2004 Volkswagen Touareg Interior & seats Problems

2004 VW TOUAREG V-8 MANY PROBLEMS BUT 3 WORTH REPORTING: FOR NO APPARENT REASON PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED OR UNLATCHED BY USING ANY KNOWN MEANS INCLUDING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE OR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE, ELECTRIC LOCK ACTUATOR CLICKS AS IF THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED BUT THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED OR UNLATCHED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO VW DEALERSHIP AND WORKED ON BY DESTROYING THE DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND PERHAPS CUTTING A WHOLE IN THE BODY PANNEL AT THE COST OF 2 HOURS OF DIAGNOSTICS, 8 HOURS OF LABOR TO OPEN DOOR AND PROBABLY 2 OR 3 ADDITIONAL HOURS OF REPLACING DOOR HANDLE IF BODY OF DOOR IS NOT BENT, PLUS PARTS VEHICLE HAS MANY ELECTRICAL GLITCHES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION OF AIR BAG IGNITERS....ONCE AGAIN HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS HARM OCCUPANTS GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS IS A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION AND HAS MADE ME LOSE ALL FAIH IN THIS MANUFACTURER. VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFIC LIGHTS AND BEGINNING TO PROCCEED ON A GREEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10334661

Incident

May 8, 2010

Mileage

95,000 mi

SENSORS ON THE DOOR HANDLE FOR THE 2004 VW TOUAREG FAILING TO WORK. I PUT MY CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT AND SHUT THE DOOR AND THE LOCKS ENGAGED WITH THE KEYS INSIDE. 2 YR OLD CHILD WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR UNTIL I COULD BREAK INTO THE HOUSE AND GET A SPARE SET OF KEYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332385

Incident

Mar 1, 2010

Mileage

59,000 mi

UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, UNABLE TO START OR MOVE SHIFTER LEVER OUT OF GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306349

Incident

Jan 22, 2010

Mileage

19,549 mi

DOOR HANDLES STICK ON ALL FOUR DOORS. LAST YEAR, MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AS I WENT AROUND A CORNER, THE PASSENGER DOOR FLUNG OPEN AND MY HUSBAND ALMOST FELL OUT. LUCKILY HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. THE DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, THE DOOR HANDLES HAVE STARTED STICKING AGAIN. I HAVE TO PULL THE HANDLE AND LET IT GO QUICKLY TO LOOSEN THE HANDLE SO IT CLOSES FULLY. I NOTICED WITH 1000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS A PULL IN THE FRONT END. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED. THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT, MY TIRES WERE COMPLETELY WORN TO THE TREAD BARS WITH 15,000 MILES ON ALL FOUR, THEY WERE CUPPED. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED 2 TIRES AND I PAID FOR 2 TIRES AND A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS. *NM *AK

NHTSA ID

10142016

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

15,000 mi

OUR 2004 VW TOUAREG V-8 HAS THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS DESPITE FIVE TRIPS TO THE DEALER: I) HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION; II) PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT; AND III) SHIFTS ROUGHLY AT LOW SPEEDS. PAST PROBLEMS INCLUDE: IV) THE LATCH ON THE REAR DOOR BROKE, SUCH THAT IT CAME CRASHING DOWN ON MY WIFE'S HEAD; V) THE REAR SEAT BELT LATCH WOULDN'T WORK; VI) THE CAR SHUDDERED BADLY WHEN YOU TRIED TO MAKE A TURN AT LOW SPEEDS (E.G., WHILE PARKING) AND VII) THE FLAT TIRE INDICATOR WENT ON EVEN THOUGH THE TIRE WAS NEITHER FLAT NOR LOW. WE HAVE AN ARBITRATION SCHEDULED FOR 11/9/05 UNDER CALIFORNIA'S LEMON LAW. *NM

NHTSA ID

10140862

Incident

Oct 22, 2005

PASSENGER DOOR OPENED GOING DOWN THE ROAD, HANDLE DOES NOT RETRACT SOMETIMES. A LITANY OF ELECTRIC QUIRKS AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, ALSO JERKY ACCELERATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134661

Incident

Aug 29, 2005

THE RADIO IN THE 2004 VW TOURAEGG IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DUE TO ITS DESIGN WHICH REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO CHANGE THE STATIONS ON THE RADIO IN A WAY THAT IS UNTYPICAL OF ANY RADIO BEING DESIGNED TODAY. YOU MUST PUSH BETWEEN 4 TO 6 BUTTONS TO GO BETWEEN AM AND FM STATIONS AND FIND THE STATION YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO. IT REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD AND BE DISTRACTED FOR WAY TOO LONG. WHEN DOING CITY DRIVING YOU CAN DO IT AT RED LIGHTS BUT ON THE HIGHWAY IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND TEST IT IN A TOURAEG - IT CAN'T BE UNDERSTOOD UNLESS YOU GET IN THE CAR. CUP HOLDERS ARE SO SHALLOW THAT CUPS AND BOTTLES GO FLYING OUT AND LAND UNDER THE FEET OF THE DRIVER NEAR THE GAS PEDAL OR GOING FLYING INTO THE PASSENGER FOOT AREA. ALSO VERY DANGEROUS. THE CATEGORIES DON'T REALLY IDENTIFY THIS COMPLAINT BUT I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND CHECK THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS AND THIS WAS A "SLEEPER" ISSUE NOT EVIDENT AT PURCHASE BUT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS RIDICULOUS FEATURE I'VE EVER SEEN IN A GOOD CAR. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TO SIMPLY LISTEN TO ONE RADIO STATION. MY CHILDREN BOUGHT ME AN IPOD TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THE RADIO IS PROGRAMED SO THAT YOU CAN'T USE AN IPOD EASILY EITHER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO UNUSED STATIONS.

NHTSA ID

10129663

Incident

Jul 21, 2005

DT: THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON 4-04. PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. HYDRAULIC BRAKES ARE PULLING, CAUSING EXCESSIVE SCREECHING NOISE AND BRAKE DUST. BRAKES ARE NOW GRINDING. BRAKES HAVE BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. DEALER REPORTS THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS WORKING ON PROBLEM IN GENERAL. OCCURS IN ALL WEATHER AND DRIVING CONDITIONS. PROBLEM IS GRADUAL AND WORSENING. ON LAST SERVICING, VEHICLE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE HAD A BRAKE RESURFACING. BRAKES ARE ALL WHEEL. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT IS NOT GOING UP AND IS BROKEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10122502

Incident

May 31, 2004

Mileage

5,400 mi

1.THE CLOCK ON THE DASHBOARD: THE TIME IS RUNNING ALMOST 1 MINUTE FASTER PER DAY. IF YOU DONT FIX IT FOR 10 DAYS, IT WOULD RUN 10 MINUTES AHEAD. 2.THE DRIVERS SEAT: WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR, I ASKED FOR POWER SEATS BUT THE DEALER DIDNT HAVE IT. I WAS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE MANUAL SEAT, BUT THE SALES PERSON CONVINCED ME, SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE ONE WITH MANUAL. SINCE THEN, IVE FELT THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT IS ALWAYS SINKING DOWN SO I CONSISTENTLY HAVE TO PULL UP THE STICK TO PUSH UP THE SEAT QUITE OFTEN WHILE IM DRIVING. 3.REAR SEAT: I HAD TO FOLD THE REAR SEAT ONCE TO LOAD SOMETHING IN THE BACK. AFTER, I TRIED TO UNFOLD THE SEAT BUT IT DIDNT GO BACK. I BROUGHT THIS CAR TO THE DEALERS SERVICE ON NOV. 15TH, 2004. WHILE ONE OF THE SERVICE PERSONS WAS TRYING TO UNFOLD THE REAR SEAT, HE HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT AND HAS SCRATCHED THE SEAT AND BROKEN SOME PIECE ON THE SEAT. HE SAID HES GOING TO ORDER SOME PARTS AND IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS. EVER SINCE THEN, NOBODY KNOWS THE STATUS OF THIS ORDER. BOTH THE SERVICE DEPT AND THE CUSTOMER CARE DEPT, IN HEADQUARTERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TELLING ME ITS ON BACKORDER WITH NO FURTHER INFORMATION, AND THEY DONT KNOW WHEN FOR LAST SIX MONTHS. I ASKED THEM IF YOU DONT HAVE THE PART, EVEN IN GERMANY, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO MAKE THE PART? AND THEY KEEP SAYING IS DONT KNOW AND WE ARE STILL CHECKING THE STATUS OF THE PART EVERYDAY. IN A COMMON SENSE, THE PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE THE PART AND SHIP IT TO THE DEALER. I ALSO SENT A COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE CEO OF THE DEALER/MCKENNA & VW NORTH AMERICA HEADQUATER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. BUT STILL THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PART.

NHTSA ID

10121331

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

DOOR HANDELS STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION SO DOORS DO NOT CLOSE. TAKEN TO DEALER, DEALER DID NOT FIX ISSUE. MY DAUGHTER'S HAND THEN WAS HURT AFTER DOOR SLAMMED INTO HER AS IT WAS DID NOT LATCH DUE TO STICKING DOOR HANDELS. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN, THEN BOOKED THE CAR FOR REPAIR. AFTER COLLECTING CAR FROM DEALER'S SECOND REPAIR, THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS, BUT AT NOT AS OFTEN. CAR STILL DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID

10119956

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

Mileage

10,000 mi

MY 2004 TOUAREG WITH LESS THAN 5000 MILES HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICING 7 TIMES. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN WORKED ON AND LOOKED AT THREE TIMES. THEY STILL SQUEAL BUT THE PROBLEM HAS LESSENED. OF MORE CONCERN ARE THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE AFFECTED ME. I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MY VEHICLE TWICE, EACH TIME WITH A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION. UPDATED SOFTWARE WAS THE LATEST FIX. MY AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT IS NOW ON. ANOTHER SOFTWARE RESOLUTION IS ON THE WAY. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE QUALITY OR SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE OR WHEN THE NEXT ISSUE WILL ARISE. VOLKSWAGEN TOLD ME MY CAR WAS NOT PROBLEMATIC AND I HAD "BUYERS REMORSE". I AM IN AWE OF THEIR LACK OF CONCERN ESPECIALLY WHEN I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY TOUAREG OWNER OUT THERE WITH PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116727

Incident

Dec 23, 2004

Mileage

2,000 mi

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT FAILED. DEALER STATED THERE WAS TOO MUCH RESISTANCE WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE COULD CATCH ON FIRE. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10071586

Incident

Apr 20, 2004

Mileage

10,800 mi

PASSENGER SITTING BEHIND DRIVER IN 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUREG WAS INJURED WHEN DRIVER LEFT THE CAR. ELECTRIC SEAT RETRACTED BACK AND DOWN ONTO THE PASSENGER' S FEET THAT WERE UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. SEAT ACTION OCCURS AUTOMATICALLY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE DRIVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072979

Incident

May 21, 2004

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I DRIVE A 2004 VW TOUAREG. I WANT TO REPORT A TECHNICAL PROBLEM REGARDING THE MULTI FUNCTION INDICATOR (TRIP COMPUTER, OR MFI) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH VW DOESN'T ACKNOWLADGE.*AK MY TOUAREG HAS A COLOR MFI MODULE (LCD BASED) WHICH SHOWS THE CLOCK, GEAR, CD INFO ETC, BETWEEN THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER). THE PROBLEM IS THAT MFI CONSTANTLY BUZZ AS SOON IT IS POWERED UP (OPENING THE DOOR, DON'T NEED TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION) AND THE SOUND GOES AWAY WHEN THE MFI SHUTS OFF. WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION MFI IS ALWAYS ON, AND THE NOISE GETS QUIET ANNOYING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT OR HOW TO ELIMINATE THIS SOUND. I TRY TO DIM THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER'S LIGHTNING, HOWEVER THIS HAS NO EFFECT. ALSO WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON, THE NOISE GET LOUDER. OVERALL, THIS ISSUE CREATES A DISTURBANCE FOR THE DRIVER, AND MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VW DOESN'T IDENTIFY THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER I HAVE HEARD AND READ FROM OTHER WEBSITES ABOUT PEOPLE COMPLANING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THANKING YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND INTEREST, AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. WARMEST REGARDS, BARR KARAGOZLU [email protected]

NHTSA ID

10065719

Incident

Mar 27, 2004