2010 Volkswagen Touareg Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2010 Volkswagen Touareg, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system1852.9%
- Engine823.5%
- Powertrain (other)25.9%
- Electrical25.9%
- Tires & wheels12.9%
- Brakes12.9%
- Suspension12.9%
- Airbags12.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Previous recall in 2017 regarding fuel filter housing cracks and seals has failed. In 2017 it was approved to allow VW to use cellophane sticky tape to cover the fuel filter crack in plastic housing. It has failed. The car has 43,000 miles, the cabin has strong odor smell. The left rear wheel arch has extremely strong gasoline smell. How was VW able to get approval to fix a serious fuel leak with sticky tape?
I have a 2010 VW Touarge V6, recently it started leaking fuel out, after taking the car to VW dealership, they told me the fuel was leaking out from the fuel filter flange. VW had a recall on (2007-2010 VW Touarge) fuel filter flange back in 2017 (see below) https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RCRIT-17V151-3759.pdf They acknowledges that there was a flaw in the fuel filter flange that the plastic part could crack and leak out fuel after some years. Back in 2017, I took the car to VW dealership and the recall repair they did on my car was to install a protective film on the flange (since they deemed that the flange was not broken when examined during the recall repair at the time). Now 4 years later, the flange is cracking and leaking fuel out, obviously the recall fix (protective film) did not stop the flange from cracking or fuel from leaking out. I have contacted VW customer care and stated that they failed to fix the fuel leaking hazard as the protective film was ineffective in stopping fuel to leak out from a now broken flange. I hoped they could cover the fix of the broken flange. VW customer service refused to fix the problem for me under the recall and asked me to be fully responsible for the fix, as they claimed that the "recall was done", despite that I showed they the recall details, and mentioned that the problematic flange was not replaced, and questions the effectiveness of the recall repair done in 2017. I feel I have to question whether the original recall fix was proper (that for un-cracking flange at the time, only a protective film was installed instead of replacing the problematic fuel filter flange, that had big leaking problems) So please help to investigate the case, and let VW know that they should always put customer's safety first. Looks to me, they used a cheap method (a plastic film) to avoid replacing an already inexpensive flange part, and in exchange, customer had to face such safety hazard and big car repair bill...
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
my 2010 vw touareg tdi 3.0 have 2 service campaign 23r3 and 26k2 which is commonly known for vw tdi diesel scandal. i took my car to vw they said they will replace the catalytic converts and knox sensors. and the ad blue box. today i got a call stating that my car will not get a catalytic converter that's epa compliant. and they can only do computer software and replce 2 glow plugs out of the 6 and that's cant be done before i replace a knox sensor which is the service campaign is for then when the check engine light is off i can take it back to vvw to replace the parts and program the computer. or pay then $900 for that sensor.
PERSISTENT DIESEL EXHAUST LEAK WHICH INTERFERES WITH MY BREATHING IN THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE NAPLETON VW SANFORD/ORLANDO DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY FIX SOMETHING DIFFERENT EACH TIME WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR 5TH REPAIR EVEN THOUGH ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION INITIALLY IN WARRANTY PERIOD.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER/TURNED OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO NOISES, NO VIBRATIONS, NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING. VEHICLE STALLED AT FREEWAY SPEED AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO VW DEALER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) HAD FAILED. 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; IT IS MECHANICALLY DEFECTIVE AND CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO HIGHWAY SAFETY. REQUEST ENGINEERING ANALYSIS. *TR
