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2002 Volkswagen Golf Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Volkswagen Golf, most often about the air bags (30% of complaints, typically around 67,000 miles). It is 8th of 24 Golf model years by number of complaints and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2002 Volkswagen Golf problems
Air bags
22 complaints · 30%Half of these problems showed up before 67,000 miles. Parts named most often: side/window, frontal.
While driving vehicle at a moderate speed the air bag on passenger's side deployed inadvertently. The consumer took vehicle back to the dealer, and was told by the service technician that the vehicle was in an accident. The consumer claimed this was absurd since this vehicle made no contact with any other vehicle or…
I was driving down the parks highway near talkeetna, alaska in my 2002 vw Golf and had the side-curtain and passenger seat airbags deploy suddenly for no apparent reason. 5 persons were in the car, all experienced a loud bang and a car full of acrid smoke, two were struck as the bag deployed. I stopped at the side of…
Engine
14 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 35,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
Car was driven to and parked outside a store 1 mile from home. When owner returned to car (less than 10 minutes after parking), the car would not start. Car was towed to dealer and owner was informed that oil pan was cracked & engine has seized. Dealer said that damage was not covered by warranty and owner must…
Owner was driving in traffic - merging onto the long island expressway - when a dull "pop" sound was heard. The engine quickly lost power. Owner was able to steer vehicle from right lane to shoulder and engage hazard lights. Car was towed to dealer. Dealer examined vehicle and advised owner that the timing belt was…
Electrical
11 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: wiring, ignition, 12v/24v/48v battery, alternator/generator/regulator.
Turn signal/hazard relay activates randomly. While driving down the road I can hear the turn signal relay clicking at a faster speed, like when you have a burned out turn signal bulb. But, when you go to use the turn signal/hazard signal, they still function as normaly. I believe this issue is related to recal…
2002 Volkswagen Golf has had numerous problems. The most recent problem is that the coil spring broke while the consumer was driving causing damage to the strut. Now the consumer has to pay to get the vehicle fixed. The consumer stated the problems started after the warranty ended. The battery died. 5 days later, the…
Lights
11 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 64,500 miles. Parts named most often: brake lights, turn signal, hazard flashing warning lights, headlights.
The brake light switch on the Golf is the same brake light switch on the jetta. They have the same part number and everything. They also fail at the same rate, but only the jetta brake light switch was recalled. When it fails, you cannot get the car out of park and your brake lights work intermittently, which is a…
I have a 2002 vw Golf, the brake light switch on my car has broken 4 times in the 4 years I have owned this car. The last time it hs happened my car wouldn't shift out of park and I had to get my car towed. Each time the brake light switch was found to be faulty and it was replaced. This is a very frustrating problem…
Visibility and wipers
7 complaints · 10%Parts named most often: power window devices and controls, windshield, windshield wiper/washer, glass, side/rear.
I have a 2002 Golf tdi with manual windows. The window regulator clips broke and the window dropped into the door. This is a known issue with vw's that a service bulletin, (0603), is out on, but only for power windows. The part that os defective is common to both types but since my windows are manual I have to pay…
The driver's side window regulator recently failed on my 2002 vw Golf. This part secures the window to the power window mechanism, and keeps the window up. The failure occurred while I was leaving a toll booth. I pressed the button to raise the window, heard a crack, and then the entire window violently crashed down…
Transmission
4 complaints · 5%Parts named most often: automatic transmission, driveline, clutch assembly.
Roll pin that retains differential spider gear pin backed out causing larger pin to contact inside of case. The failure included a large hole in transmission/ differential case, gear and bearing damage.
Vehicle slowed dramatically at highway speed down to 35 MPH, I had to use the emergency blinkers to get to the slow lane, a very dangerous situation on a congested highway. Clutch and flywheel replaced, and the same failure happened again with OEM parts only 3 weeks later.
Steering
3 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: column, column locking.
The car has a tilt/telescope steering column, after adjusting the column the turn signals quit working. Could not restart the car after turning it off because immobilizer would not recognize the key. Multiple fuses were blown out, including the one for the hazard flasher. Upon investigation the failure was from the…
Fuel system
3 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: delivery, storage.
Multiple problems included: malfunction indicator lamp on, vehicle cut off, trunk switch fell out, driver door lock inoperative, fuel gauge inoperative, engine rattle. Multiple replacements - camshaft sensor, trunk switch, power door locks, fuel lines installed, fuel sender unit, timing belt and tensioner.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2002 Volkswagen Golf recalls
Lights: switch
Risk: The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v-183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the VIN number of the vehicle. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
Lights: switch
Risk: This may result in intermittent or inoperative turn signal and hazard flasher function.
Fix: Dealers will replace the hazard flasher switch/relay kit. The recall began on march 31, 2005. Owners should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger vehicles, the hazard switch and flasher system function may degrade over time because of distortion and material transfer of the contacts of certain hazard switch relays which occurs due to substantially increased electrical current load from higher wattage turn signal bulbs.
Brakes: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Risk: This can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ABS control unit. Owner notification began march 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Full defect summary
On some passenger vehicles, short circuits can occur within the electronic control unit of the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine stalling
Summary
By letter received on june 24, 2005, mr. Ronald m. Strickland of raleigh, nc, submitted a petition requesting that the agency investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on model year (my) 2000-2003 volkswagen jetta, golf and passat sedans.the petitioner alleges that he had experienced multiple stalling events as a result of one or more ignition coil plugs malfunctioning on his 2002 vw jetta sedan.as a result of the engine stalling, the petitioner experienced a loss of power steering and increased braking efforts when he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to control the vehicle.after a few minutes parked on the shoulder he was able to restart the vehicle although the
Inadvertent side-airbag deployment
Summary
The subject vehicles are equipped with side-thorax and side-head curtain airbags to protect the front and rear outboard occupants in a side-impact crash.this investigation identified a total of 499 reports (482 owners reports and 17 warranty claims).the crash sensing system?s algorithm may recognize certain non-crash impacts (wheel, tire and undercarriage impacts) as deployable events.the 97 alleged injuries were minor in nature and consist of abrasions, bruises, ear ringing and headaches.there was no alleged loss of control crash as a result of side-airbag deployment.odi also obtained counts of alleged inadvertent side-airbag deployments from peer manufacturers.the data shows that the subje
Turn signal/hazard flasher failure
Summary
This investigation was opened on october 19, 2004, based on nine reports on 2000 through 2001 jetta and gti vehicles alleging that the turn signals and or hazard flashers fail to blink, or flash.some of the complainants reported that the lights would blink only a few times and then stop.several of the complainants reported that having the hazard flasher switch replaced repaired their vehicles.by letter of december 13, 2004, volkswagen notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall of 350,000 model year 2000 through 2002 jetta, golf and gti vehicles to repair the turn signal and hazard flasher system.vw reports 216 owner reports, 4 field reports and 4960 warranty claims on this popu
Questions about the 2002 Volkswagen Golf
- What are the most common problems with the 2002 Volkswagen Golf?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (22 complaints, typically around 67,000 miles); engine (14 complaints, typically around 35,500 miles); electrical (11 complaints, typically around 50,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2002 Volkswagen Golf have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 20, 2007 (lights). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2002 a bad year for the Volkswagen Golf?
- It is 8th of 24 Golf model years by number of complaints, with 74 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.