Problems with 2002 Volkswagen Passat ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Ignition coils on 2002 vw passat there is a "service action" out but we were never notified. our car had broken down 2 times due to this. we had 1 coil go on 12/7/02 & then again on 3/6/03. we were just notified that a mailing was sent about this but we never received. vw is now telling me, they cannot send me a copy of the notice. i know of 2 other vehicles that were brought into the dealer on 12/8/02 with the same problem.*jb

The coil controlling the spark plug of one of the cylinders failed when the vehicle was being driven. the failure resulted in the loss of spark causing the engine to operate on only three cylinders at reduced power.

I purchased my 2002 passat 1.8t in mid-may, 2002. since then 3 ignition coils have failed causing my car to suddenly decelerate and near "dying". my car been in the shop for close to a month because the parts are not available. i have found out that vw has been lying to customers (including me) when blaming the failures on defective coils manufacutred by a 3rd party. however, i have learned that it is a design defect in the new 2002 1.8t model that causes a moisture build up that the coils cannot withstand. vw asked the 3rd party manufacture a new coil that can withstand the moisture, which has been done. the shortage has been caused by the fact that the new coils need to go into the new 2003 models first, leaving those of us with cars that don't run to wait. vw is still refusing to replace any coil until it fails. so much for a reliable new car.

With less than 5,000 miles on my 2002 vw passat, an ignition coil blew rendering the car unable to be driven. the car was towed and the part replaced. there are 3 more coils on this car, but vw will not guarantee that they are not also defective, and, therefore, can blow at any time. vw admits to having a big problem with the coils on this vehicle, but will only replace as each one blows. if this happens on at high speed, the vehicle may very well cause serious damage to other drivers as well as myself.

Coil pack failure. dealer has replaced two broken coils on previous incidents - currently awaiting replacement for third incident. vehicle undriveable - must be towed. symptoms indicated by flashing engine light on dash and very rough idling. no indication of when replacements will be available - car is in dealer service lot two weeks. dealer has reported that 17 other passats are also awaiting replacement. vw must issue a recall or service advisory to replace all coils not just bad ones.

Consumer stated while driving, the malfunction indicator light illuminated, consumer stated the ignition coil had failed. dealer notified.*jb

Vehicle hesitated to start,when it finally started, there was a loud noise. dealership indicated that 1 of the ignition coil spring had went bad. they replaced it, then the another 3 went bad. ph

Can't get any parts of car warranted since i had filed a complaint with bbb. including no horn, both headlights went out with in 4 days of each other, the engine has erratic shift points especially when cold. the problem is vw says not to let the engine warm up but my engine oil heater is broken. takes about 10 minutes at freeway speed to warm up. and the supposed abs are not really abs brakes when emergency braking from 75 mph. and many little interior mechanical issues.*jb

Nar 3-10-03 with the consumer vehicle having less than 7000 miles, many problems occurred, the front and rear windows froze from the inside, the vehicle began to stall, the ignition coil needed to be replaced, the glove compartment flooded when it rained or snowed, also the carpets and pollen filter were damaged due to the flood. the consumers was very disappointed and suggested that a full refund be given or have volvo to give them a new 2003 passat, equally equipped as the 2002 at the same purchase price. *cb *jb

The dealer replaced the faulty coil, however it failed two weeks later. the dealer refused to change the other three coils. *ph. the manufacturer refused to authorize the replacement of the other 3 coils. *jb

Ignition coil failure. the first time on 11/29/02; coils 1 & 3. was told "parts were on backorder" and "it could be weeks" and "many passat owners were experiencing this". dealer only repaired the coils that failed. the second incident occurred on 12/26/02--same thing; had to have car towed to dealer again. again, despite all the known occurrences with the coil packs and passats, only the coils that failed will be replaced (and who knows how long it will take). i am extremely worried that the next time this occurs i will suddenly lose power while driving on the highway and end up being in an accident as a result and/or will be stranded alone on the side of the road....i do a lot ( ~300 - 400 miles/week) of solo driving. ts

