The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated while her husband was stopped at a traffic light, he started to hear an abnormal sound. The driver stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the catalytic converter to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts not being available. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,500.
- NHTSA ID
- 11531414
- Incident
- Jul 8, 2023
- Mileage
- 78,500 mi
Today, engine completely cut off in the middle of traffic (20-30 MPH), loss of power steering and breaking power. Engine dashboard yellow message appeared. I experience this several times before and previously brought to the attention of VW service department and some ECU repairs and engine sensor repairs were done - but the problem continues to happen. Sometimes engine cuts off simply at idle (e.g. waiting at traffic light) but loss of engine power together with power steering and breaks is very concerning when driving.
- NHTSA ID
- 11432008
- Incident
- Sep 7, 2021
WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE CAN BE A HUGE LAG IN TIME FROM WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO WHEN THE CAR REACTS AND ACCELERATES.IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WHICH IS WHERE THE DANGER ARISES. THIS STARTED WHEN VW "FIXED" THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALLER GAP TO GET INTO IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE VW RETUNED THE CAR. I WORRY ABOUT MY WIFE AND KIDS GETTING HIT BY SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THE LAG/HESITATION THAT IS OCCURRING. VW SHOULD FIX THIS ISSUE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS.
- NHTSA ID
- 11389382
- Incident
- Jan 15, 2021
- Mileage
- 71,569 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Nov 25, 2020
OUR 2015 TOUAREG TDI WITH 35,000MI LOST POWER ON INTERSTATE 10. THE VEHICLE WAS IN 'LIMP' MODE AND ONLY ABLE TO REACH A SPEED OF 20MPH IN A 75MPH ZONE ON INTERSTATE 10. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WE MADE IT TO A DEALER IN LAS CRUCES, NM. AFTER THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS WATER IN THE AIR FILTER, THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE AIR FLOW SENSOR. AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH WE DISCOVERED THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE EXTERIOR DRAIN SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES WATER TO FLOW INTO THE AIR INTAKE, THRU THE AIR FILTER, THRU THE TURBO, AND ULTIMATELY INTO THE ENGINE. THE UNDIRECTED EXTERIOR DRAIN WATER DAMAGES THE AIR FILTER, THE TURBO, AND, IN SOME CASES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE WILL FAIL. I WAS TOLD OUR 2015 TOUAREG TDI WOULD NEED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO REPLACE THE TURBO AT A COST OF $4,000-$5,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11376259
- Incident
- Nov 21, 2020
- Mileage
- 35,000 mi
WATER INTRUSION IN AIR FILTER CAUSING MULTIPLE MALFUNCTIONS AND SEVERE LOSS OF POWER. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING, DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER, GLOW PLUG FLASHING, AND CHECK ENGINE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED AIR FILTER AND MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR AND CHARGED $500+ FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS A VW CPO AND STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATED I MUST HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH DEEP WATER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, WHICH I DID NOT. IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED MY DRIVING THROUGH 3-4 FEET OF WATER. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR REPLACED IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. I HAVE NOTICED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE AND ALSO THAT VW HAS RECALLED THIS VEHICLE IN CHINA FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT NOT THE USA. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING.
- NHTSA ID
- 11338397
- Incident
- Jun 30, 2020
- Mileage
- 45,805 mi
AFTER A RAINSTORM WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT AN ANGLE I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED IT WAS MAKING AN ODD SOUND. DISCOVERED THAT THE FIXTURE THAT HOLDS THE AIR FILTER WAS CONTAINED WATER AND THE AIR FILTER WAS SOPPING WET. INGESTION OF WATER INTO THE ENGINE CAN CAUSE ISSUES SUCH AS HYDROLOCKING. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 11330325
- Incident
- Feb 4, 2020
- Mileage
- 68,000 mi
THROTTLE LAG. WHEN I PULL OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IT IS DANGEROUS. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LAG BETWEEN WHEN I HIT THE PEDAL AND WHEN THE CAR MOVES. IF I THROW THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, IT IS NOT BETTER. IT IS DANGEROUS. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR WITH SUCH AWFUL RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11320200
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2020
PARTIALLY WET/MOIST AIR FILTER. VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN THROUGH ANY STANDING WATER. 1/3RD OF THE AIR FILTER IS WET AND LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS STANDING WATER IN THE AIRBOX AS THE AIR FILTER DISPLAYED SIGNS ON WATER DAMAGE UPON REPLACEMENT FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. IT SEEMS THAT WATER COLLECTS IN THE BOTTOM OF AIRBOX AND DOES NOT DRAIN OUT EVEN WHEN DRAIN VALVE IS UNOBSTRUCTED AND OPERATIONAL. COULD CAUSE AN ISSUE WITH ENGINE HYDRO-LOCKING AND FAILING. POOR DESIGN. THIS COULD CAUSE ENGIN
- NHTSA ID
- 11308650
- Incident
- Feb 8, 2020
- Mileage
- 50,000 mi
WATER IS SOMEHOW FINDING ITS WAY INTO ENGINE AIR FILTER HOUSING(INTAKE) AND SOAKING AIR FILTER ELEMENT DESPITE HAVING ONLY BEEN DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL WEATHER/ROAD CONDITIONS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH ANY WATER DEEPER THAN A MUD PUDDLE. AM CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL ENGINE DAMAGE THAT COULD POSSIBLY OCCUR IF FURTHER WATER INTRUSION OCCURS, PARTICULARLY IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING.
- NHTSA ID
- 11292252
- Incident
- Dec 20, 2019
- Mileage
- 35,000 mi
VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT SLOW CITY SPEEDS AND SUDDENLY LOUD EXHAUST NOISE STARTED TO COME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN HOOD WAS OPENED TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, FLAMES WERE BEING SPIT OUT OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BECAUSE THE PRE-CAT PIPE WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED. CYLINDER 4-6 PRE-CAT (REAR/UPPER) SEPARATED FROM EXHAUST MANIFOLD FLANGE BECAUSE OF A FAILED WELD. ISSUE ADDRESSED ON VW RECALL 26L3. VW RECALL 26L3 DOES NOT ADDRESS 2015 MODELS BUT DOES 2013 MODELS, DEALER REFUSED TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO CARRY OUT THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY STATE THAT VW HAS NOT INCLUDED MODEL YEAR 2015 IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. ESCALATED TO VWOA, WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11277191
- Incident
- Oct 29, 2019
- Mileage
- 30,331 mi
WATER AND DEBRIS WAS INGESTED IN TO AIR FILTER BOX RESULTING IN WATER-SOAKED AIR FILTER AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW LONG THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING BECAUSE I HAD NEVER CHECKED MY AIR FILTER BEFORE. THE VEHICLE HAS PERIODICALLY BEEN DRIVEN IN RAIN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT NEVER DRIVEN IN DEEP OR STANDING WATER. IT APPEARS THAT DRAINS ARE NOT ABLE TO DRAIN PROPERLY AND WATER IS ENTERING THE BOX SOMEHOW WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE BE ABLE TO.
- NHTSA ID
- 11206477
- Incident
- Mar 16, 2019
- Mileage
- 36,000 mi
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 20, 2019
AFTER VW EMISSION REPAIR THE CAR STALLS IN SHIFTING GEARS AT LOW SPEED. I TOOK AT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP 3 TIMES EVERYTIME THE KEPT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS AND COULDN'T RESOLVE THE ISSUE. IT APPEARS LIKE THERE IS NO FUEL COMING TO THE ENGINE OR THE CAR COMPUTER DO NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR UNTIL IT HITS 3000 RPM IN SPEEDS LOWER THE 35MPH. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WITH SPEAKING WITH VW DEALER ADVISORS THAT THIS AS A RESULT OF THE EMISSION REPAIR AND THEY CAN'T FIX IT. THIS MADE THE CAR UNDRIVABLE SINCE IT'S KEEP STALING AND YOU CAN'T DRIVE IN THE CITY WITHOUT THE JERKING FEELING FROM THE ENGINE. VW CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE KEPT CHANGING THEIR VERSION. AT FIRST, THEY SAID THE CARS COMPUTER WILL LEARN MY DRIVING PATTERN AND WILL ADJUST. THEN WHEN I SPOKE WITH A SUPERVISOR THEY CLAIMED THIS IS HOW THE CAR SHOULD DRIVE AFTER THE EMISSION REPAIR. WHEN SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT STHOLMAN VW HE TOLD ME HE HA A CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME CAR IN FOR 3 MONTHS AND THEY COULDN'T FIX THAT ISSUE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11171023
- Incident
- Apr 13, 2018
- Mileage
- 45,000 mi
UNDER ACCELERATION THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STUTTER AND A LARGE CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE OR STEAM CAME OUT OF THE EXHAUST, SUGGESTING POSSIBLE WATER INGESTION. UPON REMOVING THE AIR FILTER IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FILTER HAD WATER DAMAGE AND MOLD, AND THE FILTER AND AIRBOX HAD LOTS OF SMALL DEBRIS CLOGGING THE DRAIN TUBE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11157019
- Incident
- Nov 30, 2018
- Mileage
- 37,000 mi
WATER INGESTION INTO AIR INTAKE FROM DESIGN FLAW. CHANGED AIR FILTER BASED ON WARNING THREAD LOCATED AT CLUB TOUAREG ONLINE. IF YOU DRIVE A 2011-2017 TOUAREG PLEASE CHECK YOUR AIR FILTER. MANY OWNERS HAVE REPORTED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURES AND VW REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. VW ISSUED RECALL IN CHINA BUT ARE DENYING PROBLEMS HERE IN NA. MY AIR INTAKE TUBE LEADING UP TO THE AIRBOX WAS FULL OF WATER AND THE BOTTOM 2-3 INCHES OF THE AIR FILTER ITSELF WAS FALLING APART, SOAKING WET AND MOLDY. IT WAS BASICALLY SITTING IN WATER. OUR VEHICLE IN ONLY USED ON ROAD FOR COMMUTING - NEVER OFF ROAD OR ON DEEP WATER SITUATIONS. I'M ATTACHING PHOTOS OF MY AIRBOX FULL OF WATER AND THE AIR FILTER I CHANGED.
- NHTSA ID
- 11155941
- Incident
- Dec 4, 2018
LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERING THE INTAKE, AFFECTING THE PEFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. THE WATER IS INSUFFICIENTLY DRAINING FROM THE INTAKE BOX. THE AIR FILTER DEGRADES AS A RESULT. MAY LEAD TO POSSIBLE HYDROLOCKING OF THE ENGINE. THERE ARE ACTIVE RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL IN CHINA AND GERMANY. THE ISSUE APPEARS AFTER DRIVING OR PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN. POSSIBLE CULPRIT IS THE REDESIGNED HEADLAMPS DRAINING THE WATER RIGHT INTO THE INTAKE OPENING IN THE FRONT
- NHTSA ID
- 11123062
- Incident
- Aug 27, 2018
- Mileage
- 29,000 mi
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.