2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Complaints

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]

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON 4 TIMES INDICATING A FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM. VW HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY DEFECT DESPITE HAVING THE CAR OVER 6 WEEKS TOTAL. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT OR REFUND PURCHASE PRICE OF A 5 MONTH OLD VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED, FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

2004 TOUAREG THAT HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE BATTERY FAILURES DUE TO EXCESSIVE DRAW. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE LEFT UNATTENDED FOR MORE THAN 3-4 DAYS W/OUT EXPERIENCING BATTERY FAILURE. HAS BEEN TO VW SERVICE ON 3 OCCASSIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 40 BUSINESS DAYS. THE CAR HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILURES WHICH COULD PROVIDE ERRONEOUS INFORMATION DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE TIRE CONDITION. ACCORDINGLY, THE VEHICLE ISS UNRELIABLE, PRONE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WHICH COULD IMPACT OPERATOR, PASSENGER AND OTHER MOTORIST SAFETY.

SAME AS OTHERS ON SITE HAVE NOTED: THE 2003 TOUAREG V8 HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN A SURGE FORWARD WHEN THE ENGINE FINALLY "CATCHES." I FIND THIS VERY DANGEROUS. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ACTION (UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DRIVE WITH THEM TO DEMONSTRATE -- BUT WILL THIS WEEK). I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THE NHTSA TO HELP TOUAREG OWNERS BY FORCING VW TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE AND FIND A RESOLUTION BEFORE AN INJURY OCCURS. *JB

MY VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WHICH IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND FROM A STANDING START, DOES NOT RESPOND TO SMALL INCREMENTAL INPUT ON THE ACCELARATOR PEDAL. INSTEAD, ONCE THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ENOUGH, THE THROTTLE RESPONDS AND THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD. THIS TYPE OF THROTTLE RESPONSE IS DANGEROUS, IN THAT IN A PARKING LOT, OR WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, OR WHEN IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR, IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD SLOWLY (UNDER 10 MPH). SOONER OR LATER, THE ACTION OF THE THROTTLE WILL CAUSE A DRIVER TO EITHER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PERHAPS A PEDESTRIAN. I HAVE CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM AS WELL. THEY DID NOT INDICATE IF THEY ARE WORKING ON RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM OR NOT. MY SELLING DEALER WAS AWARE OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM TOUREG OWNERS, BUT ALSO HAS NOT RECEIVED A SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL FROM VW AS TO HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WOULD ASSUME, SINCE IT'S AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE, THAT THE PROGRAM EMBEDDED WITHIN SOME COMPUTER CHIP WITHIN THE ECU WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONE HAVING A MODIFIED PROGRAM TO BETTER CONTROL THE THROTTLE RESPONSE CURVE.*AK

2004 VW TOUAREG - TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM HAS BEEN FAULTY ALMOST DAILY SINCE PURCHASE - VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR WITH NO SUCESS - INCLUDING REPLACING THE TIRE PRESSURE SWITCH. *AK

STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG MODULE (HORN AREA) "POPPED" OUT OF PLACE WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. AIRBAG MODULE WAS THEN NO LONGER SEATED PROPERLY. *AK

TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILED. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, HOPEFULLY WILL SOON BE CLASSIFIED AS A RECALL. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO VW SERVICE 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED, BUT EITHER THE SERVICE BULLETINS ARE INADEQUATE OR THE SERVICE DEPT AT ABQ DEALERSHIP INCOMPETENT. REGARDLESS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE ERROR (MONITORING FAILURE) LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY INFORMING ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE TIRES. I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET FIXED, THEY RESET THE MOTORING SYSTEM AND A FEW DAYS LATER THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. AS OF TODAY THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE LAST STEP IN THE SERVICE TECH BULLETIN. PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVED. *JB

ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS WAS MOUNTED TOO CLOSE TO THE MANIFOLD. THE CLAMP FOR THESE WIRES BECAME TOO HOT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK *JB