2023 Volkswagen Taos

Routine

Owners filed 106 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes30
000
Engine29
000
Electrical System8
000
Vehicle Speed Control7
100
Power Train7
000
Unknown or Other6
000
Wheels2
000
Visibility/Wiper2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking2
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Sep 14, 2026TX

I went to the Fiesta Albqueurque VW June 2025 multiple times resulting in close to 2 weeks without a car. Found a oil leak and head gasket - bolt jam replaced. In XXX, car shook, took it to first Fiesta ABQ, who identified a low battery charge. However, the car continued to shake end of XXX and we then, took this to Rudolph volkswagon, [XXX], that blamed it on bad fuel (invoice attached). Check engine sign turned off for a day, and came back on on our major trip up north from [XXX] to [XXX]. This Dealership told us that we would be safe on the road from [XXX] to [XXX]. Yes, we made it but by sheer luck. third Attempt, took this car to [XXX], VW and they were able to change: CHANGED THE ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER AND REFILLED THE ENGINE WITH 4.2 QUARTS OF 0W20 SYNTHETIC OIL WITH A SPIN ON OIL FILTER AND REPLACED THE DRAIN PLUG AND DRAIN PLUG CRUSH WASHER. RESET THE SERVICE INTERVAL DISPLAY. CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ALL FLUIDS LEVELS. REPLACED THE BRAKE FLUID, BLED AND TOPPED OFF THE SYSTEM. MULTI-POINT INSPECTION COMPLETED NO RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED MULTIPOINT INSPECTION A VIDEO MULTIPOINT INSPECTION WAS PROVIDED. RESET THE MAINTENANCE INDICATOR AND APPLIED A MAINTENANCE REMINDER STICKER ON THE VEHICLE Hose was finally replaced. Out of pocket costs app $400. Since there were numerous efforts I will list the final work done on the car however, I have all invoices needed since June 2025. I have too many invoices to upload. Your upload cannot handle size

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 14, 2026TX

Brake Recall for VW 2023 Taos - Nov 2024 (10 or 11K Mileage). Brake pads changed. Continued to hear Brake Squeeking: taken in 10/15/2025, 11/14/2024, 1/3/2025, 5/17/2025. 12 mm at initial recall dropped to 7 mm at 17,900 miles. Upon leaving dealership, tech states VW uses "refurbished brake pads." Dealer washed pads, and sent me home. I have all invoices, they are larger in size. Unable to attach

Electrical System
Filed Sep 14, 2026GA

Marietta Volkswagen diagnosed a failed 5F module; the center display screen is completely inoperative; the rearview/backup-camera image therefore does not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse; VW says the module is on national backorder with no ETA; and the vehicle is being used by a [XXX] driver. Volkswagen Customer Care has already been contacted but could not help and that the repair is covered under warranty but cannot currently be completed so the vehicle remains unrepaired and is being operated without a rear view camera display . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2026VA

Low coolant warning in red triangle showed up on my 2023 TAOS. Coolant in the reservoir was very low. I notice that there is a Technical Service Bulletin 15-23-01 rather than an official safety recall on 2022 and 2023 Taos 1.5T for head gasket coolant leak. There are many complaints regarding this issue on many message boards. We all fear that this problem will intensify as we all move out of powertrain warranty. Can you please instruct Volkswagen to have a recall on this issue? Thanks!

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 26, 2026FL

At highway speeds, the speedometer does not show actual moving speed. I’ve noticed it will be ranging 5-10 mph difference. Car will display 65 mph but police radar and gps will say a speed in the 70s. Everything stock.

Engine
Filed Jul 24, 2026TX

Head gasket well known issue with no campaign or warranty coverage Volkswagen issued an official TSB 15-23-01 (Head Gasket Leakage) acknowledging that the original factory head gasket design on early Taos models allows coolant to leak. The production line was eventually updated with a redesigned gasket. They denied coverage or even partial reduction in labor.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 9, 2026SC

I purchased a 2023 VW Taos SE about a year ago (May 2025) as CPO less than 7k miles. It is still under the warranty; however, I already had to bring this Taos to the VW dealership for 3x. First was A/C was not cool enough. They found a leak. In June 2026, I had to bring due to the engine light being on. They found out EVAP fuel leak detection pump being faulty. And less than 1 month later (July 2026), once again the engine light came on. This time apparently EVAP canister is the problem and needs to be replaced . My Taos is currently at the dealership. I am reporting this, in case other Taos owners have similar experiences. Thank you.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 4, 2026MD

Am reporting a recurring rear brake issue with my vehicle. The rear brake pads and rotors have required replacement approximately every 20,000 miles, which appears abnormal given that the front brake pads have never required replacement and are still measuring approximately 8 mm. The rear brakes have worn prematurely and unevenly compared with the front brakes despite normal driving conditions. I am concerned this may indicate a defect involving the rear braking system, electronic parking brake, brake bias, calipers, or related components. The recurring premature rear brake wear has created repeated repair costs and raises concern that the braking system may not be functioning as designed. I would like this documented for safety review.

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 22, 2026TX

The brakes have prematurely worn to 1mm at 20,000 miles. Volkswagen is aware and has issued a TSB regarding the premature wear, however they failed to notify us during the first 2 service appointments that the wear on the brakes were due to be replaced. I feel this was intentional as they did not want to replace under the TSB and they waited until the wear was too severe and past the TSB date. Volkswagen waited to tell my 17 year old daughter that the brakes were worn and needed replacement at that point. Volkswagen is aware of the premature wear on the brakes and has put people at risk like my 17 year old daughter by not extending the warranty for longer than 2yr/24k miles or whichever comes first. This should be a minimum of 40k miles as rear brakes should not wear in that time frame on any vehicle. I also do not believe I was made aware of the issue or TSB at the time of vehicle purchase which fell well before the end date/mileage of the TSB.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 20, 2026NY

Only when lighter weight adults are in the front seat - if they move around at all the airbag sensor goes off. Meaning the airbags won’t deploy if we get into an accident. Seems like a major flaw! Even if while they are moving around an alarm went off why would it not reset once the person stopped moving around? It stays off for sometime afterward and beeps constantly. This has happened repeatedly and was told to keep cell phones off the seats. Believe me, we make sure the phones NEVER touch the seats any longer but it still happens and for a bit I just gave up reporting it to service but it happened again when I picked up my daughter from jfk on Tuesday

Power Train
Filed Jun 16, 2026WI

My 2023 VW Taos Se has been diagnosed with head gasket failure. Denied “goodwill assistance.” I did state that VW has issued a TSB (TSB 15-23-01. I currently have 80,380 miles on the vehicle. Known engineering failure, not wear and tear.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed May 18, 2026IL

Air bags did not deploy after a direct driver side hit, and I was injured because of the accident. Car was declared a total loss by the insurance. The car is being held by State Farm if inspection needs to happen. I was hurt because of the car accident, and I fear for my life or my child’s life if they would have been in the car. I want to prevent any future injuries. I was driving 50 MPH on route 60 when I was hit on my side. There was no warning light on prior to the failure.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking
Filed May 18, 2026NM

In two separate instances the Autonomous Emergency Brake system was activated. Luckily there i didn't cause an accident. There was no one in front of me either times. Thats the worst of all the issues the vehicle has.

Engine
Filed May 9, 2026CO

On April 27, 2025, in [XXX] , the vehicle displayed a low coolant warning in the morning. The owner replenished the coolant as instructed, the warning cleared, and the vehicle was driven to work without incident. Later that day, while traveling southbound on [XXX] at approximately 60 mph, the engine overheat warning activated, forcing the driver to stop and pull over. The vehicle required two separate tows — first to the residence, then to the dealership the following day. On April 30, 2025, the dealership completed a full warranty repair replacing the engine head gasket and seals under TSB 2071245/1, a Volkswagen-issued Technical Service Bulletin acknowledging a known manufacturing defect in the 2022–2023 Taos cooling system, for which there is no recall issued. A formal case was opened with VW Customer Care prior to the repair visit and is on record. This incident occurred just before the vehicle’s warranty expiration at 30,000 miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 6, 2026PA

​SUMMARY OF SAFETY HAZARD: I am reporting a catastrophic and unpredictable loss of motive power in a 2023 Volkswagen Taos (4Motion with DQ381 DSG Transmission). The vehicle presents a critical electronic sensor failure within the transmission mechatronics unit that causes the vehicle to enter an immediate "Limp Mode" without warning. This has resulted in several near-miss incidents where the vehicle became immobilized in active traffic and on high-speed roadways. ​TECHNICAL DATA OF FAILURE: Factory-level ODIS diagnostic logs (recorded Feb 3 and March 17, 2026) reveal that the transmission’s "Actual position clutch 1" reports a constant value of -0.69 bar. In an automotive hydraulic system engineered for positive pressure, a reading of -0.69 bar is a physical impossibility (a vacuum state). This indicates a total failure of the pressure sensor/TCU logic, leading to the unintentional disengagement of the primary drive clutch. ​DECEPTIVE REPORTING RISK: Authorized service centers have been documented falsifying the safety status of this vehicle. Despite possessing internal diagnostic logs showing the -0.69 bar vacuum failure, a dealership issued a final Service Order certifying "No issues found" and stating "Actual values match." This reporting practice is forcing a vehicle with a known, documented powertrain failure back onto public roads, creating a severe life-safety risk for occupants and other motorists. The vehicle is currently grounded to prevent a collision.

Engine
Filed Apr 28, 2026NY

This vehicle has a known design flaw which causes the cylinder gasket to leak and require replacement. VW has only issued a Technical Service Notice which was no provided to owners regarding the part that needed replacement. They are correcting the problem with a differently designed part in order to try to cure the design flaw. This can cause catastrophic engine failure. It should have been a recall. I should have been notified and the car should have been repaired at VW’s expense. They have explained since your agency didn’t issue a recall, they dot need to inform the public. Now they are expecting me to pay $3000 to correct their design error and also pay for rental car while it is under repair. This is a major violation of the lemon law, and yet there are numerous verified complaints. Issue a recall on the 2023 Taos, they are clearly scamming owners and leaving them in danger with a vehicle that has a faulty engine part. Owners like me, should have their car repaired by the responsible party, VW

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 2026TX

Whole dash goes black while driving. Also fuel system is not up to par. Rear brakes fail after 6months on my third time changing them since I purchase the car.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 4, 2026IL

Rear brake wearing out extremely fast. No warning from VW Replaced twice in 40 000

Engine
Filed Apr 1, 2026NY

Cylinder head gaskets) replaced - Cylinder head serviced/repaired - Timing belt replaced

Electrical System
Filed Mar 11, 2026CA

Started driving, engine light comes on and it shows error code “start/stop error” Car won’t go past 30pmh.

20 of 106 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2022
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20262100Routine
202510200Routine
202453000Routine
2023 — this page106000Routine
2022314600Above average

Compare every Taos year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.