2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Complaints

I'VE BEEN HAVING VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON MY 2004 VW TOUAREG FROM THE PURCHASE DATE OF 08/19/03. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND, WITHOUT CAUSE, THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND VARIOUS SWITCHES WOULD NOT WORK AT TIMES. ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WERE RANDOM. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES. BUT, THE PROBLEMS WERE NOT FIXED. IN APRIL 2006, MY CAR BATTERY WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER HANDLING A CHARGE. THE BATTERY CHANGE WAS A WARRANTY ITEM. AFTER THE BATTERY CHANGE, THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BECAME MORE FREQUENT. MY TURN SIGNALS BEGAN TO ACT UP. WHEN I SIGNAL FOR A RIGHT TURN, THE BLINKER WILL CLICK TO THE LEFT ONE TO THREE TIMES, THEN TO THE RIGHT. I TOLD MURRIETA VW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR WARRANTY SERVICE ON 06/30/06. THEY COULDN'T FIND A "FAULT CODE" AND COULDN'T MAKE THE CAR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SO, THEY DIDN'T FIX THE CAR. I VIDEO TAPED THE PROBLEM FIVE TIMES, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AFTER THE 06/30/06. I ALSO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT WITNESSES WHO WITNESSED THE PROBLEM. I E MAILED THE VIDEOS TO MURRIETA VW AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK ON 07/08. MURRIETA VW WASN'T ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS NOW DANGEROUS. IF I WERE TO SIGNAL A RIGHT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, WITH AN ONCOMING CAR ASSUMING THAT I AM TURNING LEFT BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE TURN SIGNAL, I COULD END UP IN AN ACCIDENT. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM VW. I JUST WANT MY CAR FIXED. 2004 VW TOUAREG SERIAL# W V G C M 67 L 04 D 002863. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT SMOOTHLY. AS AN ALTERNATIVE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES WHICH IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WOULD NOT STOP IN TIME THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PRESSURE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A DEALERSHIP FOR 3 AND A HALF WEEKS AND THE DEALER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING STANDARDS. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN.*AK

VOLKSWAGEN 2004 TOUAREG SPORT UTILITY 4D HAS SERIOUS ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS RESULTING IN PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON ALL 4 TIRES! FRONT 2 TIRES ARE DOWN TO METAL SHOWING WITH ONLY 19,880 MILES. CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR ALL SCHEDULED SERVICES AND ROTATIONS. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF CAR WHILE DRIVING! ALSO, PRE-MATURE WEAR OF FRONT & BACK BRAKES & PADS DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT/TIRE PROBLEMS! CONDENSATION ON FRONT WINDSHIELD THAT DEFOGGER DOES NOT REMOVE. FUEL INJECTION RECALL THAT ON SERVICE BULLETIN STATED IT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IF NOT FIXED! TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILURE, ESP FAILURE, COMPUTER SOFTWARE FAILURE! *NM

VW TOUAREG ENGINE PROBLEMS IN THE WINTER. I WILL SEND THE INFO AS VW DEALER REPAIR INFO AND ENGINE PROBLEMS WAS RECORDED ON TAPE/DVD. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE ACTED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, REGARDLESS OF THE POSITION OF THE SHIFTER. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY POSITION INCLUDING PARK. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART, THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIRS. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, FLASHED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, AND DIFFERENTIAL CONTROL MODULE HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 07/25/06. *JB

I BROUGHT A VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THIS VEHICLE HAS A LOT PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE AND ENGINE. SO I FILED A LEMON REQUEST. LAST MONTH, VW ASKED ME TO DROP THIS VEHICLE TO VW DEALER TO INVESTIGATE THE BRAKE PROBLEM. ON MARCH 23, THE VW EXPERT TEST DROVE MY TOUAREG AND HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE BRAKES FAILED. THERE IS A POLICE REPORT. *NM THE REAR WIPER MADE A CLICKING NOISE. UPDATED 05/04/06. *JB THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS UPDATED. UPDATED 06/01/06. *JB

CURRENTLY, VW HAS PUBLISHED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 27-05-01 AND 27-05-03 FOR THE TOUAREG RELATED TO BAD GROUND CONNECTIONS AT THE BATTERY AND A FAULTY BATCH OF GROUND/POSITIVE WIRES THAT RUN FROM THE GENERATOR TO THE BATTERY. HOWEVER, VW WILL ONLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE IF THE CAR GOES COMPLETELY DEAD, LEAVING THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS AT THE MERCY OF THE ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE STRANDED IN. AS THIS IS A SUV, THE ENVIRONMENT COULD BE ONE THAT POSES A THREAT TO THE WELL BEING OF THE OCCUPANTS. I HAVE OPENED CASE # 60111160 WITH VWOA AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO DWIGHT HARRISON VW IN SNELLVILLE, GA AND HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE......THE CAR HAS TO HAVE AN EXISTING NO-START CONDITION TO QUALIFY. *NM

I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY 2004 VW TOUAREG ON 7-11-04. BY 9-9-04 IT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN IN 6 TIMES FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, 3 TIMES FOR THE AC, 3 TIMES FOR THE BATTERY, AND 1-2 TIMES FOR OTHER THINGS. TOMORROW, I WILL BE TAKING IT IN AGAIN FOR FURTHER A/C PROBLEMS, BRAKES THAT CATCH ON THEIR OWN WHILE IN DRIVE, INTERMITTENT FAULTY TRIGGERING OF TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM, AND A HOLE THAT I DISCOVERED ONLY DAY IN THE FIRE BLANKET UNDER THE HOOD. APPARENTLY THE ENGINE HEAT HAS BEEN BURNING A HOLE IN IT AND HAS BURNED AWAY A HOLE RIGHT THROUGH THE BLANKET TO THE HOOD ITSELF, BUT NOT THROUGH THE HOOD YET. THIS CAR HAS MEANT TIME LOST FROM WORK AND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN THE SHOP AND PAYING FOR RENTAL CARS. THIS CAR IS A FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD. FAIRFAX COUNTY CONSUMER PROTECTION (ROY SEGER) HAD CONTACTED VW AS THIS CAR FALLS UNDER THE LEMON LAW. VW RESPONDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COMPLY, STATING THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE BATTERY. THEIR RESPONSE FAILED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MULTITUDE OF OTHER PROBLEMS...AND NOW THIS. I HAVE NEVER FELT SO POWERLESS. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP?? *NM

MY VEHICLE, A 2004 VW TOUAREG LOOSES POWER, THE VOLT METER DROPS TO ZERO AND THEN THE TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING. ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE DIM AND IF YOU SWITCH THE VEHICLE OFF, IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVE A FEW HOURS EARLIER, WITH NO PROBLEMS. THIS HAS BEEN A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 5 OR MORE TIMES IN A 2 MONTH PERIOD. *JB

TWICE IN 18 MONTHS THE ENTIRE FRONT GRILL OF OUR 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOURAEG HAS FLOWN OFF THE CAR, CRASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD, AND THEN BOUNCED OFF THE TOP OF THE CAR INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IN BOTH CASES THE MOTORIST, AND IN ONE CASE MOTORCYCLIST HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID BEING HIT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS IN SUMMER 2004. WE HAD IT REPAIRED AND VW ASSURED US IT WAS A FREAK INCIDENT, BUT IT OCCURRED AGAIN LAST SATURDAY. BOTH TIMES IT OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, BUT CERTAINLY NOT EXCESSIVELY. IT HAPPENED ONCE WHEN I WAS DRIVING, AND ONCE TO MY HUSBAND. THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL. THE GRILL DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LOOSE OR MAKING ANY RATTLING NOISES. WE FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT SERIOUS INJURY WAS AVOIDED, BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING DEFECT THAT WILL SOONER OR LATER LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE PEOPLE DRIVING BEHIND US IN PARTICULAR. *NM