2004 Volkswagen Touareg Powertrain (other) Problems

( STARTED NOTICING THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 1 TO 2 YEARS AGO)WHILE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN 5TH GEAR AND SPEEDS OF UNDER 50 MI./HR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE AUTOMATIC DOWN SHIFT OCCURS WITH A VERY HARSH "KICK" TO A POINT THAT THE PASSENGERS FEEL THE JOLT. A FEW YEARS AGO, A SIMILAR PROBLEM REGARDING THE DOWN-SHIFT WAS SUBJECT OF RECALL WHICH THE DEALERS HAD TO INSTALL A "PATCH" ( UPDATED SOFTWARE) IN ORDER TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11109524

Incident

Jul 6, 2016

Mileage

5 mi

TRANSMISSION JUMPS, LUNGES, HAS DONE THIS SINCE 2009. THE DEALER STATES IT NEEDS REPLACING. SHOULD BE REPLACED BY VOLKSWAGEN.

NHTSA ID

10875094

Incident

Jul 8, 2009

DRIVING ALONG IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD UNDER SLIGHT ACCELERATION AND A LOUD THUMPING NOISE BEGINS IN THE TRANSMISSION HUMP UNDER THE ARMREST - FELT LIKE SOMETHING HEAVY HAD BECOME WRAPPED AROUND THE DRIVESHAFT AND WAS CAUSING INTENSE VIBRATION ABOVE 30MPH. PARK THE CAR AND TOW TO REPAIR SHOP AND LEARN THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD BROKEN AND REQUIRED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OFFROAD AND VAST MAJORITY OF MILES ARE COMMUTING ON THE FREEWAY AND GENERAL AROUND-TOWN DRIVING. NO WAY SHOULD A WELL-MAINTAINED VEHICLE DOING LIGHT HIGHWAY DRIVING SUFFER A DRIVESHAFT FAILURE AT ONLY 105K MILES. CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. REPAIR BILL WAS APPROXIMATELY $1600.

NHTSA ID

10745485

Incident

Jul 12, 2015

Mileage

105,000 mi

AIRBAG MODULE DEFECTIVE WITH ONLY 54,496 MILES AND A $1200 COST TO FIX. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! DASH LIGHTING HAS WENT ON AND OFF FOR AIRBAG. A WASHER PUMP DEFECTIVE, POWER TRAIN TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND KNOWN PROBLEM BY VOLKSWAGEN BUT NOBODY WANTS TO ADMIT THE DEFECT PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10681122

Incident

Feb 4, 2015

Mileage

54,496 mi

CAR STALLS, SKIPS GEARS, JERKS, WHEN COMING FROM A FULL STOP TO ACCELERATING JERKS AND PULL REALLY HARD GOING INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR,, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER PAYING 800 DOLLAR THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG,, AND THAT WAS VW DEALER.... I'VE BEEN SEEIN ALOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SPECIFIC MODEL AND YEAR, CAN SOME PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF VOLKSWAGEN IS NOT GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE ATLEAST TELL ME WHAT COULD BE WRONG, SO I CAN FIX IT AND GET RID OF THIS STUPID CAR. IM BETTER OFF WITH AN AMERICAN CAR... *TR

NHTSA ID

10650277

Incident

Sep 12, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT WENT OUT. AT FIRST IT SOUNDED LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE BUT UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE. I WAS TOLD A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL OF THESE WOULD FAIL.. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE DRIVE SHAFT HAS TO BE REPLACED. BUT IT WILL NOT BE COVERED SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SINCE THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE IT SHOULD BE FIXED BY VW AND NOT COSTING ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS OVER A GRAND TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509086

Incident

Apr 10, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

REAR CENTER DRIVE SHAFT FROM GEARBOX TO DIFFERENTIAL, MIDDLE BEARING FAILS. VOLKSWAGEN ONLY SUPPLIES NEW SHAFTS FOR $1,400 NO BEARINGS OR EXCHANGE. THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF TOUAREGS ACCORDING THE CLUBTOUAREG FORUM. THIS IS A PREMATURE DESIGN FAILURE OF THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10480612

Incident

Sep 25, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, A LOUD, REPETITIOUS BANG/CLUNK FROM THE MIDDLE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE STARTED, SOUNDING SIMILAR TO A BLOWN TIRE. NO ABNORMAL OPERATIONS NOTED PRIOR TO THIS. LIMPED THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AT 15 MPH AND FOUND THE CENTER DRIVESHAFT CARRIER BEARING FAILED. THE SERVICE TECH ACTED AS IF THIS WAS COMMON AND WAS NOT SURPRISED. I HAVE A 1981 MERCURY WITH OVER 305000 MILES AND NEVER LOST A BEARING IN MY DRIVESHAFT. MECHANICAL PARTS FAIL. THE WORST PART OF THIS EVENT IS VOA'S REACTION THAT SOMEHOW THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A POOR/WEAK DESIGN. LIST OF OTHER MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURES WITH NO RECALL THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL TOUAREGS OF THIS GENERATION ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY'S OWN SERVICE TECH'S: CENTER DIFFERENTIAL LOCK MOTOR FAIL REAR DIFF. LOCK MOTOR FAIL COOLING FANS DO NOT SHUT OFF, DRAIN BATTERY THERMOSTAT HOUSING LEAK RADIO FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464652

