Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 15 of 24 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
Engine. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 1 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 reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
24 reports
6,900 miles · Jul 24, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other
AFTER A RAINY NIGHT, GOT INTO MY CAR THE NEXT MORNING HEARD A WEIRD NOISE WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DROVE DOWN THE STREET AND CAR STARTING BUCKING, WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT BACK AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR...NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES CAR DIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME, IT HAPPEN 9 MONTHS PRIOR. HAD ROA…
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AFTER A RAINY NIGHT, GOT INTO MY CAR THE NEXT MORNING HEARD A WEIRD NOISE WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DROVE DOWN THE STREET AND CAR STARTING BUCKING, WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT BACK AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR...NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES CAR DIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME, IT HAPPEN 9 MONTHS PRIOR. HAD ROADSIDE SERVICE PICK UP CAR AND BRING TO SERVICE. CALLED SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS ACCUSED OF DRIVING MY CAR THROUGH WATER AND THE CAR FILTERS GOT WET AND POSSIBLE WATER NOW IN THE ENGINE. VW WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE! I NEVER DROVE IN STANDING WATER, THIS HAPPENED AFTER A RAINY NIGHT OF MY CAR SITTING ON MY FLAT DRIVEWAY. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AFTER RAIN OR IN THE RAIN.
NHTSA ODI #11113263
450 miles · Jun 26, 2018
Engine
THE TOUAREG HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAVE THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE UNDER NEATH THE FRONT HEADLIGHT, WHICH, UNDER HEAVY RAIN, WILL LET WATER FLOW THOUGH TO THE INTAKE PIPE AND GET INTO THE ENGINE. I HAVE PERSONALLY VALIDATED THIS AS MY AIR FILTER GETS SOAKING WET AFTER A HEAVY RAIN. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS BREAK-DOWN-IN-THE-RO…
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THE TOUAREG HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAVE THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE UNDER NEATH THE FRONT HEADLIGHT, WHICH, UNDER HEAVY RAIN, WILL LET WATER FLOW THOUGH TO THE INTAKE PIPE AND GET INTO THE ENGINE. I HAVE PERSONALLY VALIDATED THIS AS MY AIR FILTER GETS SOAKING WET AFTER A HEAVY RAIN. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS BREAK-DOWN-IN-THE-ROAD REPORTS TO VOLKSWAGEN BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO TAKE ANY ACTION.
NHTSA ODI #11104107
11,000 miles · May 23, 2018
Engine
WATER WAS FOUND IN THE AIR FILTER AND ENGINE. SERVICE ADVISER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN WATER. I REPLIED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BE DRIVEN IN HEAVY RAIN AND SITS OUTSIDE IN THE WEATHER. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE ADVISER THE ENGINE NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL MORE SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THIS SITU…
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WATER WAS FOUND IN THE AIR FILTER AND ENGINE. SERVICE ADVISER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN WATER. I REPLIED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BE DRIVEN IN HEAVY RAIN AND SITS OUTSIDE IN THE WEATHER. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE ADVISER THE ENGINE NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL MORE SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THIS SITUATION HAS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND SHUT DOWN.
NHTSA ODI #11097606
10,670 miles · May 9, 2018
SteeringSuspensionWheels
MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND IT HAS A VISIBLE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WERE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT JUST KEEPS COMING BACK. EVENTUALLY VW CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SAYING THAT IT IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND I AM NOT THE ONLY AFFECTED PERSON, THERE ARE EVEN VIDEOS …
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MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND IT HAS A VISIBLE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WERE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT JUST KEEPS COMING BACK. EVENTUALLY VW CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SAYING THAT IT IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND I AM NOT THE ONLY AFFECTED PERSON, THERE ARE EVEN VIDEOS PUBLISHED TO SHOW THE PROBLEM , AND VW IS TRYING TO AVOID ADMITTING IT IS A DEFECT. THEY EVEN WANTED ME TO TRY ANOTHER CAR ON THE LOT WHICH HAD A SIM LAB PROBLEM AND THE SHOP FOREMAN AT IDE VW SAID HE HASN'T SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND HE IS SURPRISED AND THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2017 Volkswagen Touareg Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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