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2002 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel System Problems

12 owner-reported fuel system complaints from NHTSA data

12
Complaints
1
Fires
Jan 2005Nov 2002
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (12)

mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2018

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 #: 11100021
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Oct 2015

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 #: 10780149
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jun 2011

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 #: 10408263
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN
Filed: Apr 2011

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 #: 10396605
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jul 2008

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 #: 10234663
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Aug 2007

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 #: 10198235
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FireFiled: Jan 2005

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 #: 10105742
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: May 2004

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 #: 10072758
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Feb 2004

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 #: 10050398
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: May 2003

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 #: 10016886
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jan 2003

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

NHTSA #: 10005996
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Nov 2002

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 #: 10006927

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