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2010 Volkswagen Touareg

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Volkswagen Touareg do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 27.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

20 reports with mileage · 5 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Diesel. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Fuel System, Diesel complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
59,800 miles · Aug 1, 2014
Fuel System, Diesel

AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE PASSING LANE. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS LUCKY TRAFFIC ALLOWED ME TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD ALTHOUGH SEMI TRUCK WAS ON MY SIDE WHEN IT DIED. VEHICLE TOWED TO FIND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FUEL SYSTEM. REPAIR REPLACED WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM ($10,000 VALUE). DEALER ADVISED THIS IS DUE …

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AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE PASSING LANE. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS LUCKY TRAFFIC ALLOWED ME TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD ALTHOUGH SEMI TRUCK WAS ON MY SIDE WHEN IT DIED. VEHICLE TOWED TO FIND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FUEL SYSTEM. REPAIR REPLACED WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM ($10,000 VALUE). DEALER ADVISED THIS IS DUE TO BIO DIESEL PURCHASED IN ILLINOIS. FUEL PUMP DESTRUCTS AND VEHICLE FAILS. VW ACKNOWLEDGED THE FUEL ISSUE BUT NEVER SAID THIS WHEN WE PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW. VERY UNSAFE AND VEHICLE IS ONLY USED FOR LOCAL USE UNTIL WE CAN SELL OR TRADE IN. WE WERE LUCKY.... VW TECH TOLD ME TO FILE WITH NTSB AS HE HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10618221

155,721 miles · Feb 27, 2014
EngineFuel System, Diesel

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ("HPFP") FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE STALL INCIDENT, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN TRAFFIC WITH NO RESTART, CONTRIBUTING TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566371

21,096 miles · Jan 23, 2014
EngineFuel System, DieselPower Train

ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, 2014 I WAS DRIVING WEST ON US ROUTE 9 IN BARRINGTON NH AT APPROXIMATELY 11AM IN MY VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG 2010 TDI. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR BEFORE I FELT A STRANGE LAG AND THEN A WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING TO STOP THE CAR. BEFORE I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD THE CAR LOST P…

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ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, 2014 I WAS DRIVING WEST ON US ROUTE 9 IN BARRINGTON NH AT APPROXIMATELY 11AM IN MY VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG 2010 TDI. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR BEFORE I FELT A STRANGE LAG AND THEN A WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING TO STOP THE CAR. BEFORE I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD THE CAR LOST POWER AND DIED. SINCE THE WARNING TO STOP THE CAR CAME UP I DID NOT TRY TO RESTART THE CAR. I SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEWILDERED FOR A MOMENT AS I'D ONLY PURCHASED THIS CAR 3 WEEKS BEFORE AND IT WAS ONLY A FEW MILES SHORT OF 30,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. BEING STRANDED PARTIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WAS TERRIFYING AS I WAS IN A 50MPH ZONE AND PEOPLE WERE FLYING PAST ME UPWARDS OF 60MPH WHILE MY CAR WAS BARELY STRADDLING THE WHITE LINE. ALSO, IT WAS 8 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR ME TO WAIT SAFELY OUTSIDE OF THE CAR DUE TO CONSIDERABLE FROZEN SNOW BANKS FLANKING THE ROADWAY. MY OPTIONS WERE TO PRAY NOT TO GET HIT OR RISK FREEZING WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. OVERALL THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE TO HAVE IN A NEW CAR WHO'S SUPPOSED TOUGHNESS AND RELIABILITY WAS ONE OF ITS SELLING POINTS. THE DEALER (QUIRK VW IN MANCHESTER, NH) HAS TOLD US THAT THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED LEADING TO A HPFP FAILURE WHICH MY HUSBAND SAYS THIS SAME VEHICLE HAS HAD REPLACED LESS THAN 8,000 MILES AGO UNDER THE PREVIOUS OWNER. HE ALSO SAID THAT I SHOULD MENTION THAT THIS IS THE SAME HPFP MADE BY BOSCH AS THE GOLF, JETTA AND A3 WHICH HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED UNDER EA11003 FOR FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10561203

55,000 miles · Nov 12, 2013
EngineFuel System, Diesel

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER/TURNED OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO NOISES, NO VIBRATIONS, NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO VW DEALER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED ALLEGEDLY DUE TO SUBSTANDARD/CONTAMINATED DIESEL F…

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WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER/TURNED OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO NOISES, NO VIBRATIONS, NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO VW DEALER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED ALLEGEDLY DUE TO SUBSTANDARD/CONTAMINATED DIESEL FUEL. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MIS-FUELING (NO GAS IN TANK WHEN TESTED), CONTAMINANTS ARE UNKNOWN. IT SEEMS THAT THE HPFP IS NOT DESIGNED TO PERFORM WITHIN THE TOLERANCES NECESSARY TO OPERATE SAFELY AND RELIABLY ON 'PUMP FUEL' AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10551861

Official recalls

1

17V151000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Mar 8, 2017

Volkswagen Group of America Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Touareg vehicles. The fuel filter flange may crack and allow fuel to leak out.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel filter flange if cracks are found. A protective cover will be applied to the fuel filter to prevent oxidization cracks from forming. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 20Z4.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA11003 · High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

Opened Feb 7, 2011 · Closed Mar 27, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel; Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Diesel

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.