Coil packs defective in 2002 volkswagen passat - dealer said this is a known problem by volkswagen. but vw refused to replace all coil packs except the one that failed, exposing drivers to further failures (quite possibly in a dangerous situation)

Volkswagen 2002 passat turbo, ignition coils are bad and volkswagen won't replace them until they start to go bad, which means that you have to wait for your car to break down 4 times and get towed four times before they will fix it. i have read reviews where people have had all 4 coils replaced and then had to have those replaced. i am terrified to drive my car that i pay over $300 dollars a month on and i do not want it anymore!

Rough idle at start-up with no prior symptoms. dealer can not give accurate expected repair date due to part being on national back order. many, many other vw and audi owners with 1.8t engine having same experience. dt

Vehicle was purchased new approximately 2 months ago. while driving car began shaking and consumer smelled a burning odor emitting from the steering column. dealer diagnosed that ignition coil had cracked. ts

Consumer was unable to start their vehicle. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealership who indicated that two of four ignition coil had failed. please provide more details. ts

There have been 5 separate ignition coil failures within a 1 month period (10/15/02-11/15/02). one of the failures (#3 coil on 11/4) was for the same coil that had just been replaced on 10/15. i beleive that this is a ridiculous number of occurrences, and yet the mfg does not acknowledge a problem. i have filed case # 20380656 with vw. dt

Car misfiring towed to dealer. diagnosed as ignition coil failure. car has been disabled 30+ days awaiting part. vw and dealer have no idea when replacement part will be available. dealer indicates a significant number of passat's have experienced this problem. dt

2 ignition coils failed--oct 02 and jan 03--recall recommended. scc ****dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****770853

The ecm was replaced twice. the replacement failed before the vehicle made it out of the service parking lot and the ignition coils were replaced twice, 4 were replaced the first time, then two on the second. the check engine light illuminated repeatedly, and demonstrated a loss of power/rough ride. scc *jb

Consumer noticed problems with the electrical ignition switch system, causing stalling engine. dealer has been notified. please provide the odi# and further information. ts

Engine began misfiring and running very roughly. the check engine light came on and then began flashing. dealer scanned and found misfires in #1 cylinder. dealer replaced coil pack#1. *jb *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*768336

While attempting to merge into highway traffic which was going approximately 70 mph, my 2002 vw passat suddenly lost power and would not accelerate. we had to pull to the side of the road to avoid being crushed by oncoming traffic. the diagnosis from the dealer was a failed ignition coil pack on cylinder #3. this is a known issue with coil packs on audi/vw 1.8t engines and there needs to be a recall to prevent serious injuries. this failure nearly caused an accident and was only narrowly avoided.

There seems to be a long wait for coilpacks everywhere. i had that problem in my passat earlier this year, and got it fixed. but i know i have 3 faulty ones left in my car, and only time will make them malfunction again, leaving me stranded.

I, too, have had two different ignition coils go bad on my 2002 passat. i, too, do not drive the car for long distances for fear of getting stranded hundreds of miles from home. i, too, have gotten no support from vw. i, too, only get the bad coils replaced by the dealer. they are unwilling to replace ones that haven't died yet. i, too, am embarrassed to say that i have a car that has 11,000 miles on it and can't be driven for fear of being stranded. to other fellow passat owners with this problem, please don't think that it only happens in cold weather. my first one died in august (the second one died in october). is nhtsa planning to intercede?

I have had this vehicle for just over 12 months and i have replaced 3 out of 4 ignition coils. i was told by a service manager at the dealership that vw manufactured a bad batch and now they have to replace them. i have contacted vw customer service but they will not admit there is a problem. i am requesting that they replace the 4th coil before it goes bad. when the coils goes bad the car vibrate. i was told bu the dealer that you should not drive the car when this happens. dt

No summary. dt

Vw is refusing to replace remaining coils until they fail at risk for failure at any time. dt

I purchased a brand new vw passat gls 2002, on june 18, 2002 at commonwealth vw audi, 1450 auto mall drive, santa ana ca 92705. unfortunately, the vw passat gls 2002 has not held up to its promise of being a well-engineered car. after less than 9 months of ownership, i had to bring the car to the dealership for repairs 3 times, which is a far drive from my present residence in highland, ca. i purchased a brand new car with the intention of having a reliable mode of transportation for the two-hour trip back and fourth from tustin to ontario on a daily basis for work. i had confidence in volkswagen because of its prestigious reputation. having successive car problems has made me reluctant to drive this car. the first breakdown was in oct. 2002, the mil (malfunction indicator lamp) light came on, the car started to shake, and it lost power on my way to work. i was able to make it and i had the car towed to the dealership. the dealership replaced the defective ignition coil, and set the readiness code. i did not get a loaner car, and the car was left at the dealership for two days. the second time, was in dec. 2003. the exact same problem arose. this time they had replaced all four ignition coils, set the readiness code, and supplied me with a vw rental. the car was in the shop for two days as well. i had lost all confidence in the passat i purchased. the third occasion, as i exited the freeway to get to work, the mil light came on again. i was at a complete stop. when i pressed on the gas, the car jerked two times. i made it to the parking lot of my job, and had the car towed yet another time. this was march 18, 2003. the dealership removed and installed the automatic transmission fluid pan, the transmission speed sender, and the vehicle speed sensor. they supplied me with a 3-day loaner car. the passat stayed in the shop for 4 days. *jb

Ignition coil failure: the car began to run very rough as if affected by bad gas or faulty spark plugs. check engine light began to flash. ts

Car started idling very hard with noticeable loss of power. engine light started to flash. dealership said to have it towed. determined that ignition coil #2 had failed. said vw was aware of the problem. replaced failed coil and had vw rep. reset the computer. they said a vw rep. was coming down at least 1-2 times per week because of all the cars that needed resets due to this problem. they said if they didn't reset the computer it would happen again almost immediately. car only had about 5,500 miles on it. waiting for other coils to fail so i don't feel safe taking it on long trips. i'm hoping with enough complaints and bad publicity, vw will be forced into a recall. does only one supplier manufacture these ignition coils?

Fuel system failed. the car ran like a tractor, misfiring and emitting explosive like sounds. the dashboard warning light came on and stayed on. we limped to the next vw dealer who found it necessary to replace the ignition coils. the coils were already once replaced under warranty on july 23, 20003. why do we have to pay $200.44 plus tax for these obviously unreliable parts? *jb

Dealer replaced remaining original coil only after 3 had failed. vehicle was towed for all 3 incidents. dt

I started leasing a 2002 vw passat 1.8 in october of 2001, the engine malfunction light came on(flashing) in september of 2002, and the vehicle lost power. it was towed to the dealership. the car had approximately 11,000 miles on it. i was advised ignition coil #3 was bad. three months later, it happened again. at that time i was advised coil #2 & 3 had to be replaced. two weeks later, it happened a third time. i contacted vw directly who assigned me a care # & advised that all 4 coils would be replaced and that should solve the problem. the dealership had my car for 2 weeks and i was told all 4 coils were replaced. 3 weeks passed after all 4 coils were replaced and the malfunction light came on again. this is the 4th incident. the car is set to go back in the shop this week. i'm very displeased at the way vw has handled this situation. i have not received any type of reassurance from vw that this matter will be taken care of appropriately. i will not take my 2002 vehicle on long trips as i fear i will be stranded. i bought a new vehicle to avoid these types of situations.

