2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Complaints

AFTER PURCHASING AN 08 TOUAREG WITH 120000 MILES, I HAVE FOUND IT TO HAVE A VERY LOUD STEERING NOISE, LIKE A BLENDER ON LOW SPEED SETTING. ALONG WITH THE NOISE, IT SEEMS TO LOSE SOME IF NOT ALL STEERING. ALL OF THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS BELLOW 1000 RPM, WHETHER IT BE STATIONARY, MOVING, IN REVERSE OR NOT. IF THE RPM IS ABOVE THAT, STEERING IS NORMAL, NO SOUND IS HEARD, AND ALL IS NORMAL. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN PARKING, AS IT IS A LOW SPEED LOW RPM SITUATION. I HAVE READ ABOUT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE, AND GOING THROUGH A RUNAROUND CYCLE WITH VW ON REPLACING THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE STEERING RACK, AND MORE MULTIPLE TIMES. ALL VW REPS ARE "COMING TO THE CONCLUSION" IN THEIR MINDS THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP US TOUAREG, AND PASSAT OWNERS, AND THEY KEEP TELLING US IT'S NORMAL. THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP THIS FROM BECOMING A RECALL FOR TOO LONG. I AM INCLUDING A LINK TO A FORUM THAT HAS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. THANKYOU. HTTP://WWW.CLUBTOUAREG.COM/FORUMS#/TOPICS/41443?PAGE=1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKES BEING SERVICED, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A SEVERE FUEL LEAK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO BEING MADE AWARE BY THE MECHANIC. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V151000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,864.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. WHEN THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND PROCEEDED TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE IF THE BATTERY NEEDED A JUMP; HOWEVER, NOTHING APPEARED ABNORMAL. WHEN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WAS MADE, THE MANIFOLD EXPLODED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE, WHICH PRODUCED SMOKE AND CAUSED PLASTIC PIECES TO FLY EVERYWHERE. A PIECE OF PLASTIC STRUCK THE EYE OF THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ISSUE WAS COMMON AND THE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, INCLUDING SEVERAL OTHER PARTS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE EXPLOSION. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECALL THE PARTS THAT NEEDED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE STUTTERED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED INTO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND RAN A DIAGNOSIS. TEST REVEALED A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. I CALLED HARPER VW IN KNOXVILLE AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT IN. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AT A COST OF $6,500. VEHICLE HAD 78,000 MILES TIMING CHAIN SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE CHAIN HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE QUIT SUDDENLY CREATING A SEROUS TRAFFIC PROBLEM. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT VW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON HUNDREDS OF CARS WITH THIS ENGINE AND HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR SAFETY WARNING.

UNDERNEATH THE CAR AROUND THE REAR END, THERE IS AN OBVIOUS LEAKING OF FUEL ( USUALLY OBSERVED AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING OFF CAR). THE LEAKED FUEL CAN FORM A SMALL PUDDLE. IT WILL STOP AFTER A WHILE. BUT JUDGING FROM THE SITUATION THIS LEAK CAN BECOME BIGGER AND BIGGER, WHICH COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AND IS A FIRE HAZARD. I AM NOT A SPECIALIST ON CARS, BUT SINCE I AM NOT A FREQUENT DRIVER AND NEVER DRIVE CARS TO UNEVEN SAND ROADS, THEREFORE THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FUEL TANK ITSELF AND MAYBE ITS DESIGN IS MOST POSSIBLE FOR THE CAUSE OF THE THIS PROBLEM.

SEAT BELT RETRACTORS, FIRST REAR PASSENGER BELT STOP RETRACTING, THEN REAR CENTER BELT BECAME UNUSABLE BECAUSE IT ONLY RETRACTS SYNCHING TIGHTER AS FOLD DOWN SEAT OPERATED. NOW, DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS LOOSING ITS ABILITY TO RETRACT INTO COLUMN. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED BUT THE SEATING POSITIONS ARE UNUSABLE. VW WANTS CLOSE TO $1,000 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AND CENTER SEAT BELTS AND RETRACTORS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED OR PARKED, THE FUMES WERE VERY STRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

HUGE FIRE/ HEALTH HAZARD: THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING IS CRACKED IN OUR CAR CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL TO SPILL OUT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE (3-4 DROPS/ SEC). THE FUEL POOLS IN THE FRAME AND UNDER-BODY FIRST UNTIL THE FRAME BECOMES SO FULL THAT IT SPILLS OUT. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2004-2012 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG/ PORSCHE CAYENNE, AND VERY VISIBLE ONLINE. IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FUEL PUMPS ARE LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER REAR SEATS, AND FUELS POOLS INSIDE THE COVERS IN AT THOSE LOCATIONS AND AROUND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. THESE LEAKS CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS (MY WIFE/KIDS) TO BE EXPOSED TO SEVERE GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE CAR CAUSING THEM DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, AND HEADACHES. THIS PROBLEM WILL CAUSE A FIRE AND KILL PEOPLE. VOLKSWAGEN IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM AND ESCALATED IT WITH NO RESULTS. *TR

FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS, I STARTED TO HAVE A SMELL OF GAS ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR FROM OUTSIDE. PROGRESSIVELY, THE SMELL HAS GET STRONGER AND STRONGER, GETTING ALSO INSIDE THE CAR. I PUT THE CAR ON A LIFT AND REALIZE THAT THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ON THE DRIVER SIDE LOCATED BELOW THE REAR SEAT WAS COVERED BY GAS LEAK. IT IS ALSO SPILLING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT IS JUST ON THE SIDE OF THAT TANK AT EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURE. THIS IS SURELY A SCENARIO FOR DISASTER. THE LEAK IS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE LEFT SIDE TANK AT THE FUEL PUMP LOCATION. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. I WILL TAKE MY CAR TO VOLKSWAGEN TO ASK THEM TO REPAIR IT. BY LOOKING ON INTERNET FORUMS, I REALIZED THAT THIS IS NOT A ISOLATED INCIDENT, I FOUND REPEATING ENTRIES OF THAT FUEL PUMP LEAK FAILURE... THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WILL CERTAINLY END UP IN A FIRE... *TR

THE CAR STARTED TO SMELL LIKE GAS EVEN AFTER HOURS IN THE GARAGE. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHICH THEY SAID THAT IT CAN BE A GAS LEAK. *JS