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VW ABS CONTROL MODULE RECALL EARLIER THIS YEAR DID NOT INCLUDE 2010 TOUAREGS. HOWEVER, I OWN 2 OF THEM AND BOTH HAVE AN ABS MODULE ISSUE. AS DOES MY MOTHER IN LAW'S 2010 TIGUAN. PLEASE LOOK INTO EXTENDING THE RECALL TO THESE MODEST. ATTACHED IS THE $2,839 ESTIMATE FROM A VW DEALER TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE. THAT IS AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR A GENTLY USED CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE WHICH HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. THANK YOU. [XXX] CELL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DURING THE PROCESS OF FILLING THE ALMOST EMPTY TANK WITH DIESEL FUEL, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT (PER REPORT OF THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS CALLED IN) CREATED HEAT THAT WAS ABLE TO MELT PART OF THE TANK IN THE AREA OF THE FILLING NOZZLE, COMPLETELY MELTED THE RUBBER STRAP HOLDING THE FUEL CAP AND MELTED/BURNED THE SPLASH RING ON THE FUEL DISPENSER. THE METALLIC RING OF THE FILLING NOZZLE TURNED SO HOT, THAT FUMES/SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE. DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE BATTERY BENEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT, THE FD WAS NOT ABLE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED A SET OF 4 NITTO MOTIVO'S FOR MY TOUAREG TDI IN SEPT 2013 AT WHICH TIME I HAD 60,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. TODAY, 6/17/14, @ 75, 000 MILES WITH 15,000 MILES ON THE MOTIVO'S, I NOTICED 2 DEFECTS IN 2 OF MY TIRES. THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A HUGE BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL...ABOUT 3" INCHES ACROSS AND 2" HIGH. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD THIS 2" X 2" CUT/GASH OR SOMETHING ON THE SIDEWALL. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO DISCOUNT TIRE WHERE I BOUGHT THEM AND THEY SAID THESE ISSUES WERE PROBABLY THE RESULT OF DRIVING OVER POTHOLES AND THAT ALL 4 WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED SINCE I HAVE AN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE AND THAT THE BEST THEY CAN DO IS GIVE ME A TREAD WEAR BASED CREDIT ON A NEW SET IN THE AMOUNT OF AROUND $320. I PAID OVER $1000 FOR YOUR TIRES, WHICH WERE WARRANTED FOR 60,000 AND I ONLY GOT 15,000 OUT OF THEM. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, IT APPEARS THAT THE QUALITY OF THE SIDEWALL IS VERY POOR CAUSING THE DEFECTS I MENTIONED. I CONTACTED NITTO NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY ADVISED THAT THEY DO NOT COVER "ROAD HAZARDS" WHICH THEY SAY CAUSED THE DEFECTS IN MY 2 TIRES. THEY ALSO ADVISED THAT SINCE MY TIRES WERE ONLY MEASURED AS HAVING BETWEEN 5/32 AND 6/32 OF TREAD WEAR, ESSENTIALLY 1/2 WORN OUT, THEY ONLY WARRANTY THEIR TIRES IF THEY ARE BETWEEN 1/32 AND 2/32...IE, TOTALLY WORN OUT, BEFORE THEY WOULD ISSUE A PRO-RATED CREDIT. THIS IS ABSURD!!! THE WARRANTY IS FOR 60,000 MILES...AFTER JUST 15,000 MILES, MY TIRES ARE HALFWAY WORN OUT! I SHOULD GET A CREDIT FOR 75% OF THE COST OF THE TIRES. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION IN HELPING ME TO RECEIVE CREDIT IN THE AMOUNT OF 75% ($750) OF THE $1000 I PAID FOR THESE TIRES, SINCE I ONLY HAVE 15, 000 MILES ON THEM AND THE WARRANTY IS FOR 60,000. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
VW ABS CONTROL MODULE RECALL EARLIER THIS YEAR DID NOT INCLUDE 2010 TOUAREGS. HOWEVER, I OWN 2 OF THEM AND BOTH HAVE AN ABS MODULE ISSUE. AS DOES MY MOTHER IN LAW'S 2010 TIGUAN. PLEASE LOOK INTO EXTENDING THE RECALL TO THESE MODEST. ATTACHED IS THE $2,839 ESTIMATE FROM A VW DEALER TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE. THAT IS AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR A GENTLY USED CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE WHICH HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. THANK YOU. [XXX] CELL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
A KONI NORTH AMERICA ("KONI") SHOCK ABSORBER BENT, WHICH COMPROMISED SAFE VEHICLE HANDLING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A COLLISION, CAUSING A CRASH. THESE SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE PURCHASED IN APRIL 2011 FROM NEUSPEED. THE DEFECTIVE ABSORBERS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN INCORRECTLY WELDED BRACKET WHICH CAUSED THE SHOCK ABSORBER TO CATASTROPHICALLY BEND AND REST ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, THEREBY COMPROMISING VEHICLE HANDLING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. KONI MODEL NUMBERS: 8245 1146L 8241 1146R 8245 1147 *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TAKATA RECALL FOR AIRBAG DASH LIGHT ON. ALSO, CHECK 'ENGINE LIGHT' FOR DIESEL DEF HEATING ELEMENT FAULT. BOTH LIGHTS APPEARED WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE/STATIONARY AND HAVE REMAINED ON EVER SINCE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .