2002 Volkswagen Passat

In July 2010, the Agency opened PE10-027 to investigate allegations of coil on plug (COP) ignition coil fires in MY2002-2003 VW Passat vehicles.The investigation was upgraded in January 2011 to include all MY2001-2007 4-cylinder VW Passat, gasoline, turbo-charged vehicles.Based on the analysis of VW's response, and including ODI's consumer complaints, ODI has since identified 135 unique engine fire reports attributable to the COP coils.After further review of the details as contained in each report, ODI determined that 43 of the 135 fire reports were actual fire/flame incidents, 83 fire reports were thermal events (smoke, spark, heat or wire melt), and another 9 fire reports were undetermined in severity due to the lack of information.These COP coil fires were characterized as initiated from within the COP coil circuit located at the top of the engine block and below the plastic engine cover.The fires observed were contained in the engine compartment and did not reach into the passenger compartment in contrast to those caused by an overheated catalytic converter examined in ODI?s investigation in 2007 and 2008.There were no reports of crashes or personal injury in this examination.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstancesSee the Closing Report for additional details.

ODI has received 11 complaints alleging that a fire started in the engine compartment of the vehicle that may be related to ignition coil failure, and 9 complaints of ignition coil failure that did not result in a fire.Reports state that the vehicle hesitated or lost power, and the check engine or dashboard lights illuminated.The vehicles were repaired by replacing the faulty ignition coil(s). Some of the complaints indicated that the ignition coils were replaced more than once.The scope of PE10-027 focused on Model Years (MY)2002-2003 Passat vehicles.Volkswagen provided data regarding their analysis of the vehicle fires and faulty ignition coils for these vehicles as well as other MY Passat vehicles.ODI needs to further investigate this issue.To facilitate the acquisition and analysis of additional information, this investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis, EA11-002.

VOLKSWAGEN (VW) IS RECALLING CERTAIN VW PASSAT 4MOTION AND AUDI A6 QUATTRO AND ALLROAD QUATTRO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER CARS.VW VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL WERE MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 22, 2000 THROUGH MAY 31, 2005 AND AUDI VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2, 2001 TO JUNE 1, 2005.THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER FOR THE VW VEHICLES IS 08V-156 (VW ALSO IS CORRECTING DEFECTS RELATED TO HEAT SHIELD AND FUEL LINE HAZARDS FOR THESE VEHICLES AND FOR 1999-2000 PASSATS IN THIS RECALL ACTION.)THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER FOR THE AUDI VEHICLES IS 08V-157.SINCE 2006, ODI HAS RECEIVED 17 COMPLAINTS OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE SUBJECT VEHICLES' FUEL TANKS.THE 400 COMPLAINTS SHOWN ABOVE MAY INCLUDE DUPLICATE REPORTS TO ODI AND THE MANUFACTURER. WHILE THE CONSEQUENCE (FUEL LEAKS FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK) IS SIMILAR FOR BOTH THE PASSAT AND AUDI SUBJECT VEHICLES, DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIRE A DIFFERENT REMEDY FOR EACH VEHICLE.ON THE PASSATS, THE VENTILATION LINE COULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY WITH TENSION AND WITH AN INCORRECTLY POSITIONED CABLE TIE.THE TENSION COULD CAUSE CRACKED OR BROKEN NIPPLES ON THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE.ON THE AUDI VEHICLES, A MATERIAL CHANGE (EFFECTIVE JUNE 2, 2001) WITH DIFFERENT AGING CHARACTERISTICS USED FOR THE ROLLOVER VALVE AND THE USE OF AN INFLEXIBLE ALUMINUM VENTILATION LINE COULD CAUSE CRACKING OF THE NIPPLE ON THE ROLLOVER VALVE.VW IS RECALLING ALL VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THESE DEFECTS.IT WILL INSPECT PASSATS TO ENSURE THAT THE VENT LINE IS TENSION FREE AND CORRECT THE INSTALLATION IF TENSION IS FOUND.IF A CRACK OR FUEL LEAK IS FOUND, VW WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.AUDI WILL REPAIR ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BY REINFORCING THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE WITH AN EPOXY ADHESIVE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA ON 04-APR-08 THAT A SAFETY RECALL ACTION WOULD BE INITIATED TO REMEDY THE ISSUE.IN JUNE 2008, THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (CODE 26E5/R5) REGARDING THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THIS CAMPAIGN.VEHICLE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTERS WERE SENT BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY JUNE 13, 2008.THE CAMPAIGN WAS ASSIGNED NHTSA NO. 08V-156.THIS RECALL AFFECTS ALL MY 1999-2005, 5TH GENERATION GASOLINE-POWERED PASSAT SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS.APPROXIMATELY 412,000 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED.CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL CONSIST OF INSTALLING ADDITIONAL EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT SHIELDING TO MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL THERMAL EFFECTS OF ENGINE IGNITION PROBLEMS.BASED ON THIS ACTION, THE SUBJECT EA HAS BEEN CLOSED.

To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this letter as a formal complaint regarding an authorized automobile dealer’s refusal to perform an open safety recall on my vehicle. Vehicle information: * Year/Make/Model: 2002 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T GLS * VIN: [XXX] I contacted Platinum Volkswagen, of Hicksville, New York, an authorized Volkswagen dealer, on January 7, 2026, to schedule a repair for an open safety recall applicable to my vehicle. I was advised by the service manager that the owner of the dealership refused to perform the recall repair solely based on the age of the vehicle. He advised me to request service at another authorized dealership. The service manager confirmed that the parts for the recall were available or could have been ordered and that the decision was based solely on the individual VW franchise owner's discretion not to service older vehicles. My understanding of federal motor vehicle safety law is that open safety recalls do not expire due to vehicle age, and that manufacturers and their authorized dealers are required to remedy such recalls at no cost to the owner. The dealer did not cite recall closure, lack of available parts, or any condition that would make the repair unsafe or infeasible. I am requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review this matter and determine whether the dealer’s refusal is consistent with federal safety recall requirements. Please let me know if additional documentation or information is required. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11709325

Incident

Jan 7, 2026

I was letting my car run for a couple of minutes for the AC to cool down the car and I went into my house. When I came out about 2 minutes later, there was a large puddle of gas under the car in front of the right rear wheel and gas was running down the driveway all the way to the street. I immediately turned off the car and the gas stopped pouring out from under the car. I was lucky the car, my house or I did not go up in flames.

NHTSA ID

11534556

Incident

Jul 25, 2023

WHILE DRIVING INTO THE MALL PARKING LOT AT SPEED OF 20 MPH ALL AIRBAGS EXPLODED EXCEPT THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND MY DAUGHTER SUFFERED FROM ARM AND AIR INJURIES

NHTSA ID

11266719

Incident

Sep 11, 2019

Mileage

179,000 mi

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 WIRES, CHANGE RELAYS AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AND FUEL PUMP.AS WELL AS SENSORS. TRYING TO GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION JERKS VERY HARD WHEN TRYING TO GO INTO REVERSE AND MOST OF THE TIME IN SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WITHIN1OR 2 SECONDS.

NHTSA ID

11180192

Incident

Dec 15, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

HEADLIGHT PIGTAILS HAVE MELTED ,FUEL PUMP HAS GONE ,AND THE PLASTIC RESERVOIR PEICE FROM MY COOLANT PUMP HAS MELTED OFF DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM BAR HAS MALFUNCTIONED

NHTSA ID

11122958

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

174,000 mi

THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE LIGHT IS FLASHING RED. THE ABS MODULE SEEMS TO BE BAD. THE VEHICLE HAS THESE LIGHTS WHEN ITS MOVING AND STATIONARY

NHTSA ID

11112841

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 2002 PASSAT W8 4-MOTION, HAVING ONLY 126,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IN OCTOBER 2017 OFTEN AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, I WOULD NOTICE THE FAINT SCENT OF GASOLINE. UPON INVESTIGATING WHERE THE GASOLINE SMELL WAS ORIGINATING, I FOUND IT HAD DEVELOPED A VERY LARGE FUEL LEAK FROM WHICH FUEL COULD BE SEEN DRIPPING ON THE FORWARD, LEFT SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. AFTER PERFORMING SOME BRIEF RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PASSAT 4-MOTIONS, DATED APRIL 2008, IN REGARDS TO A VENTILATION VALVE ON THE FUEL TANK. I PROMPTLY MADE A APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL VW DEALER FOR DEC 4TH. ON DECEMBER 6, 2017, I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ASKING JAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE VW DEALERSHIP, IF THEY FOUND THE VENT VALVE TO BE LEAKING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VALVE WAS IN FACT LEAKING AT THE BONDED VALVE POINT. AFTER HEARING NOTHING THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM VW STATING THAT THEY FOUND THE UNDER-BODY DAMAGE TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK. I REQUESTED TO SEE THE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE SO THAT I COULD EXAMINE THEM MYSELF. ON DECEMBER 11, 2017, I RECEIVED THE PICTURES FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER SHOWING THE HEAT SHIELDS SURROUNDING THE TANK TO HAVE SOME BRUSH MARKS AND TO BE DISFIGURED A BIT. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE IN THE EARLY 2000'S, AND THE VEHICLE IS NOW 15 YEARS OLD WITH 127,000 MILES ON IT AND THE RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THIS "DAMAGE" WOULD NOT LEAD TO A FUEL TANK LEAK AS THE FUEL TANK ITSELF WAS NOT DAMAGED. VERY UPSET, I WROTE TO THE REGIONAL CASE MANAGER ON DEC 11, 2017 WITH MY THOUGHTS ON THE DAMAGE AND TO GET MORE DETAILS ON THE CASE. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID

11055454

Incident

Nov 27, 2017

Mileage

126,000 mi

THE ABS BRAKES ARE FAULTY....THEY WORK RANDOMLY. FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCH THIS PARTICULAR MODULAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FACTORY RECALL.....

NHTSA ID

11055122

Incident

May 1, 2017

Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards

Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

Update model year applicability to include 2023.

Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability.

This bulletin contains general instructions for software updates.