Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
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
I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND PULLED OVER BECAUSE MY CAR HAD NO OPERATING TAIL LIGHTS (THE HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER FRONT LIGHTS WERE WORKING PROPERLY). TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON SOLVED THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT FURTHER TESTING WHEN I RETURNED HOME REVEALED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ALWAYS TURNING ON WITH THE REST OF THE LIGHTS. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE CARS AND THAT A FAILED HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS THE CULPRIT. REPLACING THE SWITCH SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDICATOR NOISE THAT ENGAGED WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ACTIVATED WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
THE HEADLIGHT LENS ON MY PASSAT HAVE BECOME "CLOUDED" OVER TIME RESULTING IN REDUCED BRIGHTNESS FROM THE HEADLAMPS AND CREATING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION AT NIGHT. IN DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH OTHER PASSAT OWNERS, IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE REDUCED BRIGHTNESS HAS BECOME A TRUE SAFETY HAZARD OVER TIME AS VISIBILITY AT NIGHT IS SEVERELY AFFECTED. THE LENS IS ACTUALLY OPAQUE AT THIS POINT. VOLKSWAGEN DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
TURN SIGNAL PRODUCES CONTINUOUS TURN SIGNAL NOISE AFTER USE OF THE TURN SIGNAL. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING AND DISCOURAGES USE OF THE TURN SIGNAL. THIS HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS HE NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE HEADLIGHT WAS DEFECTED AND THAT THE SUN'S RAYS CAUSED IT TO DISCOLOR AND DISTORT THE BULB. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR WAS $200.00. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS A LEMON WHEN SHE PURCHASED IT IN 2002. WATER ENTERS THE VEHICLE FROM THE SUN ROOF WHENEVER IT RAINS. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN FIFTEEN TIMES, BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 MILES. UPDATED 8/24/09 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE WATER LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE AFTER MARKET SPEAKER. THE HEADLIGHT TAIL LIGHT AND FOG LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE COOLANT BOTTLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK. THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE HEATER CORE HAD A BLOCKAGE. THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. BOTH OUTER CV BOOTS WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A LARGE EVAP LEAK AT THE PURGE VALVE WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON. THE RIGHT SIDE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/26/09. *JB
TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD RELAY SWITCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING, NO TURN SIGNALS...FIND OUT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE 2002 JETTA AND GOLFS BUT NOT ON THE PASSAT, SAME SWITCH IN ALL THE CARS MADE BY VW...THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD, WHY HASN'T VW RECALLED THE 2002 PASSATS AS WELL? *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT ON 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 4 MOTION REMAINED ON EVEN WHEN CAR WAS SHUT OFF OR LOCKED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED COMFORT CONTROL MODEL FOR $500.00. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT, INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON PERIODICALLY CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN AND THE PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB. *TR
ALL HEADLIGHT BULBS ON VEHICLE DO NOT LAST LONG AND OR DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY DIRECTLY FOLLOWING INSTALLATION OF NEW BULBS. HEADLIGHT BULBS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT WEEKS AND SOMETIMES DAYS FOLLOWING NEW INSTALLATION. THERE IS A DEFECT IN WIRING. CERTAIN TIMES A HEADLIGHT BULB WILL WORK WHILE THE CAR IS COLD, BUT GO OFF WHEN THE CAR BECOMES WARM OR HOT. DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR DRIVER OF CAR WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. ROADS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE, ROAD SIGNS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ. OTHER DRIVERS DO NOT SEE VEHICLE WELL IN THE DARK. THIS DEFECT IS WITH ALL HEADLIGHTS - DAYTIME RUNNING AND NIGHT DRIVING HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS AN ONGOING INCIDENT CONCERNING EACH OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEREFORE DATES DO NOT APPLY TO THIS DEFECT IN WIRING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED A HAZE AND/OR A FROSTED GLAZE OVER HIS HEADLIGHTS. OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED AND AFFECTED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED FOR APPROXIMATELY $700. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 07/29/08. *LJ UPDATED 08/05/08
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE BULBS WERE BURNED OUT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT HARNESS MELTED. SHE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON MANUFACTURER DEFECT ON OLDER MODELS OF HER VEHICLE MAKE, BUT NOT FOR HER YEAR. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 35,000.