At approximately 9 pm on 8/31/02, a fire starting beneath the hood destroyed the vehicle as it sat in the driveway of our home. the car had been operating normally, with no sign of overheating, smoke, etc., and had been parked in driveway 5-10 minutes before flames were seen blazing from under hood. only prior service on car was oil change, by vw, 8 days earlier. in fact, we had not had any engine trouble of any kind since purchasing the car. we had been using the car virtually daily since the birth of our son in may. i doubt overheating was to blame, since in fact that day was the coolest in months, and we had been driving the car in temperatures in the 90s and even above 100, including a long-distance trip to/from vermont, without incident.*ak

Vehicle had been in for an oil change about 8 days ago. vehicle was sitting in garage, when it caught on fire. house could have burned down. please provide any further information.*ak

While driving vehicle was jerking. a warning light illuminated for emission or catalytic converter. towed to dealer, and dealer replaced ignition coil. please provide any further information.*ak

Bought the car new 4/02, ignition coil failed in 8/02 with only 1000 miles on car. the vehicle started shaking and lost power w/ baby in the car on a highway. car was towed to the dealer and they replaced the ignition coil. happened again on 10/31/02, car was at the dealership for almost 1 month waiting for another ignition coil. dealer provided rental car and complaint was filed with v.w. they paid my car payment for month of 11/02. many people having same problem. dealer's lot was full of cars waiting for this part. i took their last rental car, lucky for me, since i got an impala ss instead of a 2 door cavalier. there should be a recall issued on these ignition coils. there are many lemon law cases filed against vw. also very poor gas mileage and acceleration. very dangerous left hand turns when the car just sits there and you're hitting the gas!!!*jb

While traveling on the highway without prior warning the vehicle will shut down will not restart. please provide additional information and the dealer is aware of the problem. ph

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

The consumers right rear tire of the vehicle became flat so the consumer immediately pulled over to the side of the highway. there were flames shooting out from underneath the vehicle. (cause was unknown) but the fire report mentioned that there were fireworks in the trunk, but the consumers daughter says that there was kitty litter in the trunk. *scc

Car will begin to vibrate and run poorly. cylinder misfires and burns coil out. this has happened three times. car is currently in shop to replace coil and control panel which is on back order. dt

While driving, the engine stalled without warning. the dealer diagnosed the problem as defective ignition coils. the manufacturer has been notified, and suggested that they will only replace the coils when they fail. ph scc

When driving air conditioner/radio failed. consumer stated that vehicle had an electrical problem. *ak

Engine missed and accelerated poorly. dealer found codes p0300 and p0304 and replaced #4 ignition coil pack. since then the engine continues to accelerate erratically and dealer has been unable to find problem.

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

No summary. dt

Numberous problems with vehicle. after bumping noise, engine revved, car lurched forward and accelerated to a rapid speed. *bf the mlp light cam on several times. the radio did not work. the radio was repaired and broke again then was replaced. the consumer stated that she found standing water in the car on the back right side under the front seat. the air pollen filter was cracked . filter and carpet was replaced. the back door locks refused to unlock therefore the consumer could not open either back door from inside or out. the vehicle accelerated out of control of the driver and hit a curb at 50 miles an hour. the consumer continued to pump the brakes finally getting the vehicle to stop. the vehicle had 4 flat tires as a result of hitting the curb head on with rims bent as well. the bumper came off. *tc

There were numerous problems with this vehicle. the filter and carpet on the back passenger side was replaced. the mlp light had come on and the dealer installed a new vacuum hose. the radio did not work, standing water was found in the back right side of the vehicle under the front seat, the pollen filter was clogged and the air pollen filter was cracked due to the factory, the back door locks refused to open and could not be opened from the inside or out, a bumping noise was heard coming from under the vehicle, the engine revved, the vehicle lurched forward and accelerated at rapid speed all while the brakes were pumped with no response. the vehicle hit a curb doing over 50 mph all while pumping the brakes until it finally stopped 20-30 yards into a field damaging tires, rims and the bumper. *sc *jb

Ingnition coils failed on my passat with 5000 miles on it