Incident

Mar 30, 2012

Mileage

90,000 mi

AT 94,000 MILES TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, TOLD TRANSMISSION NON-SERVICEABLE VW DOES NOT RECOMMEND ANY TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACEMENT. COULD BE GEAR BOX COST $2400 OR ENTIRE TRANSMISSION COST $7,000. VWA WILL PAY $1,000 TO OUR CHOICE OF GEAR BOX OR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT BUT IF WE CHOOSE WRONG REPAIR WILL NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING FURTHER! VWA OBVIOUSLY IS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND DESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAN'T BE SERVICED. WE HAVE HAD PRIOR ENGINE COIL RECALL REPLACED, UPDATED COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND REPLACED DRIVE-TRAIN AT COST OF $1900 AT 74,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354882

Incident

Apr 1, 2010

Mileage

92,000 mi

HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND FROM BELOW ON MY 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. LOOKED UNDER MY CAR, THE MIDDLE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS GONE. THERE WAS A KNOCKING AND THUMPING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE UNDERCARRIAGE, BUT WHEN THE PART CAME IN AND INSTALLED IT, THE KNOCKING WAS STILL THERE. DROVE IT LAST NIGHT BECAUSE I NEED MY CAR; I HEARD MY CAR HAVE RATTLING NOISES UNDERNEATH. SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S LOSS PARTS UNDER THE CAR. I NEVER TOOK MY CAR OFF ROAD, THE ROADS ON OAHU ARE TERRIBLE, BUT NEVER HAD THIS EVER DONE ON MY OLDER CARS. I WAS RESEARCHING ONLINE AND SAW THAT A LOT OF OTHER TOUAREG OWNERS HAVE/HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A DEFAULT PART, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DRIVE SHAFT AND ITS BEARINGS ARE THE MAIN PARTS OF THE CAR POWERTRAIN. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AND FEEL THAT VOLKSWAGEN WILL NEED TO PAY FOR THIS FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336523

Incident

May 28, 2010

Mileage

76,950 mi

IN DECEMBER 2009 MY 2004 VW TOUAREG WAS IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE IDLING WHILE MY SON, WHO WAS DRIVING THE CAR, GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO SPEAK TO A PARKING LOT ATTENDANT. HIS WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN WERE IN CAR SEATS IN THE REAR SEAT. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER, WHILE MY SON WAS STILL OUT OF THE CAR, THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS INTO A BUSY STREET IN NYC. HE RAN AFTER THE CAR WHILE HIS WIFE FRANTICALLY TRIED TO GET OUT OF HER SEAT BELT TO MOVE INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. HE CAUGHT UP WITH THE CAR AND JUMPED IN AND HIT THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. HE LOOKED OVER AT THE GEAR SHIFT THINKING THAT IT HAD BEEN MOVED INADVERTENTLY BUT THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK. HE THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE CAR WAS IDLING IN PARK ON A RELATIVELY FLAT SURFACE - THERE ARE NO REAL HILLS IN NYC. HE TOOK HIS LIFE IN HIS HANDS TO AVOID A DISASTER WHEREBY THE CAR WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN HIT BROADSIDE IN THE BUSY ADJOINING STREET WITH HIS FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO A VW DEALER REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME IN MARYLAND THE NEXT WEEK AND THEY CHECKED THE CAR OUT THOROUGHLY, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, NOR COULD THEY DUPLICATE THE EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS A FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313074

Incident

Dec 2, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

I HAVE A 2004 VW TOUAREG V8, I HAVE A AIRBAG LIGHT THAT COME ON (AIRBAG FAULT), NOW THE TRAN LIGHT IS COMING ON WHEN I START THE SUV. *TR

NHTSA ID

10291911

Incident

Sep 16, 2009

Mileage

104,000 mi

I HAVE HAD MY 2004 VW TOUAREG SINCE JUNE 2006 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF BUYING THE CAR, THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND I AM GETTING ANOTHER "CHECK BRAKE PADS" ERROR AGAIN, THE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM CONTINUALLY TELLS ME I HAVE A FLAT, THE RADIO AMPLIFIER WAS MAKING A LOUD CRACKING SO THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A FUSE AND BLEW THE 2 BACK SPEAKERS (WHICH THEY WOULD NOT FIX, HEWLETT VW IN GEORGETOWN, TEXAS), THE AUTO DIFFERENTIAL IS GOING OUT. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END IN SIGHT FOR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252545

Incident

Jul 15, 2006

DRIVE SHAFT SUPPORT BEARING FAILURE @ 62,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER VW DOES NOT SELL INDIVIDUAL BROKE PART BUT SELLS ASSEMBLY WHICH COST $1,100 PLUS TAX. THIS IS COMMON AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10245752

Incident

Oct 14, 2008

Mileage

62,000 mi

DRIVE TRAIN FAILED WITHIN WARRANTY PERIOD. ALSO, THE MODULE FAILED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE DRIVE TRAIN BEING REPLACED. THE ABS MODULE HOWEVER; FAILED 3 MONTHS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. AS A RESULT I SKIDDED UNPREDICTABLY ON ICE AND CAME WITHIN INCHES OF CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. $1500 WAS QUOTED TO ME TO REPLACE THE MODULE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212149

Incident

Dec 15, 2007

Mileage

66,000 mi

2004 VW TOUAREG WITH TIRE FAILURE AND KEY PROGRAMMING. CONSUMER STATES HE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES DUE TO A PUNCTURE IN ONE OF THE SIDEWALL TIRES. THE SECOND KEY RECEIVED NEEDED TO BE PROGRAMMED AND DEALER CHARGED HIM FOR PROGRAMMING. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE GETS LOW GAS MILEAGE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF REPEATEDLY. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED DUE TO A VIBRATION WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10210527

Incident

Jan 28, 2005