Volkswagen Touareg Complaints (2004)

231 consumer complaints on file.

#11698472November 9, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I have contacted Volkswagen about my recall over a month ago the man claimed he ordered the parts and would be in contact but has never contacted me ever since and since then my vehicle has completely stopped working and the gas smell is at a very dangerous level
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685014September 4, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The flange for the fuel does not leak from that i can see couse if it was leaking it would be on the ground.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11621837October 24, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Hello: this is the 2nd VW TOUAREG this year to repair so far, this one is a 2004 model that I have had to replace complete left & right xenon headlamp assembly Very pricy. Wiring insulation turns brittle, cracks & falls off inside the headlamp assembly, This allows the bare wires to touch & short causing fuses to blow shutting off headlamps while driving at night. This I think should be recalled, I have fixed 5 of these TOUAREGs in 4 years for this same problem. THANK YOU 10/24/24
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11518742April 24, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My SUV was sitting for a few days at the airport and I when I got in the car, it started fine but the headlights, interior lights, power folding mirrors and the voltmeter were not working. I had to leave the car there since it was night time. The next day I drove it home in daylight and started checking fuses. I noticed two fuses (#2, #12) on the driver side fuse panel were failed. I replaced the #2, 5 amp, fuse and no changes were noticed. Then I replaced the #12, 25 amp, fuse and I heard a number of systems clicking and powering on; the lights flickered. Then I smelled burning and saw a puff of smoke come from under the dash. I immediately pulled the fuse . After troubleshooting, I found the body control module 7L6-937-049-K had caught fire internally and started to burn through the casing. Had I not pulled the fuse and disconnected the battery, this could have been catastrophic. Once I smelled the smoke, I realized it was like the acrid smell in the suv the night before. The fact the fuse blew the previous day saved the vehicle. It was parked on the fourth floor of parking garage at the airport so many vehicles could have been damaged and people endangered had it caught fire. Not to mention the disruption at an airport. There were no warning lamps. The only indication of a problem was the inoperable systems I mentioned. Also thinking back, the slight acrid smell was present the day I arrived at the airport, I had mistaken it for plane exhaust and car exhaust smells in the garage. The vehicle has not been inspected by any dealer, manufacturer or govermental agency. I have contacted the manufacturer for guidance and help with repairing. I am awaiting a response.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11469157June 14, 2022
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Touareg. The vehicle had previously been serviced at the dealer under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V583000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the fuel pump failed after the recall repair was performed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with fuel pump failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11441658November 25, 2021
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Leaking gas caught on fire put it out but now I have no head lights no high beams replaced everything still nothing. All lights on dash go crazy kills battery all the time and had to replace something in the rear end. Overall it has cost me $2500 and I still have no headlights at all and leaking gas. It’s my only vehicle I hope next time it doesn’t catch back on fire could have been worse and still could be. Somebody could get hurt and I have kids.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11422591June 28, 2021
