2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Complaints

REAR CENTER DRIVE SHAFT FROM GEARBOX TO DIFFERENTIAL, MIDDLE BEARING FAILS. VOLKSWAGEN ONLY SUPPLIES NEW SHAFTS FOR $1,400 NO BEARINGS OR EXCHANGE. THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF TOUAREGS ACCORDING THE CLUBTOUAREG FORUM. THIS IS A PREMATURE DESIGN FAILURE OF THIS CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR SERVICE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT THE BOLTS TO THE CALIPERS WERE FRACTURED ALONG WITH THE STEERING LINKS, WHICH WOULD ALSO NEED REPLACING. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKE DISK, CALIPERS, BRAKE LINING, BOLTS AND THE STEERING KNUCKLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,940. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000. UPDATED 11/12/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE HOLDING CALIPERS NOT FRACTURED, THREADS WERE BADLY RUSTED INTO STEERING KNUCKLE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF DRIVER SIDE STEERING KNUCKLE. THE FAILURES ARE NOT DUPLICATED ON THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER HAS THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OPERATED IN OFF ROAD CONDITION OR EXPOSED TO SALT WATER. UPDATED 12/11/2012 *JS

WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, A LOUD, REPETITIOUS BANG/CLUNK FROM THE MIDDLE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE STARTED, SOUNDING SIMILAR TO A BLOWN TIRE. NO ABNORMAL OPERATIONS NOTED PRIOR TO THIS. LIMPED THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AT 15 MPH AND FOUND THE CENTER DRIVESHAFT CARRIER BEARING FAILED. THE SERVICE TECH ACTED AS IF THIS WAS COMMON AND WAS NOT SURPRISED. I HAVE A 1981 MERCURY WITH OVER 305000 MILES AND NEVER LOST A BEARING IN MY DRIVESHAFT. MECHANICAL PARTS FAIL. THE WORST PART OF THIS EVENT IS VOA'S REACTION THAT SOMEHOW THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A POOR/WEAK DESIGN. LIST OF OTHER MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURES WITH NO RECALL THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL TOUAREGS OF THIS GENERATION ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY'S OWN SERVICE TECH'S: CENTER DIFFERENTIAL LOCK MOTOR FAIL REAR DIFF. LOCK MOTOR FAIL COOLING FANS DO NOT SHUT OFF, DRAIN BATTERY THERMOSTAT HOUSING LEAK RADIO FAILURE. *TR

IN PREVIOUS WEEKS, SEVERAL INTERMITTENT MIL LIGHTS FOR LOOSE GAS CAP CAME ON AND OFF. CHECKED CODES, FOUND "LARGE EVAP LEAK" IN THE MEMORY WHICH CONFIRMED THE GAS CAP SUSPICION. I FOUND SEVERAL SMALL CRACKS IN THE SEAL AND WAS PLANNING ON REPLACING THE CAP. FAINT GASOLINE ODOR COULD BE DETECTED AFTER SHUTDOWN AND WHILE STORED IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT. TODAY, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A FILL-UP TO THE AUTO SHUTOFF LEVEL, A LARGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE BEGAN DRIPPING FROM THE MID-LEFT UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HOT EXHAUST PARTS. (IGNITION OFF BUT STILL VERY HOT). I ESTIMATE AT LEAST 2-3 CUPS OF FUEL WAS SPILLED. NO MIL LIGHT AT THE TIME. I INSPECTED THE LEFT FUEL PUMP AREA AND FOUND A SEVERE FUEL LEAK (SOURCE NOT DETERMINED) ON THE EXPOSED TOP OF THE PUMP, SUBMERGING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IN FUEL. WHAT IS MOST CONCERNING IS THE RATHER BENIGN "GASCAP" WARNING AND THEN THE MAJOR FUEL LEAK. THE MANUAL STATES IF THE MIL FLASHES AT ANY TIME, TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. AT NO TIME DID THE MIL FLASH. IN FACT, IT WENT OUT BY ITSELF AT LEAST 3 TIMES AND WAS NOT ON AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR

I WENT TO START THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND A RED WARNING ICON APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I LOOKED IT UP IN THE OWNERS MANUAL WHICH STATED THE ICON INDICATED A STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. FURTHER, THE IGNITION KEY THEN STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH/LOCK AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED. AS A RESULT THE TRUCK'S TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR COULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE "PARK" DETENT. THIS RESULTED IN MY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK TO A POSITION WHERE A TOW TRUCK COULD ACCESS THE CAR UNTIL THE SNOW MELTED TWO MONTHS LATER. THE VW AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILURE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. FURTHER, THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE MODE FOR THIS MODEL AND THEY BELIEVED A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN WAS IMMINENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. IF IT HAD FAILED WHILE BEING DRIVEN THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. ALSO VW MARKETS THIS TRUCK AS SUITABLE FOR OFF ROAD TRAVEL IN REMOTE PLACES, IF IT FAILED WHILE I WAS IN A REMOTE AREA, I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED AND PLACED IN GRAVE PERIL SINCE I WOULD NOT BEEN ABLE TO ROLL THE TRUCK TO AN AREA SUITABLE FOR RECOVERY OR FLAT TOW IT IF NECESSARY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE FROM MY HOUSE (2 MILES) WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR NOT DRIVING NORMALLY. I HAD DRIVEN IT THE 3 PREVIOUS DAYS WITH NO PROBLEM. I FINISHED MY ERRAND, THEN PROCEEDED TO HEAD HOME. IT WAS NOTICEABLY GETTING WORSE. I SMELLED SOMETHING AT A STOPLIGHT, NOT SURE IF IT WAS MY CAR, OR CAR ALONGSIDE OF ME. I SAW A LIGHT HAD COME ON, ON MY DASHBOARD (CK. ENGINE?) AND LOOKED AT THE GAUGES, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I DECIDED TO HEAD HOME FIRST TO HAVE MY NEIGHBOR FOLLOW ME UP TO REPAIR SHOP. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, WENT INSIDE MY HOME TO CALL HER, LOOKED OUT MY OPEN FRONT DOOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER WHERE I SAW SMOKE AND SMELLED IT. RAN OUT, MY AUTO WAS SERIOUSLY SMOKING HEAVY BROWN SMOKE, RAN NEXT DOOR TO CALL 911, AND AUTO BURST INTO FLAMES AND CAUGHT HOUSE ON FIRE ALSO. I AM NOW IN A HOTEL BECAUSE OF MAJOR FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE. *KB

CONSTANT REPAIR OF 2004 VW TOUAREG: THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN CERTIFIED IN ALL STATES OF THE UNION AS BEING A CERTIFIED LEMON. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A FAN SENSOR WHICH IS A CERTIFIED VW DEFECT, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE COST, REPAIR AND LABOR IN THE AMOUNT OF $550 AND FURTHER, THE VEHICLE LEFT ME STRANDED BECAUSE THE FAULTY SENSOR ALLOWED A FAN TO KEEP BLOWING THEREBY DRAINING MY BATTERY COMPLETELY. REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DISINTEGRATED DURING HEAVY RAIN AND COST 65 TO REPAIR ALTHOUGH THE PIECE LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING A CHILD PUT TOGETHER. FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER FLEW OFF OF CAR WHILE RAINING, CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER AND BE STRANDED ONCE AGAIN. I GOT STRANDED AGAIN BECAUSE THE VW ENGINE COILS BURNT OUT WITHOUT NOTICE LEAVING ME STRANDED IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN CHICAGO. I HAD TO GET A NEW BATTERY BUT WAS CHARGED $250 FOR THE BATTERY AND INSTALLATION BECAUSE VW CHOSE TO PUT THE BATTERY UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT. NOT THREE WEEKS HAVE PASSED AND I HAVEN'T EVEN DRIVEN THE VEHICLE BUT BOTH FUEL PUMPS AND THE FLANGE MODULE HAVE GONE OUT. I HAD TO PAY $1500 FOR LABOR, PARTS, SHOP AND REPAIRS. VEHICLE HAS 91,000 AND BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE GONE OUT AGAIN FOR THE 3RD TIME. RIGHT DOOR OPENS WHEN DRIVING ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS LOCKED, WHICH IS ANOTHER CERTIFIED DEFECT. VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND THEN HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO SPEED UP ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

2004 VW TOUREG FAULT WITH AIRBAGS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ALL OF THE AIRBAGS TO BE DEACTIVATED. THE WIRING IS ROUTED AROUND THE HORN WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ONE SIDE OF THE HORN TO NOT WORK. UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE. MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD. THE AIRBAG BARELY HIT MY UPPER BODY AND THEN IT SEEMED 3/4 DEFLATED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I DON'T THINK THE AIRBAG WAS WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE I WOULD THINK FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE BEEN ALOT FULLER AND WOULD HAVE ME PINNED UP AGAINST MY DRIVER SEAT, BUT IT DID NOT. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT MY CAR WITHOUT A STRUGGLE AND DON'T REMEMBER EVEN TOUCHING THE AIRBAG WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE OTHER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO WHEN YOU GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. I GUESS I'M LUCKY THAT WHEN I HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT THE IMPACT WAS NOT HARDER, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE KEPT ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH GREAT FORCE OR EVEN SAVING MY LIFE. I PLAN TO CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN DIRECTLY ABOUT MY COMPLAINT AS WELL. *TR

EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED THE WARNING LIGHT SHOWS THAT THE PARKING BRAKE IS ENGAGED. I NEVER USE THE PARKING BRAKE. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THAT THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS TO BE "HAND LIFTED" TO CLEAR THE WARNING LIGHT. WHEN I TRIED THIS IT DID CLEAR THE WARNING LIGHT FROM THE DASH. MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD MY PARKING BRAKE BE ENGAGED IF I NEVER HAVE USED THE PARKING BRAKE? IT MAY JUST BE SOME MALFUNCTION WITH THEIR WARNING LIGHTS OR SENSORS, BUT HOW I AM I TO KNOW IF THIS IS A REAL PARKING BRAKE WARNING? *TR