2002 Nissan Sentra vs 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2002 Nissan Sentra | 2002 Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 304 | 702 |
| Recall campaigns | 10 | 5 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 73 | 242 |
| Investigations | 1 | 7 |
| Crash reports | 19 | 31 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 71 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 22–27 | 19–39 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 72,019 mi | 54,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Nissan Sentra | Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 127 | 104 |
| Electrical System | 54 | 148 |
| Air Bags | 30 | 108 |
| Power Train | 20 | 103 |
| Seats | 0 | 101 |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 50 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 46 |
| Visibility | 5 | 45 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 73 | 50 |
| Check engine light | 29 | 26 |
| Oil consumption | 14 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 8 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 8 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 7 | 8 |
| Loss of power | 6 | 26 |
| Overheating | 5 | 13 |
2002 Nissan Sentra
2002 Volkswagen Jetta
Compare all Nissan Sentra vs Volkswagen Jetta years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.