2023 Volkswagen Taos

Routine

Owners filed 110 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

Most common 2023 Volkswagen Taos problems

31 of the 110 complaints (28%) are about the engine.

ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes · brakes30
000
Engine30
000
Electrical System10
000
Vehicle Speed Control · throttle and acceleration7
100
Unknown or Other7
000
Power Train · transmission7
000
Wheels2
000
Visibility/Wiper · wipers2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System · fuel and propulsion system2
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking · automatic emergency braking2
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 16, 2026MD

Saturday night, [XXX], the infotainment screen went black and all associated functions ceased including the back-up camera. I believed the car was unsafe. I took the car to the dealer, Fitzgerald Automotive in Frederick Maryland, on Monday morning and later that afternoon they called to say the F5 component went bad and is backordered. They could not give me a date when that part would come in. Cost would be $2500. Car is just 6000 miles beyond the warranty in miles and less than 4 years old. I purchased the car at Fitzgerald and have had all service done since owning the car. Cost would be $2500. There was no warning. The dealer has now had my car for 3 weeks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electrical System
Filed Sep 23, 2026FL

I bought the vehicle 3 years ago and currently it is at the shop to have the engine wiring harnes repaired. A few weeks ago, my dashboard started glitching. On 9/19/2026, my vehicle would not start. The check engine, EPC, low battery voltage, and traction light came on. I had to call someone to give me a jump so that my vehicle would start. It was impossible for the vehicle to keep a charge and it kept acting up in traffic. The dealership now wants to charge me about $650 for a new battery. I believe that the faulty engine wiring harness caused the battery to die prematurely and I should not have to pay for it.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 23, 2026FL

I bought the vehicle 3 years ago and currently it is at the shop to have the engine wiring harnes repaired. A few weeks ago, my dashboard started glitching. On 9/19/2026, my vehicle would not start. The check engine, EPC, low battery voltage, and traction light came on. I had to call someone to give me a jump so that my vehicle would start. It was impossible for the vehicle to keep a charge and it kept acting up in traffic. The dealership now wants to charge me about $650 for a new battery. I believe that the faulty engine wiring harness caused the battery to die prematurely and I should not have to pay for it.

Engine
Filed Sep 22, 2026OK

The infotainment touch screen on my 2023 Volkswagen Taos has completely blacked out and failed, leaving my backup camera entirely inoperable. This has created a severe blind-spot hazard where I cannot safely reverse. On top of this failure, the vehicle has a chronic history of being in and out of the dealership service department for unresolved fuel system problems, specifically regarding the fuel injectors and fuel lines under warranty. The dealership has repeatedly failed to permanently fix this fuel defect. Now, the car actively loses engine acceleration and drops into a dangerous slow crawl ('limp mode') at busy intersections when the air conditioning is running, forcing me to turn off the climate control just to move safely. Combined, these recurring powertrain and electrical defects create an immediate, severe safety hazard for myself and my young children while driving.

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.

Engine
Filed Feb 28, 2026VA

I took the vehicle in to the VW dealership for service on 06/30/25 and they found that the head gasket had failed after only 26500 miles. A failed head gasket could lead to engine failure during operation which would create a significant safety issue.

Engine
Filed Feb 23, 2026GA

I was told there was a leak in my coolant system that has happened to many other with the 22 and 23 taos. If out of warranty the claim would be almost 5k even though my car is only 2 years old. The work needed to be done is labor intensive and also a issues with the cylinder head gasket.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 19, 2026TX

I was driving home from work in rush hour so traffic was pretty heavy and all of the sudden my gas pedal would not accelerate my car at all. I was cruising at 8-10 MPH as it was stop and go traffic. About 10 seconds later my break pedal stiffens and I am unable to break. Neither the gas or break pedal were functioning. It is a miracle that no accident was caused. I turned on my hazards lights but I was in the middle lane so I was unable to pull over (as I could not accelerate or break). I put my car in neutral but that did not help anything. I ended up having to put my car in park and turn the car completely off and back on before the pedals would function again. I got my car towed after the situation as I was terrified to drive in case it happened again. The dealership told me since no lights or codes came up they can’t find anything wrong. They gave me my car back but I do not feel safe driving the vehicle.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 18, 2026PA

Rear brake pads needed replaced at 16,000 miles and need replaced again at 50,000. VW refuses to replace them or address the issue since the car is no longer under warranty.

Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2026WI

Head gasket is leaking - dealer won't acknowlege the problem - coolant leaking into oil- low coolant light comes on

Engine
Filed Dec 26, 2025LA

Head gasket failure, car loses combustion, u safe to drive. Engine light has been on for 5 months so far. Dealer has not been able to fix it.

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 22, 2025WA

I purchased this car on 11/16/2023, brand new with 32 miles on it. On 11/20/2023 the automatic start-stop failed while I was at an intersection and the car would not move. There were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms of the problem. Fortunately a police officer drove through the area minutes after the car stopped and was able to help me until a tow truck arrived. The car was towed to the dealership, who determined that the issue was with the starter, but did not provide me with paperwork as they put me in a different vehicle.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Dec 21, 2025WA

On 12/20/25, the "lane assist not available" and the "EPC" warning indicators lit up. I was in the car with my 11 year old, we pulled over and looked in the manual to understand EPC, and the manual said it "is possible to continue driving," so we continued. As we entered the freeway the car went into limp mode and would not accelerate. I put the gas pedal to the floor, put on my hazard lights, and got off at the next exit, but we did were not able to drive > 40 mph on a crowded, rainy freeway with big-rigs ahead, behind, and to the left of us. We got off at the next exit, drove to a parking lot and let the car rest for 10-15 minutes. When we turned it back on, the "Exhaust System Malfunction" light and "Central Warning Light" indicators were on. The lane assist not available indicator had lit up a day prior, as well. My safety and the safety of my child were at risk on the freeway. I called the dealership from which I had purchased the car 2 years earlier and which has ~11,280 miles. I was told by their service department to drive the car home, but not to drive it after that. However, they also told me to drive the car from my home to their shop (10 miles), but to avoid the freeway, in order to have it serviced. This suggestion also put me at risk, as it would have been unsafe to drive the car between my home and their shop. I did call back to say that I didn't feel safe driving it, at which point they looked up my car and saw that it is under warranty, which includes roadsid

Service Brakes
Filed Dec 5, 2025PA

I am reporting a 2023 Volkswagen Taos, VIN [XXX] , purchased new on [XXX]. The vehicle has shut off completely while driving three times, each time with multiple warning lights. Incident 1 – [XXX]: Engine shut off while driving. The dealership told me it was “safe to drive in” and claimed to repair it, but the problem returned. Incident 2 – [XXX]: Engine shut off again, required towing. The dealership attempted another repair, but it was not fixed. Incident 3 – [XXX]: Engine shut off at 55 mph on the highway, and the vehicle lost brake assist, creating a severe safety hazard. Roadside Assistance initially refused to tow unless I paid over $500. I have an open Volkswagen Corporate safety defect case, #[XXX], and the dealership has opened a repair order today to document the issue. Despite multiple repair attempts, the defect persists, making the vehicle unsafe to drive INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Power Train
Filed Nov 17, 2025OH

I currently lease this vehicle through Volkswagen, and it's been nothing but causing me trouble. The Engine Power Control (EPC) light comes on at random, and it significantly reduces my RPMs to the point where I cannot accelerate properly on the highway or up a hill. I have almost been t-boned after pulling out into a road, and as soon as I get on the road, the car does a "rocket ship" maneuver.

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 11, 2025VA

Rear brake pads and rotors worn out at 32000 miles. Rear brake pads originally worn out and replaced under warranty at 16800 miles. Dealership states that the issue is no longer covered under warranty. This excessive wear is a safety concern as it points to a design flaw in the braking system that is causing unexpected braking pressure to be applied to the rear brakes which may be causing extended stopping distances and could lead to brake failure.

Wheels
Filed Nov 11, 2025VA

Premature tire wear. OEM tires worn out after 32000 miles. Dealership states that tires are worn out and need to be replaced. Tires wearing out this fast indicates a problem in the suspension design of the vehicle that could lead to decreased traction and handling and contribute to an accident. Dealership/manufacturer are offering no explanation or solution to the premature wear issue.

Electrical System
Filed Oct 30, 2025SC

While I was driving down the road going 40 mph I heard and felt the engine stop. My dashboard display and stereo cut off, and the check engine light, check oil light, check battery light, and tire pressure alert light came on. I could not accelerate my car or move it forward at all, I could not see the speedometer due to the dashboard display going out. I pulled over and put the vehicle in park before turning it off. I waited a minute or two and turned it back on with no issue, it proceeded to drive with no further problems. I took it in to the dealership where I purchased the car and they told me they performed all the checks possible and found no issue with the vehicle. They were unable to reproduce the issue when they drove the car. As of now this has happened once in this vehicle.

Electrical System
Filed Oct 16, 2025PA

The vehicle begins to feel like it is skipping while driving. The EPC light comes on, the dashboard beeps and indicates lane assist is unavailable, check engine sign illuminates. The vehicle will drive for a short time but then jerks and just stops. This has happened at least 3 times. Dealer has already replaced the fuel pump, electrical wiring and some switch that wasn't readying properly. After the fuel pump was replaced, the tank was filled, continue to track down miles and gallons. When the vehicle got to 135 travel miles left and one notch above the gas tank, it jerked and stopped immediately at an unsafe spot on the road. The sensor was not properly reading the gas and the tank was empty! This last incident was the same evening after an inspection and 60K service. This vehicle is unsafe and VW should be making this right. Warranty has expired and now they want to charge me for the same issue. This has been going on for months and I believe the vehicle is unsafe and is putting me in danger of having or creating a bad accident.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 11, 2025AR

The rearview camera will shift the picture from time to time/distort it. Others times the camera won't come on, displays message saying "rear-view camera unavailable", or the screen comes on and it flickers the lighting to the picture.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 2, 2025MS

On Sunday 8/24/25 I was driving home and the sunroof spontaneously exploded while I was driving. I was covered in glass and have a few minor cuts. I was extremely upset and traumatized. There were no warning signs prior to the sunroof spontaneously exploding. I did report it to my insurance company but I also called Volkswagen. Volkswagen instructed me to take it to a local dealership which I did.

Engine
Filed Sep 6, 2025MA

2023 Taos SE shuts off completely at red lights/when I’m stopped more than 60 seconds. It prompts me to shift into park, put the key to steering column and restart, then shift back into drive and go. Dealer scanned it on two separate occasions and has no explanation. Couldn’t reproduce. Very dangerous as increases risk of crashes and rear ended when a car needs to be restarted mid roadway. The 2022 model had a recall for this exact stalling issue and they claimed to have fixed it but doesn’t appear so. Last occurred to me 9/6/2025 around 7:13pm.

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 5, 2025MI

Rear breake pads and rotors need replacement after extremely low miles driven and no functional indication of such wear during driving and no warning. Found during regular oil change maintenance at dealership. Unsure if the component has been inspected by another party. Only 26000 miles on the vehicle and over half of those are highway miles. Rear brake pads are of poor durability and pose a safety risk for poor brake functioning.

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 26, 2025NY

2023 VW Taos leased in June 2023 - needed to replace brakes 2 years (June 2025) into owning the car. Inspection would not pass without them. This is an excessively quick wear that cost me over $600 for a leased vehicle that should be just basic ownership during 3 year lease. August 2025 - Brought in for an oil change and a coolant yellow light on dashboard. Our local mechanic would not touch the coolant issue as he said it seems to be related to a head gasket leak. The 2022 model had many issues with this problem, however no issues are reported on the 2023 Taos. I have had to find another vehicle to drive and wait 5 days to get it into our local VW dealership, who told us it was OK to drive without even looking at the vehicle. No thank you! We called VW and if in fact this is a head gasket, it would be covered under warranty. These are each pretty serious safety concerns and needs to be reported for future owners of this vehicle. Not interested in another VW after these incidents. We are a first time leaser of them - thank goodness it wasn't a purchase.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 20, 202510,185 milesMD

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the head gasket. The head gasket was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. Later, while driving 55 MPH, the message "Transmission Failure" was displayed and the transmission shifted to D2, causing the vehicle to decelerate to 25 MPH. The vehicle was parked, and after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the Medtronic transmission had failed and needed to be replaced; however, parts were on back order. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10,185.

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 13, 2025SC

I had my brakes inspected by VW at 20k miles and everything was fine. Then I took a long road trip using the Active Cruise Control (ACC) system extensively and during my next service at 25k my rear brakes and rotors needed replacement. Looking at numerous forms and owner experience, there is a problem with the VW Taos, likely with the ACC system or other control systems excessively braking the rear brakes, resulting in early failure. VW has not addressed this issue.

Steering
Filed Aug 9, 2025FL

My steering wheel does not turn

Engine
Filed Jul 22, 202511,000 milesMD

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The ETC (Electronic Throttle Control) warning light illuminated. In addition, the engine revved independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam shaft timing had failed. The timing belt and cam magnet were replaced. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal and the engine revved independently. The ETC warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed that the cam shaft sensor had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that recently the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the air hose had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated intermittently. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

Service Brakes
Filed May 30, 2025TX

1)- Brake pads were worn out very fast twice when I first bought the vehicle. Eventually, the dealership had to replace them with after market brake pads. 2)- Check engine light keeps turning on and on - code P2421 EVAP canister stuck open despite all the expensive repairs at the dealership.

Power Train
Filed May 21, 2025WA

Unknown sometimes have to wait 2 to 3 seconds after stepping on the gas pedal before the car starts accelerating from a stop or at really low speeds.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 21, 2025WA

Unknown jerkiness or lurching, especially when driving at lower speeds, especially if you’re used to driving a regular automatic with a heavy foot. Slow to downshift Jerkiness or lurching when accelerating from a stop Shifts to higher gears too early

Complaints 1-50 of 110, newest first, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2022
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20264100Routine
202513200Routine
202456000Routine
2023 — this page110000Routine
2022324600Above 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.