2014 Volkswagen Touareg

Routine

Owners filed 27 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Steering8
000
Engine6
000
Electrical System3
021
Unknown or Other2
000
Air Bags2
101
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems1
000
Structure › Body1
001
Seats1
001
Power Train1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Unknown or Other18V329000
Filed May 16, 2018252 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Risk. If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals and Linkages16V170000
Filed Mar 24, 201646,574 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.

Risk. If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed Jan 24, 2024OR

The safety computer which checks the different sensors and reports their condition on the i instrument dash indicated air bag sensor failure, This automobile has not been in any accident.. A rear seat belt came apart. The top plastic locking system came apart from the metal part of the locking system, Making the seat belt not useable . The sear belt was not used very much, since we are retired sad my wife does all the driving/ Ergo the rear seat is not use very often. The VW dealer does not believe this type of failure is a future safety condition. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Mar 24, 2022WA

Wet Air intake filter. Clearly showed water damage and rot on the air filter. This is a repeated issue.

Electrical SystemFire1 injured
Filed Oct 20, 2021128,000 milesNY

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a burning odor was present inside the cabin of the vehicle and smoke was seen coming from the front console. After stopping the vehicle to inspect the cause it was discovered that the front passenger side seat heater had malfunctioned burning a hole into the seat and the passenger's pants. During the incident, the passenger sustained a burn to the left thigh area. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 128,000.

Seats1 injured
Filed Aug 14, 2021FL

Vehicle has 72000 miles on it, Driver seat heater burned a hole on the leather, burning my pants, underwear and skin while I was driving. I had to pull over because smoke started to come out of the seat. VW of Fort Myers checked it out and confirmed the heater was bad, but they said they don't make the replacement part anymore. No warning lights came on.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Aug 5, 2021NY

I attempted to start the vehicle and the starter button clicked followed by a strong ozone electrical smell and copious smoke from under the hood. We called the local fire department but canceled the call as the smoke seemed to be clearing. VW dealer says the starter, alternator, battery and two wiring harnesses need to be replaced. Full details pending as they are still working on it but estimate cost of nearly $4000. This is a serious concern and was transporting my 92 year old Mom. Fortunately the burning stopped on its own. Please contact Wyoming Valley VW at 272-770-2997 for details.

Engine
Filed Jun 27, 2021NC

After recently purchasing this vehicle I noticed the car be long more and more sluggish. While driving one morning I experienced loss in power and an flashing check engine light and glow plug light on the dash. The car went into “limp” mode and I could not accelerate past 40 MPG on a busy road. I pulled over slowly and let the car sit. After turning the car on off and back on, the CEL went away . I attempted to pull out into traffic and with my foot to the floor, the car has no acceleration leaving me going extremely slow into traffic. The cars acceleration has been terrible and really not safe to drive. I have several CEL codes including P0402. After having the car inspected we found that the intake filter had Completely deteriorated at the bottom. Almost as if water had been sitting in the bottom of the air filter box. After removing the old filter and replacing it with a new one, we also cleaned the mass airflow sensor, unplugged it and plugged it back in. This did help the vehicle drive much better. Unfortunately, this only lasted for a very short time. Within several miles later I’m driving a vehicle acceleration issues persisted again. Some fluid was found to be inside of the oil as well. The car vehicle Is now scheduled to go back to have a full examination in service. Based on some recent finds it also seems that there have been many others who have experienced the same issue. Reference the lawsuit in China. https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-03-16/volkswagen-apologize

Engine
Filed Dec 29, 202075,000 milesTX

KEEP GETTING WATER IN MY AIR FILTER BOX, SOAKING THE AIR FILTER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY REMOVED SOME PART IN THE DRAIN. DOESNT SEEM LIKE A FIX TO ME

Engine
Filed Nov 9, 2020NJ

ENGINE AIR FILTER AND HOUSING ARE WET, THIS IS AN ONGOING EVENT. I REMEDY IT BUY BUYING A NEW FILTER, DRYING OUT THE HOUSING AND REPLACING THE WET FILTER. I AM AFRAID AT SOME POINT THE WATER WILL ENTER THE ENGINE CAUSING DAMAGE AND PERHAPS AN ACCIDENT IF THE CAR STALLS.

Engine
Filed Jun 4, 201939,800 milesWA

WHEN DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE DEALER, THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE AIR FILTER HAD BECOME WET WITH WATER. WHILE READING A VW FORUM I BECAME AWARE OF A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AIR FILTER HOUSING DRAIN BECOMING CLOGGED AND THE AIR FILTER BECOMING WET AND WATER BEING INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE, HYDROLOCKING THE ENGINE AND REQUIRING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW ENGINE. THE SERVICE ONLY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE MAF SENSOR. EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN OWNED FOR LESS THAN 8 MONTHS IS UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS (~$650). I AM NOW HESITANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. AS THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE I AM SURPRISED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL IN PLACE.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jan 29, 2019132,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 132,000. *TT*JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 11, 201856,700 milesUT

ON AUGUST 10, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 PM IN BOUNTIFUL UTAH, I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A BUSINESS. I STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL AND ALLOWED THE ON COMING TRAFFIC TO PASS. IT THEN BECAME SAFE FOR ME TO COMPLETE MY TURN. THAT IS UNTIL THE CAR HESITATED YET AGAIN. THIS HESITATION PROBLEM IS SEVERE POST REPAIR OF VW DUE TO EMISSIONS RECALL. FORTUNATELY THE ONCOMING DRIVER SLOWED DOWN ALLOWING ME TO ENTER THE BUSINESS; HOWEVER, THIS HESITATION IS BEYOND DANGEROUS. I HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY THIS RECALL!

Engine
Filed Aug 2, 201856,000 milesUT

VW 3.0 LITER DEISEL ENGINE WITH RECALL ISSUE DUE TO FRAUD BY VW. VW APPLIED THE FIX TO THE ENGINE AS APPROVED BY THE COURT. THIS FIX HAS CREATED A SITUATION WHERE THE CAR HAS SIGNIFICANT HESITATION ON TAKE OFF AND IN TRAFFIC MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY ENTER THE STREAM OF TRAFFIC OR CROSS TRAFFIC AT INTERSECTIONS. THIS IS A REPETITIVE SITUATION OCCURRING BOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND AT INTERCITY SPEEDS. VW ACKNOWLEDGES THE SITUATION BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECALL COMPLETION TO MAKE VEHICLE COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW. CAR WAS RETURNED WITHIN THE WEEK TO VW AND HAS BEEN RETURNED ADDITIONAL TIMES TO RESOLVE ISSUE. VW SERVICE REPORTS NO WAY TO SOLVE THE ISSUE.

Steering
Filed Mar 28, 20186 milesOK

STRONG VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL (&NOISE) WHILE DRIVING WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS IS SPORADIC AND HAPPENS WHETHER TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN LEAVIN MY DRIVEWAY, ON PAVED ROADS, CITY STREETS... I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE THIS STARTED BUT IT STARTED IN THE LAST 30 DAYS

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 30, 2017FL

WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONING OF THE CAR IT COMES A VERY STRONG SMELL OF ENGINE FUMES IN THE CABIN. IT DOES GIVE US HEADACHE EVERY TIME WE BREATH IT IN. I DO HAVE A SMALL CHILD IN THE CAR SO THAT MAKES IT WORSE. EVERY TIME I GIVE IT FOR INSPECTION IN THE VW DEALERSHIP THEY REFUSE TO SMELL IT AND DENY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 1, 201732,000 milesPR

THE VEHICLE TURNS OFF SPONTANEOUSLY IN MOTION WITH NO WARNING AND UNPREDICTABLY. HAS BEEN ON A CERTIFIED SERVICE CENTER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME AND THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED OR IDENTIFIED. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCASSIONS HOWEVER CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED BY THE CERTIFIED SERVICE CENTER.

Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems
Filed May 17, 201648,000 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TIRE PRESSURE DECREASED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. DUE TO THE READ OUT, ADDITIONAL AIR WAS CONSTANTLY ADDED TO THE TIRES. ALL THE TIRES WERE AFFECTED BY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed May 16, 201633,000 milesMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

Steering
Filed Apr 13, 20165 milesNJ

THE CARS' STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT 60MPH+ EVEN AFTER FOLLOWING VOLKSWAGENS' SERVICE BULLETINS, NEW TIRES, ALIGNMENT, ROADFORCE BALANCE, ETC. THE VIBRATION IS FELT THROUGHOUT THE FRONT END OF THE CAR.

Power Train
Filed Mar 29, 201619,000 milesNH

VIBRATION IN DRIVE TRAIN. LOCAL DEALER PUT IN A NEW DRIVE TRAIN, THIS DID NOT WORK, THEN THEY PUT IN A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, THIS DID NOT WORK. ALL UNDER WARRANTY (23,000 MILES ON A 20124 VW TOUAREG) NOW I AM GOING DIRECTLY TO VWOF AMERICA TO FILE A CASE. VW SAYS THIS IS NORMAL IN ALL NEW TOUAREGS. THIS IS NOT TRUE. IT DID NOT VIBRATE WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT IT AND IF YOU TEST DRIVE A NEW ONE ON THE LOT, IT DOES NOT VIBRATE. THE VIBRATIONS HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS COASTING FROM 40 MPH TO 15 MPH, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS DOWNSHIFTING.

Structure › Body1 injured
Filed Jan 9, 201633,900 milesCO

WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70MPH THE FRONT HALF OF OUR 'PANORAMIC' SUNROOF 'EXPLODED' FROM THE INSIDE OUT AS IF FROM CABIN PRESSURE. THE REMAINING GLASS WAS BLOWN UPWARDS. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEARBY NOR WAS THERE ANYTHING ABOVE OUR VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PROJECTILE IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

20 of 27 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
201724100Routine
201644200Routine
201524200Routine
2014 — this page27220Routine
201330200Routine
201228200Routine
201116200Routine
201025110Routine
200919200Routine
200856440Routine
20079300Routine
200637110Routine
200575200Routine
2004231450Above average

Compare every Touareg 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.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 16, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.