RecallRepo

2002 Volkswagen Golf Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2002 Volkswagen Golf has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,467,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 07V063000 2007-02-20 1,002,000 affected
Defect

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

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…

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 04V584000 2004-12-16 410,000 affected
Defect

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

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.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 02V031000 2002-01-31 55,000 affected
Defect

ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, SHORT CIRCUITS CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS).

Consequence

THIS CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

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.

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
16
3injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
8
1injuries
AIR BAGS
6
1crashes3injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3
SEAT BELTS
3
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2
Total complaints98

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Vehicle jerks heavily and the engine light would come on and remain on. Dealer has been notified. Ph”

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · reported 2202-11-15

“Certain conditions cause the electrics door locks to not function. When this happens, it is not possible to exit the car from the inside as the door handles are not operative creating a trapped situation potentially leading to injury or death if the case of a fire.”

STRUCTURE:BODY · reported 2025-05-28

“While driving at about 45 miles per hour, the side curtain and seat bolster airbags deployed on their own. There was no impact to the vehicle that preceded this incident. The airbags simply deployed by themselves. This seems to be a recurring problem with this generation of volkswagens:…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2017-03-24

“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 volkswagen golf with a tdi engine. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact had to pop the clutch and kill the ignition, but the engine continue to operate until the vehicle ran out of fuel. The contacts mechanic inspected the vehicle and…”

ENGINE · reported 2013-07-21

“Tl* the contact owns 2002 volkswagen golf. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start in rainy weather. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the ignition coil would need to be replaced. The contact located a voluntary manufacturers recall for the failure but was advised by…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2011-03-08

“On saturday aug 7th I was driving my 2002 vw golf on the highway when the passenger side airbag deployed. The road was smooth with no bumps or potholes, nothing hit the car, it was totally spontaneous. Luckily there were no passengers in the car. I have contacted my local vw service shop and will…”

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · reported 2010-08-07

“Passenger side curtain airbag deployed while traveling down the highway. No collision, consequences ringing in ears. Volkswagen made repair at no cost to me $3212.00. *tr”

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · reported 2009-06-14

“While driving my wife was driving our 2002 vw golf the driver side window dropped. Turns out all over the internet there are complaints of the tabs holding the windows breaking. In fact when I was at the dealer I fellow overheard me and said he had the exact same problem on his 2001 vw gti. Vw had…”

VISIBILITY · reported 2009-04-26

Defect investigations

Investigation DP05004 Opened 2005-08-11 · closed 2005-12-08

ENGINE STALLING

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…

Investigation PE04073 Opened 2004-10-19 · closed 2004-12-16

TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE

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…

Investigation PE04073 Opened 2004-10-19 · closed 2004-12-16

TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE

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…

Investigation PE04073 Opened 2004-10-19 · closed 2004-12-16

TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE

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…

Investigation PE04073 Opened 2004-10-19 · closed 2004-12-16

TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE

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…

Investigation PE04081 Opened 2004-12-16 · closed 2005-04-01

INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT

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…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Volkswagen Golf as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.