM ON THE VW 2002 - 2006 MODEL. VW SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE AND COMPENSATE FOR THIS A DEFECTIVE/INFERIOR PRODUCT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10259364
Incident
Dec 6, 2008
Mileage
87,000 mi
BrakesEngineSuspension+1 more
Filed May 19, 2008

I PURCHASED THE 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA IN AUGUST OF 2006. THE FIRST SET OF REPAIRS WAS ON 3/2007 AT 64,332 MI CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MULITPLE MISFIRES: P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304 REPLACED IGNITION COILS COST: $200.11 SECOND REPAIR TOOK PLACE IN APRIL OF 2007 TOOK CAR IN FOR RECALL - REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CHECK ENGLINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON - REPLACED TEMP. SENSOR COST: $199.33 CAR WAS JERKING INTO GEAR, DOWNSHIFTING HARD AND SLUGGISH. BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALSERHSIP IN APRIL 2008 WORN STRUT BRUSHINGS NEEDS REAR PADS NEEDS ROTORS CHECK ENGLINE LIGHT ON AGAIN NEEDS NEW COILS AGAIN SPARK PLUGS TEMP SENSOR AGAIN NEW T-STAT FANS NOT WORKING HOSES UNDER INTAKE BROKEN NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS COST: $149.21 ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR: $6,500.00. *TR

NHTSA ID
10228140
Incident
Apr 14, 2008
Mileage
72,501 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine+4 more
Filed Oct 5, 2006

WAY TO MANY TO LIST HERE. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE START. MORE THAN $7000 WORTH OF REPAIR (PLUS MORE THAT WAS COVERED BY WARR) THE FINAL ITEM THAT CAUSED ME TO SAY I WOULD NEVER CONSIDER ANOTHER VW PRODUCT WAS THE ENGINE DAMAGE CAUSED BY A TIMING BELT FAILURE. ALL SERVICES WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE USERS MANUAL STATES INSPECTION OF THE BELT AT SERVICES (THAT I PAID FOR) AND REPLACEMENT AT 120,000 MILES. I ONLY HAD 92,000 MILES. IT WILL COST $5,000 TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. IT IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO REPAIR THIS CAR. IT WAS A GREAT CAR TO DRIVE BUT QUALITY CONTROL IS POOR AT BEST. *NM

NHTSA ID
10170044
Incident
Sep 3, 2006
Mileage
92,000 mi
EngineSteeringSuspension+1 more
Filed Dec 29, 2004

THE TORQUE ARM SHEARED OFF. AS A RESULT, AXLE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT BOLTED TO THE FRAME. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND IT STARTED BUCKING AND MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM GEAR TO GEAR WITHOUT BUCKING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STEERING CORRECTLY. EXHAUST BECAME LOUD. *TC

NHTSA ID
10103191
Incident
Dec 2, 2004
Mileage
50,000 mi
SuspensionVisibility
Filed Jun 15, 2004

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. FRONT RIGHT ELECTRIC WINDOW FELL INTO DOOR AT 65,000. REPLACED SPOOL AND BROKEN RETENTION CLIPS. RADIO HAS FAILED 3 TIMES AND BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THIRD TIME I HAD TO RESET FUSE #42. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075430
Incident
Jun 1, 2004
Mileage
56,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 2, 2003

THE FRONT SHOCKS FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10015058
Incident
Feb 15, 2003
Suspension
Filed Jan 3, 2003

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE'S COIL PACKS FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSES TO REPAIR ALL FAULTY PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
10001987
Incident
Oct 12, 2002
Suspension
Filed Jan 2, 2003

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK BACK IN FORTH. TS

NHTSA ID
10001854
Incident
Dec 17, 2002

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .