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Volkswagen EurovanModel year report

2002 Volkswagen Eurovan Problems

Complaints
35filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
69,000miles, 25 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 2.8L 6-cyl FWD · 15 city / 18 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 35 consumer complaints for the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 11 complaints (31% of the total), followed by electrical system (8) and seats (7). 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 69,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 124 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 24 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 26 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “I traveling approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel and engine compartment of my 2002 vw Eurovan began to shake violently. An inspection revealed that a piece of one of the of the two radiator fans was missing. The missing piece did not go through the radiator.”

NHTSA complaint #10278750, filed 2009-07, 61,000 miles

Electrical system: “We have experienced repeated electrical problems with 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan. Many electrical components have been replaced, including generator, battery, throttle controls, and an ABS sensor. The problems persists. The most dangerous is that the brake warning light comes on randomly, apparently for no reason. We cannot tell whether there is a brake failure, or erroneous warning. The dealer has looked at this problem more than five times, and has not been able to fix it. Today the brake warning light came on, and at the same time both windshield wipers failed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10102633, filed 2004-12, 31,570 miles

Seats: “I was driving my vehicle on the highway going approximately 70mph. My seat heater had been on for about 10-15 minutes when my passenger and I began to smell a sweet, smokey odor. The smoke was not visible at the time, but over the next 5-10 minutes the smell became more intense and there was smoke visible inside the car. My passenger noticed thick smoke coming up from the back of my seat, causing me to jump forward and swerve the car slightly. I immediately turned off the seat heater and pulled over to the side of the highway. …”

NHTSA complaint #11072705, filed 2018-02, 107,000 miles

Brakes: “Was driving on the freeway, when the brake light appeared on the dash board ,was on my way to my doctors ,as I came back, it was at reduce speed 3rd lane at 50mph, for safety purpose since I could not trust the brakes of the vehicle, I took the van to the dealer and again I need to replace front brakes, (this happens every 10.000 miles).when I questioned the dealer , I was told to contact vw. Of america, which I did immediately, as I spoke with the customer service rep. I was told that vw. Uses the same brake pads for all vehicles from the beetle to the SUV's and campers. …”

NHTSA complaint #10764179, filed 2015-09, 130,730 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

20% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 52,000 and 107,000 miles.

0%0–1012%10–258%25–5040%50–754%75–10036%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 69,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’03’05’076’09’12’17’20
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Eurovan FWD2.8L 6-cyl4-speed automatic151816$4,200
Eurovan Camper FWD2.8L 6-cyl4-speed automatic141816$4,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 124 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 124 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volkswagen Eurovan

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20031581,4001—16—Falling
20023569,0000—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20012136,2731—16—Stable
20002555,5000—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19991750,5000—15—Falling
19971453,2501—14—Not enough data
19956—0—15—Not enough data
199382131,0003—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Volkswagen Eurovan model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan have?

NHTSA recorded 35 consumer complaints for the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 11 complaints (31% of the total), followed by electrical system with 8.

Has the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan get?

The EPA rates the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan (Eurovan, 2.8L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 15 city and 18 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 69,000 miles and the middle half falls between 52,000 and 107,000 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.