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 mph, the driver’s side curtain air bag deployed inadvertently. Due to the inadvertent air bag deployment, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11375085November 17, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHT WENT OUT ON DARK ROAD. NEARLY CRASHED. FOUND INSULATION ON WIRES FOR LIGHTS DETERIORATED. HARNESS WAS MELTED LOWER IN THE FENDER. ONLINE SEARCH FOUND SAME ISSUE IS COMMON AND INCLUDED FIRES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11344166August 9, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SUV IS NOT GETTING GAS TO ENGINE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11286924December 4, 2019
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN (OR WHILE IT'S DRIVING, BUT IT'S NOT OFTEN I'M OUTSIDE OF THE CAR WHILE IT'S RUNNING). THIS IS DUE TO THE PLASTIC HOUSING ON THE FUEL PUMP THAT HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND IS LEAKING GASOLINE. THIS IS SIMILAR TO ANOTHER RECALL, 17V583000, WHICH IS FOR THE FUEL FILTER FLANGE, BUT VW IS SAYING THEY WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THE HOUSING, NOT THE FLANGE. BUT IT'S THE SAME RESULT...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11245345August 20, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
LIGHTS ON THE DASH COME ON HILL ASSIST SHUTS ON AND OFF BY ITSELF BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF SUNROOF HAS OPEN BY ITSELF AC HAS STOPPED WORKING AND THE NEXT DAY WORKS AGAIN HEATED STEERING WHEEL WORKS WHEN IT WANTS THIS HAPPENED WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING OR SITTING STILL EVERYTHING I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET HAS POINTED TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THIS IS AN EVERYDAY THING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11229973July 8, 2019
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY @ 70MPR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR STARTS ACTING SLUGGISH FOR A MIN THEN BACK TO NORMAL, AND RANDOMLY FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO DOES(I HAD A WAYS TO GO) THIS A FEW MORE TIMES. I GOT TO MY DESTINATION AND LET HER REST FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS DOING FINE EXCEPT NOW THE EMISSION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. BY THIS TIME IT WAS TIME FOR THE 100,000 MILE MAINTENANCE TO BE DONE AND IT DID GREAT UNTIL ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING @ 35MPR WHEN IT STARTED LOOSING POWER, THO I ONLY LOST A LITTLE BIT OF POWER STEERING WAS FORCED TO COME TO A STOP, WHICH JUST HAPPEN TO BE A ONE WAY BRIDGE, BABY IN THE CAR AND HAD TO PUSH MYSELF THE REST OF THE WAY ACROSS IT. ONCE OFF THE BRIDGE I TURNED THE CAR OFF (IT STAYED ON TIL I DID THIS) LET IT REST A MINUTE AND IT STARTED UP FINE AND LET ME GO A FEW BLOCKS STILL SLUGGISH AND THEN LOST POWER AGAIN. I REPEATED THIS PROCESS FOR ABOUT 5 MILES OR SO WHEN I WAS FORCED TO PARK IT CUZ I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK CROSSING THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DID THE FLANGE RECALL, THAT DIDNT' FIX THE PROBLEM SO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FUEL PUMPS AND THAT WAS ROUGHLY @ 103,000. 8 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN THIS TIME AROUND 107,000. DEALERSHIP TOOK 4 HOURS TO DIAGNOSE ONLY TO TELL ME I NEED THE FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE SOMEHOW ALL THE WIRES, CONNECTORS, AND CAPS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE FUEL LINES/TANK/PUMPS ARE EITHER MISSING, CRACKED, OR DAMAGED SO I NEED A WIRING HARNESS AS WELL. THEY ARE QUOTING A ME $5000 FIX!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11230095July 8, 2019
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL FLANK WAS SEALED BY THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, THERE IS FUEL LEAKING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11192399March 29, 2019
STEERING, SUSPENSION, WHEELS
TAKATA I WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY FINE AND I CAME UPON A TURNING TO MAKE THE LEFT AND OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR START SLIDING OUT OF CONTROL I TRIED TO CONTROL IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A DITCH CLOSE BY WHERE I WAS IT WAS SLIDING TO THE RIGHT TRIED TO SPIN THE STEERING TO THE LEFT BUT THE CAR WAS JUST DOING WHAT IT FELT LIKE I ENDED UP HITTING IN THE RAIL WHERE THE DITCH WAS AND PUSHING THE CAR BACK INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BEAR IN MIND I HAD MY CHILDREN IN MY CAR NO ONE CAN GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION TO MY MY CAR JUST SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL AND I KNOW I WAS NOT DRIVING FAST I AM NOT A FAST DRIVER ONE THING IS TO BE DONE AND CHECK OUT WITH THIS VEHICLE BEFORE IT CLAIM THE LIFE OF ANYONE THAT GOD MY LOVE AND MY KIDS WAS SPARED THE BRAKES SPEED CONTROL AND BODY OF THE CAR WAS AFFECTED AS WELL BUT IT IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO SELECT ALL OF THE OPTIONS ABOVE
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11185712March 10, 2019
AIR BAGS
HIT A VERY MASSIVE POTHOLE AND IT CAUSED THE AIRBAG FAULTY STATEMENT TO APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. IT APPEARS THE AIRBAG ATTEMPTED TO DISCHARGE UPON HITTING A POTHOLE AND DID NOT DISCHARGE AND THUS THE AIRBAG MECHANISM WAS CONSIDERED FAULTY. A POTHOLE/RUMBLE STRIP SHOULD NOT CAUSE A AIRBAG FAULT TO APPEAR AS THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11149899November 7, 2018
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THIS VEHICLE FAIL DUE TO THE INTERNAL WIRING INSIDE OF THE HOUSING. THIS LEADS TO ZERO VISIBILITY DURING NIGHT TIME. THE HEADLIGHTS WHEN OPERATING CORRECTLY ALSO DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT OUTPUT TO BE ABLE TO SEE DURING THE NIGHT EVEN WITH A BRAND NEW ASSEMBLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11114294July 28, 2018
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE TOUAREG MADE SOME RATTLING NOISE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH. AS SOON I STOPPED AND MADE IT MY DESTINATION AND TURNED OFF THE CAR THE CAR WOULDN'T START UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE CAR WOULDN'T START. FINALLY, AFTER A WELL OVER A WEEK, THEY DETERMINED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL SIX FUEL INJECTORS. THE FUEL INJECTORS GOT REPLACED NOW THE CAR TURNS ON BUT AS SOON AS YOU STEP ON THE GAS THE CAR DIES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11109526July 4, 2018
WHEELS
FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE( IN DECEMBER OF 2003), TPMS HAS BEEN "ON" IN YELLOW/ORANGE COLOR INDICATING THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE IN ALL/VARIOUS LOCATIONS NEED ADJUSTMENT. AFTER INSPECTION BY MYSELF, GAS STATION ATTENDANTS, TIRE SHOP COMPANIES, AND VW DEALERSHIPS, I FINALLY GAVE UP. IN THE BEGINNING, THE DEALERSHIP ( WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) WOULD NOT OFFICIALLY ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM, BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, IN A VERY INFORMAL WAY, THEY CLAIMED THE THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS BRAND NEW AND THAT IT HAS ITS FLAWS! THAT I SHOULD NOT TAKE THOSE WARNINGS TOO SERIOUSLY. UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS, I GAVE UP ON THIS TOPIC. NOW, I JUST WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11109524July 4, 2018
POWER TRAIN
( STARTED NOTICING THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 1 TO 2 YEARS AGO)WHILE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN 5TH GEAR AND SPEEDS OF UNDER 50 MI./HR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE AUTOMATIC DOWN SHIFT OCCURS WITH A VERY HARSH "KICK" TO A POINT THAT THE PASSENGERS FEEL THE JOLT. A FEW YEARS AGO, A SIMILAR PROBLEM REGARDING THE DOWN-SHIFT WAS SUBJECT OF RECALL WHICH THE DEALERS HAD TO INSTALL A "PATCH" ( UPDATED SOFTWARE) IN ORDER TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11099448June 3, 2018
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, IN MARCH OF 2018, STATING THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL 20AI-FUEL PUMP FLANGE FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. I HAD ALREADY HAD THAT REPAIR DONE, DUE TO A SEVERE LEAK IN MY FUEL PUMP (GAS WAS POURING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE AS AS FAST AS I WAS PUMPING THE GAS IN ON ONE OCCASION). I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND COULDN'T DRIVE IT UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED. THEN, 3 YEARS LATER, I RECIEVED A RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR THE EXACT REPAIR THAT I HAD DONE FOR THE FAULTY FUEL PUMP FLANGE. I COMPLETED THE REIMBURSEMENT FORM AND SUBMITTED IT TO VOLKSWAGEN. MY REIMBURSEMENT WAS REJECTED BECAUSE MY REPAIR WAS MADE PRIOR TO THE RECALL BEING ISSUED. I WAS TOLD BY VOLKSWAGEN REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE NHTSA LIMITS RECALL REPAIRS AND REIMBURSEMENTS, AND IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NHTSA BECAUSE THEY SET THE TIMELINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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