Engine. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

44 reports

1,610 miles · Jul 23, 2020

Structure

SUNROOF LEAKS AND WATER ACCUMULATES IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL PLUS GROWS MOLD MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE

NHTSA ODI #11341088

1,600 miles · Jun 23, 2020

Structure

SUNROOF LEAKING MOISTURE INTO CAR AND VW REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. MOLD GROWING IN A ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENT COULD BE TOXIC. AFTER DEALER RETURN MY VEHICLE FROM ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT STILL ISN'T FIXED, AFTER HAVING IT PARKED ON THEIR LOT 17 DAYS, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED MOISTURE IN THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME THE DEALER HAS HAD …

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NHTSA ODI #11330385

1,600 miles · Jun 22, 2020

Engine

WATER FROM RAIN ENTERS THE AIR FILTER HOUSING WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE, AND SOAKS THE AIR FILTER AND DOESN'T DRAIN SO THE ENGINE INGESTS WATER AND HYDROLOCKS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO WARRANTY THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. CAR HAS 1600 MILES ON IT. BOUGHT NEW MAECH 2018. 40 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE SO FAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11330102

21,000 miles · Mar 1, 2020

Engine

WATER IN ENGINE AIRBOX. NOTICED AIR FILTER SATURATED WITH WATER WHEN CHANGING AT 21,000 MILES. APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY VW IN THE US.

NHTSA ODI #11315380

5,200 miles · Feb 9, 2020

Engine

DUE TO A ENGINEERING FAULT WATER IS A GETTING INTO THE AIR INTAKE AND SOAKING THE BOTTOM OF THE AIR INTAKE WHERE ITS DETERIORATING THE FILTER AND ALSO ENDANGERING THE ENGINE OF SUCKING UP WATER AND HYDROLOCKING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS CAUSED OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL TO LOCK UP AND DISABLE THE ENGINE. IT IS NO…

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NHTSA ODI #11308050

41,000 miles · Feb 8, 2020

Engine

WATER GETS INTO AIR TAKE SYSTEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CAR WASH AND ALSO PURCHASED A AIR FILTER. CAME TO REPLACE AIR FILTER AND OLD FILTER WAS DAMAGED AND WATERLOGGED.

NHTSA ODI #11307948

23,000 miles · Dec 10, 2019

Engine

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FAULTY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM ALLOWS WATER TO BE INGESTED. AIR FILTER BECOMES SOAKED WITH WATER, AND WILL ULTIMATELY FAIL IF LEFT UNCHECKED. BITS OF SOGGY FILTER MEDIA WILL DAMAGE TURBOCHARGER AND POSSIBLY RECIPROCATING COMPONENTS REQUIRING ENGINE REPLACEMENT. ENGINE CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. WATER INGESTION CAN OCCUR WITH VEHICLE STATIONARY OR BEING DRIVEN IN WET CONDITIONS. THIS IS OCCURING IN LIGHT RAIN, AND VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH STANDING WATER.

NHTSA ODI #11288144

32,000 miles · Oct 17, 2019

Engine

WHEN IT RAINS HEAVILY, MY TOUAREG AIR FILTER IS VERY EASY TO GET INTO THE WATER. I CHECKED THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, IT SAID IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THERE ARE LOTS OF REPORTS THAT THE SAME MODEL OF IMPORTED TOUAREG HAS LOST THE POWER ON FREE WAY BECAUSE OF THE WATER FILTER ENTERING THE WATER.

NHTSA ODI #11269082

60,000 miles · Sep 19, 2019

Engine

MY ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER IS SUGGESTING I HAVE GOTTEN WATER IN THE INTAKE BOX AND THE DRAIN WAS CLOGGED RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE. THEY ARE ASKING THAT I PAY FOR THE DAMAGES AND I BELIEVE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. THIS WAS A RECLASS BY VW GLOBALLY BUT NOT IN AMERICA.

NHTSA ODI #11256613

16,000 miles · Aug 13, 2019

Engine

DROVE IN RAINSTORM AND CAR SHUT OFF AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. COULD NOT START BACK UP. AFTER SERVICE INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE INGESTED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #11243552

Official recalls

16V243000 · Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems

Apr 26, 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toureg vehicles manufactured July 7, 2015 to March 3, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. Additionally, the tire pressures printed on the Safety Certification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the vehicle is driven on underinflated tires, the tires may fail suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will correct the TPMS settings and replace the safety certification label, free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2016. Volkwagen's number for this recall is 44M9.

16V170000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

Mar 24, 2016

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.