2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT, WAGON, 4 CYL 2.0 L MOTOR. I HAD 2 OCCASIONS WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT ON THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS, ONCE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AT 75,000 MILES, AND ONCE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AT 40,000 MILES. THERE WAS NO FIRE, BUT IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE WIRES HAD COMPLETELY MELTED TO THE WIRING HARNESS WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ATTACHED. THE WIRES WERE COMPLETELY EXPOSED IN BOTH INCIDENTS. *AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE HEAD LIGHTS FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHT ALERTED THE CONTACT OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO REPLACED THE BULBS AND CONNECTORS BUT DID NOT REPAIR ANY WIRING DUE TO HEATING. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS BUT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM TO BE WIRING OVER HEATING. THE HEAD LIGHT FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED BETWEEN THE REPAIRS INTERMITTENTLY CREATING A SAFETY RISK DURING NIGHT DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OPENED A CASE BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION YET.
BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES, DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS CAUSING TWO MAJOR BREAKDOWNS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE LAST TWO IGNITION COILS WERE RECALLED. THE CAR WILL NOT RUN IF IT IS WET FROM HEAVY RAIN AND HAS TO BE COMPLETELY DRIED BEFORE THE BREAKS WORK PROPERLY. OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO, ANOTHER MAJOR BREAKDOWN ON HIGHWAY WITH CHILDREN. IT HAS BROKEN DOWN YET AGAIN...THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT NEEDS ANOTHER OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SLUDGE, ABOUT $2000, NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS PAST THE 12 MONTH, 12,000MILE MARK. TWO OTHER PRIVATE MECHANICS TOLD ME, REPLACING THE OIL PUMP WOULD ONLY DISGUISE, TEMPORARILY THE REAL ISSUE....THE ENGINE IS JUNK. IT NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I AM MISSING SOME OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. ALSO THE BLINKERS DON'T WORK, THE REAR DOOR WON'T OPEN, AUTO LOCKS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND ARE OUT AGAIN. THIS WAS THE FIRST NEW CAR I EVER BOUGHT. I BOUGHT THE CAR AFTER A DIVORCE BECAUSE I WANTED A DEPENDABLE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN SAFELY. THE CAR HAS 85,00 MI. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE FOGGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE LENSES NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FOGGING OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 08/03/06. *JB
MY TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY AT 50058 MILES, DEALER WOULD NOT DO WORK UNDER WARRANTY (50K). FOUND THAT THIS PART (HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY) WAS RECALLED ON 2000-2002 VW GOLF, GTI, AND JETTA. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER PASSAT OWNERS ONLINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR PASSAT'S TOO. VW NEEDS TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE. DRIVING THE 45 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED ON MAJOR INTERSTATES WITHOUT BLINKERS DROVE HOME THE DANGER INVOLVED WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART!*JB
THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP WAS CONSTANTLY FAILING ON HIS 2002 VW PASSAT.*MR THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE LIGHTS A PRONE TO BURN OUT BECAUSE THE ARE ON WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS ON. *NM
THE DEFECTIVE FRONT RIGHT DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP ON CONSUMER'S 2002 VW PASSAT.*MR *NM
DT: CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES, BUT CONTINUE TO BLOW OUT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS INSTALLED WERE NOT A QUALITY LINE HEADLIGHTS.*AK
2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SEAT, DOOR PANELS, GLOVE COMPARTMENT, RADIO EQUIPMENT, BUTTONS FOR THE MIRROR EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLE KEPT CUTTING OFF.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WENT FORWARD IT WOULD NOT STOP, THE HEATED SEATS BURNED THE CONSUMERS CHILDREN, HOWEVER HE DID NOT STATE HOW MANY CHILDREN. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED. THE DOOR PANELS AND ARM REST WERE PEELING. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ALWAYS GOING OUT. THE BRAKES SQUEAKED. THE BATTERY, GENERATOR AND GROUND WIRE WERE REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING. *JB
VARIOUD HEAD, TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY 2002 VW PASSAT HAVE BURNED OUT 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS: /3/04 - BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED BY VW, /17/04 - HEADLIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT REPLACED BY VW, 10/9/04 - TAIL LIGHT REPLACED BY VW, 0/23/04 - BOTH HEADLIGHTS LACED BY VW, 2/11/04 - HEADLIGHT AND PARKING LIGHT REPLACED BY VW, 1/5/05 - HEAD LIGHT REPLACED, /5/05 VW SERVICE OF BERNARDSVILLE, NEW JERSEY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC CHECK BECAUSE THE "LIGHT BULBS THEY GET FROM ANOTHER VENDOR ARE FAULTY". THEREFORE, VW OF BERNANRDSVILLE IS KNOWINGLY INSTALLING FAULTY SAFETY EQUIPMENT. I WAS TOLD THIS IN FRONT OF ANOTHER WOMAN WHO WAS BRINGING HER CAR IN FOR LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT ALSO. I TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THIS WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY RISK. I HIT A DEER ONE NIGHT WHEN MY HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AND IT IS DARK WHEN I DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP MY CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL. ALTHOUGH I TOLD THE VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I'M AFRAID I WOULD HIT A CHILD CROSSING THE ROAD OR SCHOOL PARKING LOT, THEY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ELCTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON THE CAR. I REPORTED THIS INFORMATION TO THE BERNARDSVILLE NEW JERSEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, IN CASE SOMEONE WHO GETS LIGHTS REPLACED BY VW OF BERNARDSVILLE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT OR HURT. ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO KNOWNINGLY INSTALL "FAULTY" EQUIPMENT, IT IS A CIVIL OFFENSE AND SHOULD BE REPORTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.*AK
PASSENGER ORIGINAL LOW BEAM LIGHT FAILED. BROUGHT INTO DEALER AND PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A MELTED WIRING HARNESS. I OBSERVED THE HARNESS BEHIND THE BULB AND IT WAS MELTED. DEALER REPLACED THE HARNESS. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL BULB AND HAD NEVER BEEN SERVICED. TAKING WITH THE DEALER HE SAID THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL IN THE PAST WEEK IN PASSATS AND I HAD TO WAIT A WEEK UNTIL THEY GOT A NEW SHIPMENT IN. MY CONCERN HERE IS THAT A MELTED WIRE HARNESS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.*AK
I PURCHASED MY 2002 VOLKS PASSAT GLS. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. MY RADIO QUIT, I HAD THE SPEAKERS REPLACED TWICE, I HAD THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED, I HAD THE IGNITION COILS REPLACED 3 TIMES (RECALL), WV CAMPAIGN (RECALL), SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE (RECALL), THE RIGHT WHEEL TIRE HULL REINFORCED (RECALL). I HAVE TALKED WITH VOLKSWAGEN CORPORATE OFFICE AND HAVE AN ACTIVE COMPLAINT NUMBER. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TERRIBLE BOTH AT THE CORPORATE AND DEALER LEVEL. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN AUBURN, WA IS INEPT AND HAS PUT THE WRONG OIL IN THE MY CAR 2 TIMES. I WOULD LIKE VOLKWAGEN TO BUY-BACK MY CAR OR GIVE ME A LIFE-TIME WARRANTY ON THE CAR. ANY IDEAS? THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY INCIDENTS TO LIST JUST ONE. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK
HEADLIGHT FAILURES. PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED 5 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. (SERVICE DATES: 11/23/02, 1/28/03, 8/1/03, 10/7/03, 1/27/04) DEALERSHIP INSISTS THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION BECAUSE HEADLIGHTS ARE CONSTANLY ON. WIRING HARNESS CHECKED ON 8/1/03. NO PROBLEM FOUND. WIRING HARNESS AND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY CHECKED AND FAILED ON 1/27/04 CHECKED BY "MASTER TECHNICIAN". HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS CONTINUALLY REFER TO THE 'DUAL ELEMENT' OF THE HEADLIGHTS CAUSING THE FAILURES. I SUSPECT EITHER A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE HEADLIGHTS OR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .