2009 Volkswagen Touareg

I OWN A 2009 TOUAREG 2, V6 AUTOMATIC & HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH IT. I PURCHASED IT AS A PRE-OWNED VW CERTIFIED VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2012 WITH 32,423 MILES ON IT. IN MARCH OF 2013 (62227 MILES) WHILE DRIVING HOME I HAD INCREASED DIFFICULTY STEERING. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1600. UNFORTUNATELY THE WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED A WEEK OR SO BEFORE & THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THEN IN JULY OF 2013 (72913 MILES) THE PROP SHAFT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING $1400. NOW ON JULY 2, 2015 (122,000 MILES) WHILE DRIVING HOME I START TO HEAR A WHINING NOISE & DIFFICULTY STEERING & AM JUST ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. WE HAVE IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC & FIND ALL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT & AGAIN THE POWER STEERING RACK WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR APPX. $1600+. WAY TOO MANY REPAIRS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

ON APRIL 11, 2015, I WAS RETURNING FROM A DAY AT THE MALL WITH MY MOTHER AND CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I ENTERED A 35 MILE PER HOUR ZONE AND REDUCED MY SPEED ACCORDINGLY. MY CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD RUMBLING SOUND THAT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. WE FIRST THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. WE PULLED OVER, GOT OUT AND CHECKED THE CAR AND ALL OF THE TIRES WERE FINE. WE PULLED BACK ON TO THE ROAD AND DIDN'T HEAR THE SOUND AGAIN UNTIL MY SPEED REACHED 25 MILES PER HOUR, THEN THE LOUD RUMBLING STARTED AGAIN. I WAS ALMOST AT MY MOM'S HOUSE SO WE MADE IT TO THE HOUSE AND I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TOW THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC CONTACTED ME ON MONDAY MORNING 4/13/15 AND LET ME KNOW THAT SOMETHING EXPLODED IN THE DRIVESHAFT OF THE CAR AND THE WHOLE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE INDICATED IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM TO HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE WITH 87,766 MILES ON IT. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE FOUND IT STRANGE THAT WHEN HE CONTACTED THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, THEY ACTUALLY HAD A DRIVESHAFT IN STOCK. HE INDICATED THAT THIS TYPE OF PART WAS NOT A COMMON REPAIR AND WOULD USUALLY BE A PART THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED. THE VEHICLE COST $1400.00 TO REPAIR. I TOOK PICTURES OF THE DEFECTIVE DRIVESHAFT WHICH SHOW WHERE THE PIECE EXPLODED FROM THE DRIVESHAFT. I HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPANY CAR FOR MY DAILY WORK AND MY OFFICE IS LOCATED 5 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. I DRIVE MY PERSONAL CAR VERY LITTLE AND KEEP IT IN TOP SHAPE. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE OTHER ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THEIR DRIVESHAFTS FOR THEIR TOUAREGS GOING BAD AROUND 80,000 MILES. I AM REPORTING THIS IN HOPES THERE IS A TREND THAT CAN BE LOOKED INTO. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS CAR ISSUE AND I PURCHASED THE TOUAREG BECAUSE I WANTED A SAFE SUV TO TRANSPORT MY DAUGHTERS IN. NOW I AM NERVOUS ABOUT THE OVERALL SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

MY 2009 VW TOUAREG TDI EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE REDUCTANT PUMP FOR THE DIESEL EMISSION FLUID SYSTEM (DEF.) RESEARCHING FAILURE RATES OF THIS SYSTEM HAS SHOWN A VERY HIGH FAILURES OF THIS SYSTEM IN THE VW TOUAREG AND PASSAT CLEAN DIESEL APPLICATION FOR MODEL YEAR 2009 AND NEWER. PROPOSED SOLUTION TO REDUCE CRYSTALLIZATION AND CLOGGING OF SYSTEM HAS RESULTED IN 3 SERVICE REVISIONS, WITH THE MOST RECENT CALLING FOR REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM (TANK, PUMP, LINE AND INJECTOR) AT A COST OF $1,5000. VW WILL NOT COVER ANY COSTS OR ISSUE A RECALL. THIS SAME SYSTEM AND PARTS ARE USED IN THE FORD F350 AND CHEVROLET DURAMAX CLEAN DIESEL APPLICATIONS WITH SIMILARLY HIGH FAILURE RATES TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE ALL LIGHT DUTY CLEAN DIESEL MANUFACTURERS ARE EXPERIENCING A FAILURE OF THIS SYSTEM WITH NO RECALL OR COVERAGE AGAINST FUTURE FAILURE. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE SUPPLIER OF THE DEF SYSTEM USED IN COMMON LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FAULTY PARTS ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE RECORDS OF THE FAILURE RATES AND CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN FAULTY, WHICH RESULTS IN NON COMPLIANCE OF FEDERAL EMISSIONS STANDARDS. WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND PROVIDE A LONG TERM SOLUTION? *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FLASHED A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION ON THE DASH AND STATED SERVICE NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY. AS I WAS PULLING OVER TO SIDE, THE VEHICLE INSTANTLY STALLED OUT AND TURNED OFF. MY STEERING WAS COMPROMISED AND I HAD NO ABILITY TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON OR MOVE THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. I TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO AFTER INSPECTION DID NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOW THE REASON. THEY REACHED OUT TO VW OF AMERICA WHO CONFIRMED WITH THEM AN ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT WAS IN ORDER AS A RESULT OF A FAILED FUEL PUMP. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR GOING AT A FASTER SPEED. THE FACT THAT IT WAS DAYLIGHT OUT AND ON A STRAIGHT FLAT ROAD GREATLY ASSISTED ME IN STAYING SAFE. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED ON A BUSY INTERSECTION OR HIGH SPEED ROADS OR CURVES THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. *TR

MY VEHICLE'S ENGINE STUMBLED (MIS-FIRED), THEN THE ENGINE LINE CAME ON AND AS I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN EXISTING NTHSA ISSUE OPEN ON VOLKSWAGEN DIESELS. MY VEHICLE IS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG TDI (TURBO DIESEL INJECTION). *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD FROM MY HOME, I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN FOR A HIGH SPEED ROAD. WHILE SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED AND I HAD LOSS OF ALL POWER. BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY HARD TO PRESS AND STOP THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS STEERING (LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING). THE CAR ROLLED PASSED THE STOP SIGN AND HALF WAY INTO THE INTERSECTION AS I FIRMLY PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN BUT IT ONLY CRANKED AND WOULD NOT START. THE INTERSECTION IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A HILL MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY FLASHERS (WHICH WOULDN'T DO GOOD FROM THE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD) BUT THEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL BACK ENOUGH, OUT OF THE WAY. UNDER A MINUTE, I WAS OUT OF THE WAY (FOR THE MOST PART). A SEMI AND A FEW ADDITIONAL CARS COME UP THE HILL ABOUT 10 SECONDS OF ME GETTING THE CAR ROLLED BACK, OUT OF THE WAY. I MAY HAVE VERY WELL BEEN HIT BY A SEMI GOING 55+ MPH. I FIND MYSELF VERY LUCKY I WASN'T STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND INJURED OR EVEN POSSIBLY KILLED. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TO THE VW DEALERSHIP. I'M TOLD THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT CAUSING NO FUEL PRESSURE AND TOOK OUT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. VEHICLE IS A 2009 TOUAREG V6 TDI (TURBO DIESEL). *TR

DRIVING FROM COLUMBIA, SC TO CHARLESTON, SC AND REFUELED IN SUMMERVILLE. 20 MILES LATER ON THE HIGHWAY @40MPH, ENGINE STARTED HIGH PITCHED HUMMING NOISE THEN LOST POWER (WENT INTO LIMP MODE) WHEN ACCELERATOR PUSHED. GOT IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION "ENGINE FAILURE, SERVICE NOW" AND FORTUNATELY ABLE TO PULL SAFELY INTO PARKING LOT. VW REPORTS LOTS OF DEBRIS IN FUEL AND CLOGGED FILTER, BLAMING CONTAMINATED FUEL. HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM, WONDERING IF THIS IS PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP SINCE VEHICLE IS 2009 CLEAN DIESEL TDI. *TR

SUBJECT VEHICLE IS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG 2 EQUIPPED WITH 3.6L GASOLINE ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE. USA VERSION. HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM EMITS ABNORMAL GROWLING AND GROANING NOISES WHEN AMBIENT OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURES CLIMB ABOVE 85F. STEERING INPUT RESISTANCE INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND NORMAL WHEN POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS EMITTING THE SUBJECT NOISES. ABNORMAL VIBRATION IS TRANSMITTED TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN INTERIOR OF VEHICLE WHEN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS EMITTING THE ABNORMAL NOISES. FIRST OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED ON OCT 10, 2010. VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN GILBERT, AZ INSPECTED THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ON OCT 14, 2010 AND DEEMED THE NOISE TO BE "NORMAL" BUT REPLACED THE IDLER PULLEY ON OCT 14, 2010. VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN NORTH SCOTTSDALE, AZ INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP UNDER WARRANTY ON JUN 28, 2011. PROBLEM PERSISTED. VOLKSWAGEN REGIONAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN/REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED VEHICLE ON JUL 20, 2011 AND CONFIRMED "ABNORMAL NOISE ORIGINATING FROM POWER STEERING SYSTEM". NO FOLLOW UP OR CONTACT FROM VOLKSWAGEN TO DATE. NUMEROUS OTHER VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED BY THIS SPECIFIC THREAD ON THE CLUB TOUAREG.COM ONLINE FORUM - HTTP://WWW.CLUBTOUAREG.COM/FORUMS/F62/POWER-STEERING-NOISE-INTERMITTENT-41443.HTML. AS REPORTED BY OTHER TOUAREG OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE USA AND THE UK, VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ARE MOSTLY INCLINED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM TO COMPLAINING OWNERS AS "NOT REPRODUCIBLE" OR "NORMAL". VOLKSWAGEN HAS YET TO INTRODUCE A "FIX" FOR THE PROBLEM. SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED STEERING INPUT REQUIRED DURING "FAILURE PERIODS" COULD CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR