Volkswagen Touareg Complaints (2016)

45 consumer complaints on file.

#11770146October 9, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
The interior door release mechanism broke, trapping my wife in the driver's seat and unable to open the door. Our VW dealer was not able to evaluate the broken mechanism for several days so we took the vehicle to a local repair shop. A disabled senior [XXX] was unable to exit the vehicle, unable to climb over the center console or into the back seat which is a serious safety issue. The outside door handle release was still functional and I was able to open the door. If I were not at home, my wife would have had to call a neighbor, police or fire department to free her from the vehicle. Photograph of broken part is part of this report as well as receipt for the repair. A quick web search indicates several other owners have had this issue. No injury except a bruised arm trying to reach the exterior door release (unsuccessfully). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699303November 13, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car will stop (while driving) for no apparent reason. “Phantom Braking”. This is without any known objects/people approaching our vehicle. It’s a part of the electronic automatic braking system but obviously it is not programmed correctly. It is DANGEROUS. A brief review on internet shows these sudden stops have caused accidents (people rear ending vehicle after sudden stops). Cars have also had to move quickly off highway to avoid collision. Another issue: the Panoramic Sunroof has had frequent issues with water leaks. We’ve already had to pay for one such leak ($1000) and now face payment for a second serious leak which they can’t seem to fix. Internet searches show that VW Corporation has known about this manufacturing defect since 2016 but has “hidden” these manufacturing defects from customers. These leaks have caused pools of water to form in the trunk (under spare tire). The pool of water inside vehicle can range up to 1.5 feet and more! We’ve heard issues that if not caught sooner, these leaks case severe damage to electrical systems (battery, etc…) due to excess water in vehicle. It burns out electrical systems. To our knowledge, VW will take NO RESPONSIBILITY. People who own these cars have to pay for the fixes. Very expensive fixes which are not working. We no longer feel safe driving this car. VW will not offer us a solution.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681082August 16, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
My lane assist camera is not functioning and Volkswagen is telling me the part is now obsolete and can't be repaired. It is part #7p6907217bxz1y. I took it to Pompano Volkswagen on 4/4/24 and have been waiting for the part which has been out of stock and they (Gunther Volkswagen since Pompano closed) just told me on 8/8/25 the part is no longer available and offer no solution to fix this issue. Seems very odd that a car manufacture would be allowed to not supply a replacement part or be able to fix the problem for a car that is 8 years old. Especially for such an important feature like lane assist and collision avoidance systems - how am I supposed to sell a car without these features functioning? I have contact Volkswagen Corporate Customer Care without any avail as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662004May 19, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNKNOWN- simply picking up my kids and various alerts came on the dashboard including the ABS brakes error, Parking brake error, and others that I am not sure of. I just bought this suv on Friday from DCH Acura of Montclair, NJ/ Lithia Motors in Verona, NJ [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659364May 6, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Rear viewing camera does not display when vehicle is placed in reverse.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640977February 5, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Vehicle manufacture (Volkswagon) has quit supplying/manufacturing a safety guidence parts for my auto. 7P6-907-217-BX-Z1Y Collision Avoidance Camera NOT AVAILABLE i would like my anti Self collision guidance repaired, but no parts for my 8-9 year old car. part was on order (from 2024) and notified today NOT available and local car dealership order was cancelled. i might understand if I had hit a 10year threshold, but sure hurts now.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637367January 21, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My ACC/AEB went out over 2 years ago. At the time this vehicle was out of warranty. The dealer ordered the part (camera) and charged me for it. I waited over a year for the part. During this time VW lost a class action lawsuit regarding this and notified me that this was now going to be covered under warranty. I returned to the dealer to file the warranty claim. Warranty claim is now 6 months old and VW still has no news on getting parts and repairing this safety feature.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11610332August 22, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
car has a design flaw. If car sits in the sun the emergency stop braking system will fail due to heat. The camera/computer board is mounted in the ceiling behind the rearview mirror. when the sun is out the system will fail do to heat. This problem is in Volkswagons, Audi's and Porche's with various models. The issue is described in detail in multiple blogs and car clubs. I bought the car used. I think this system is as important for safety as airbags. As a 2 stage safety feature to avoid an accident. This failure also affects the Adaptable Cruise Control. Car color and climate affect this system. Volkswagon has an AEB recall but refuses to acknowledge the design flaw. Problem keeps occurring.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11564741January 10, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The windshield camera that is responsible for the imaging used for many of the system on the 2016 Touareg is a high failure item and has been constituently backordered from VW. When this camera fails, the advanced systems that were part of this option fail to operate. This includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. The system does provide warning notifications, but they may occur at any time and there is no confidence the system is working. These notifications overtake other system displays making it difficult or even hazardous to navigate vehicle system menus at times. In addition, this vehicle does not offer standard cruise control, which can accelerate driver fatigue due to the loss of this basic and common feature. The original part on this vehicle is not available used in the USA, or from VW USA. There is a company in Aus that repairs them, but in this particular instance, it appears the repaired unit has failed as well now. This system is very expensive to recalibrate, adding to the expense of the repair, especially without new parts available there is little route to be able to remedy this situation permanently for a safety device that is expected and was an added cost option on this model. Much of the diagnostic work has been performed by myself as I am a Master Automotive Technician.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11543719September 10, 2023
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was driving to lunch one day when my 2016 Volkswagen Touareg TDI stalled in the middle of the road and was not able to be restarted due to a failed CP4 HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump) this repair was major and everything that the diesel fuel touches was replaced such as fuel pump, lift pump, all fuel lines, fuel filter canister, injectors, fuel rails, etc…
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11458770March 29, 2022
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Random engine hesitancy reducing acceleration while driving. Vehicle maintained by the dealer for all scheduled maintenance and service visits. Within 30 days of a manufacture's repair that dealt with the HVAC and air filter AND a service visit to change oil and rotate tires, the hesitancy during driving was more pronounced. The dealer's service center stated the air filter was flooded from an HVAC leak and a clog. I have found similar owners have had problems like this and VW will not address it systemically. I otherwise enjoy my vehicle, but am concerned that it will not accelerate when needed and is potentially dangerous without warning. It should not take loss of life or property to have this corrected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11451182February 9, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There was a big rain last week locally. I drove through a couple big puddles but nothing that's super uncommon for the area. Almost immediately, my car's electric components started going crazy. ACC stopped working completely. Lane assists aren't working. There was an error that I think was shift lock, but it was red, and the car was driving really weird.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11441626November 24, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electronic Parking Brake lever light was flashing and dashboard showed parking brake error message. Drove car to VW Dealership, which diagnosed problem as likely bad Parking Brake Control Module (Part J540). Dealership ordered part, and stated I could drive car home. Within 1 mile of dealership, parking brake engaged automatically abruptly slowing car and error flashed on dash stating "Disengage Parking Brake." Pulled over, turned car off and back on, which disengaged parking brake. Returned to dealership and left car until it could be repaired. Had I been on the interstate traveling at a higher rate of speed, this may have caused an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428041August 6, 2021
AIR BAGS
NTHSA folks, Two months ago, I began getting an "Error Airbag" amber warning in the Touareg's driver-information display. I visited the dealer and was told "the airbag module" (volkswagen-2016-volkswagen-touareg-control-module-7p0959655g08p) was the issue. I was told they'd order the part, only to hear back later: "There are none in the U.S. and it'll take 5-8 weeks to get one from. Europe." This has since been updated with "We have no idea if or when this part will be available." As a consequence, it appears I must simply wonder whether the airbags will deploy if needed, which strikes me (no pun intended) as irresponsible on VW's end, particularly since it concerns a safety-related failure. Indeed, if this part is so unavailable, it would seem that either many owners are experiencing the same problem, or the problem is extremely rare. (I believe it's the former.) Anyway, I bring this to NHTS' in the hope of getting clarification and/or assistance. And ideally helping find a way to restore full airbag functionality. Thank you for your time. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11421686June 21, 2021
ENGINE
2016 Touareg was towed to OStein VW service after engine would not accelerate and ran rough when got onto the interstate. OStein VW diagnostic was water into the air filter that got into engine and now need to replace engine block because of water getting into the air filter from the rain drain system system getting clogged for the Touareg. VW Service says can hear engine valves chattering. I see at NHTSA that at least 60 other complaints have been filed about this problem of water getting into the air filter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11418651May 26, 2021
ENGINE
There is an ongoing issue with the drain from the air cleaner box clogging and water collecting in the box and then being ingested into the engine. On other occasions I had drained water from the box and changed the wet air filter to a dry one. Today (5/26/2021) I pulled out of my driveway and car started stalling. I got a transmission fault notification and immediately returned to my home. After raising the hood I noticed a noise from the left side of the engine bay and checked the drain for the air cleaner box. It was of course clogged. I opened the air cleaner box and approximately 6" of water ran out of the box. I restarted the engine and no longer had a transmission fault but an engine management warning. The engine while running was running roughly. I contacted the nearest VW dealership and they stated that this was a known issue, that there was no recall, that VW had come up with a "fix" for the issue and that, of course it was not covered under the powertrain warranty. The vehicle is not driveable and will be towed to the dealership for diagnosis and repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11396521February 16, 2021
STRUCTURE:BODY
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHED, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO 17 DEGREES. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A LOUD SOUND, LIKE A GUNSHOT AND IMMEDIATELY GLASS FELL ON OUR HEADS. THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AS THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND US. IT WAS A SCARY INCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY ONBOARD. ONLY MINOR GLASS CUTS WERE SUFFERED, MOSTLY ON THE HANDS AND WE WIPED THE GLASS PIECES OFF OURSELVES. OUR DRIVING SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES/HOUR, THROUGH OPEN FIELDS (NO BUILDINGS OR CONSTRUCTION NEARBY) ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11390252January 27, 2021
ENGINE
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. WOULD DESCRIBE THE FEELING AS RANGING FROM A SHUDDER OR "HICCUP" TO A DROPPING SENSATION. OCCURS AT ANY POINT OF ACCELERATION - WHETHER FROM LOW RATE OF SPEED TO HIGH (AS IN ENTRANCE RAMP ACCELERATION) OR FROM CRUISING SPEED TO HIGHER CRUISING SPEED (AS WHEN SPEED LIMIT INCREASES). IDENTIFIED THIS SENSATION WITHIN WEEKS OF TAKING DELIVERY OF VEHICLE AND IT HAS CONTINUED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11376147November 24, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE AIR FILTER COMPARTMENT FILLS WITH WATER UNDER NORMAL, IN-MOTION OPERATING CONDITIONS, LEAVING A SPONGY, MOLDY MESS OF THE AIR FILTER AND EXTREMELY POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS ENGINE OVERHEATING DURING SUMMER MONTHS. HAVE REPLACED THE FILTER REPEATEDLLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11365465October 20, 2020
ENGINE
AT 18,293 MILES THE VEHICLE ENTERED "LIMP MODE" WHILE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ENGINE AIR FILTER BEING SATURATED WITH WATER DUE TO A CLOGGED AIR BOX DRAIN HOLDING WATER. AT 26,054 MILES, THE FILTER WAS AGAIN FOUND TO BE SATURATED WITH WATER. THIS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE AIR FILTER A SECOND TIME. NORMAL AIR FILTER REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED AT 60,000 MILES. AT LAST REPLACEMENT, VW DEALER "MODIFIED" THE AIR BOX DRAIN TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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