IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WITH OUT PRIOR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
2002 Volkswagen Gti
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Gti years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
570–25K
1425–50K
850–75K
575–100K
5100–150K
0150K+
89 reports with mileage · 35 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
42 reportsI HAVE A 2002.5 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T WITH A 4-CYLINDER TURBOCHARGED ENGINE. ALL VW ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEMS ARE AFFECTED. THE COIL OR COILPACK FAILS DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN. IN SOME CASES MULTIPLE CYLINDERS WILL LOOSE POWER. I LOST CYLINDER #1 WHEN ACCELERATING AWAY FROM AN INTERSECTION. I LOST CYLINDER #2 WHILE ATTEMPTI…
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I HAVE A 2002.5 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T WITH A 4-CYLINDER TURBOCHARGED ENGINE. ALL VW ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEMS ARE AFFECTED. THE COIL OR COILPACK FAILS DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN. IN SOME CASES MULTIPLE CYLINDERS WILL LOOSE POWER. I LOST CYLINDER #1 WHEN ACCELERATING AWAY FROM AN INTERSECTION. I LOST CYLINDER #2 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON SURFACE STREETS. IN BOTH CASES THE SIGNIFICANT LOSE OF HORSEPOWER COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO REMAIN IN AN INTERSECTION LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VW IS CURRENTLY REPLACING FAILED COILS FREE OF CHARGE AND PROVIDING RENTAL CARS WHEN A REPLACEMENT CANNOT BE PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, VW WILL NOT REPLACE ALL COILS, JUST THOSE THAT FAIL. THIS LEAVES THE OTHERS TO FAIL AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE ACCIDENTS. I MUST DRIVE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I COULD LOSE POWER FROM ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS AT ANY TIME. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HEAVY TRAFFIC OR WHEN CROSSING ANY INTERSECTION WHERE CROSS-TRAFFIC HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
3 IGNITION COILS FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLING ON HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT 4 WEEKS FOR REPLACEMENT COILS IN BOTH INCIDENTS. DEALER ADVISER CONSUMER WILL NOT REPLACE REMAINING COILS UNTIL FAILURE. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED MID-OCTOBER 2002. 2ND INCIDENT IN DECEMBER 2002…
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3 IGNITION COILS FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLING ON HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT 4 WEEKS FOR REPLACEMENT COILS IN BOTH INCIDENTS. DEALER ADVISER CONSUMER WILL NOT REPLACE REMAINING COILS UNTIL FAILURE. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED MID-OCTOBER 2002. 2ND INCIDENT IN DECEMBER 2002. *AK
COILPACKS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE, CAUSING THE CAR TO VIOLENTLY LOSE POWER. ALSO HAVING AN ISSUE WHERE THE CAR IS TRYING TO START ITSELF AGAIN WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED.
VW POLICY ON THERE DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS IS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN COIL WITH A NEW ONE AND SEND THE DRIVER BACK ON THE ROAD WITH 3 DEFECTIVE COILS JUST WAITING TO LEAVE THEM STRANDED. I AM PUSHING FOR A RECALL DO TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE NEAR ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF THE DEFECTIVE "H" COILS AND POSSIBLE COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VECH…
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VW POLICY ON THERE DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS IS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN COIL WITH A NEW ONE AND SEND THE DRIVER BACK ON THE ROAD WITH 3 DEFECTIVE COILS JUST WAITING TO LEAVE THEM STRANDED. I AM PUSHING FOR A RECALL DO TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE NEAR ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF THE DEFECTIVE "H" COILS AND POSSIBLE COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VECHICLES.
CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, SMELLED BAD, AND WAS CONSIDERED UN-DRIVABLE BY MY DEALER. VW TOWED THE CAR IN. IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES, MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT ONE COIL PACK HAD FAILED AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART. I ASKED IF THEY COULD JUST REPLACE ALL 6 OF THE COIL PACKS AS THERE SEEMS TO BE A HISTORY OF THEM FAILING. DEALER SA…
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CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, SMELLED BAD, AND WAS CONSIDERED UN-DRIVABLE BY MY DEALER. VW TOWED THE CAR IN. IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES, MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT ONE COIL PACK HAD FAILED AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART. I ASKED IF THEY COULD JUST REPLACE ALL 6 OF THE COIL PACKS AS THERE SEEMS TO BE A HISTORY OF THEM FAILING. DEALER SAID VW WOULD NOT APPROVE SUCH A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ACTION. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THE PART WAS ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD RECEIVE IT. I WAS PROVIDED $25/DAY FOR A RENTAL CAR. I'M NOT TOO UPSET WITH THE HANDLING OF THIS ONE INCIDENT, BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE ARGUABLY 5 OTHER 'TIME BOMBS' IN MY CAR WAITING TO FAIL AND LEAVE ME STRANDED IN A MUCH LESS CONVIENENT MANNER THAN THIS FIRST FAILURE. WITH SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF COIL PACK FAILURES IN VW'S LINE [BOTH THE 1.8TURBO AND THE VR6], I WISH VW WOULD ISSUE A RECALL ONCE THE PART SUPPLY IS AVAILABLE. THIS PROBLEM ALONG WITH A CHRONIC WARM-START STALLING ISSUES HAS RESULTED IN ME NOT BEING ABLE TO RECOMMEND VW TO MY PALS.
ENGINE COIL FAILURE. CAR LOST POWER AND WAS ONLY RUNNING ON 3 OF 4 CYLINDERS.
COILPACK FAILURES ARE A SAFETY ISSUE. IS VOLKSWAGON WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE UNTIL THEY RECALL THIS? WHILE YOUR AT IT, FIX MY WINDOWS THAT ARE GOING TO BREAK SOON TOO.
VW OF AMERICAN NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE ALL COILPACKS ON THEIR 1.8T AND 24V VR6 ENGINES. IF YOU VISIT WWW.VWVORTEX.COM, YOU WILL SEE MANY COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS THAT THESE CRITICAL PARTS ARE FAILING IN LARGE NUMBERS, THUS POSING A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE AND POTENTIAL PHYSICAL ENDANGERMENT OR DEATH IF THI…
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VW OF AMERICAN NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE ALL COILPACKS ON THEIR 1.8T AND 24V VR6 ENGINES. IF YOU VISIT WWW.VWVORTEX.COM, YOU WILL SEE MANY COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS THAT THESE CRITICAL PARTS ARE FAILING IN LARGE NUMBERS, THUS POSING A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE AND POTENTIAL PHYSICAL ENDANGERMENT OR DEATH IF THIS CRITICAL ENGINE COMPONENT SHOULD FAIL SUDDENLY WHILE IN MOTION! VW IS IN DENIAL, AND MANY OF US ARE COUNTING ON YOUR ORGANIZATION TO INVESTIGATE. A RECALL OF COILPACKS SHOULD BE ISSUED IN MY OPINION.
IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE, COIL PACK #1 AND #2. FIRST OF TWO DIFFERNENT OCCASIONS.
Official recalls
207V063000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 20, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: 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.
04V584000 · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch
Dec 16, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD FLASHER FUNCTION.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE04081 · Inadvertent SIDE-AIRBAG Deployment
Opened Dec 16, 2004 · Closed Apr 1, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window
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 SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE NOT UNIQUE IN BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH ALLEGATIONS.THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR NON-SUBJECT INDIVIDUAL MODEL VEHICLES VARIES WIDELY.THE RATE FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS COMPARABLE TO THREE PEER MODELS, EACH WITH COMPACT CHASSIS/WHEELBASES.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY COMPONENT FAILURE OR MANUFACTURING TREND THAT MAY RELATE TO A COMPONENT OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE04073 · Turn Signal/hazard Flasher Failure
Opened Oct 19, 2004 · Closed Dec 16, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights; Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:flasher Unit
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 POPULATION OF VEHICLES. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES.PLEASE SEE SAFETY RECALL 04V584 FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch
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 POPULATION OF VEHICLES. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES.PLEASE SEE SAFETY RECALL 04V584 FOR DETAILS.
Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights
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 POPULATION OF VEHICLES. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES.PLEASE SEE SAFETY RECALL 04V584 FOR DETAILS.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:flasher Unit
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 POPULATION OF VEHICLES. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES.PLEASE SEE SAFETY RECALL 04V584 FOR DETAILS.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
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 POPULATION OF VEHICLES. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES.PLEASE SEE SAFETY RECALL 04V584 FOR DETAILS.