Volkswagen
Touareg

I was driving to church on the morning of 2/16/25 when I heard a very loud “Boom.” I thought something had hit the car. It sounded like a gun going off. When I pulled over to see what had happened I realized the right side mirror had exploded. The glass was completely gone with only the glue left on the back plate housing. Both mirrors were in the “off” position. Nothing hit the outside housing. The right side mirror simply exploded. Thank God the window was not down with a passenger in the right front seat. In cool weather I often drive with the window down. Someone could have been hurt. I have owned many cars but NEVER one with a side mirror that exploded. This design is DANGEROUS.

While driving my family around, the car lost engine power and came to a stop on a busy roadway leaving us stranded until a tow truck could arrive. There were no warnings or indications that anything was wrong. One minute, it was driving fine and out of nowhere, the engine shut off in the middle of the road leaving us blocking a lane and creating a dangerous situation. The dealership is claiming that the high pressure fuel pump suffered a catastrophic failure and that the entire fuel system needs to be replaced, which is going to cost more than $13,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled an oil odor and smoke odor in the interior of the vehicle. After a visual inspection, the contact observed oil leaking from underneath the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined the diesel particulate filter needed to be replaced but was unable to locate the part. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 124,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat belt unintendedly unlatched while driving at various speeds. Additionally, the contact stated that the clockspring was defective, causing several failures with the vehicle. The contact stated while tilting the steering wheel, the vehicle drifted away from the intended direction and the windshield wipers would activate to the fastest speed with windshield washer fluid spraying onto the windshield and the horn was blaring uncontrollably. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that there was an abnormal gasoline odor on the driver’s side of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact looked underneath the vehicle at the gas tank and noticed that gasoline was leaking from the fuel tank onto the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number 17V151000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The VIN was not included. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE SEAT BELT TO LATCH AND BE SECURE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AROUND JULY 2020.

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM ITS OWN FLANGE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE EXHAUST HEADER. ULTIMATELY CAUSING AN EXHAUST LEAK AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AND UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF POT HOLES) .

THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE/DECREASE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF MY 2012 TOUAREG TDI RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FUEL ECONOMY: PREVIOUS AVG FUEL ECONOMY WAS APPROX 27MPG AND IS NOW BARELY AVERAGING 16 MPG. NOTICED CONTINUAL DECREASE IN CAR PERFORMANCE AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE TO GARCIA VW DEALERSHIP IN SANTA FE, NM ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 3/6/18: GENERAL MAINTENANCE (AIR/CABIN/FUEL/ADBLUE MAINTENANCE/ AND TIRE CHANGE) 4/17/18: REPLACE A FAULTY RADIO WHICH SUDDENLY FAILED (DEALERSHIP HAD CAR FOR 8 DAYS) 6/7/18: CLEAN UP AD BLUE FUEL SPILL IN THE REAR SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT THE ENGINE NOW RUNS SIGNIFICANTLY LOUDER AND IS REVVING UP AND SURGING AT INTERVALS. IN ADDITION TO THE SUBSTANTIAL DROP IN FUEL ECONOMY, THE AVERAGE SPEED/MPH HAS BEEN LOCKED AT 13MPH AND DROPPED TO 12MPH ON JUNE 1, 2018. CHANGE IN ENGINE BEHAVIOUR: -ENGINE RUNS LOUDER AND IS REVVING UP WHEN IDLING,ACCELERATING, BREAKING,DOWNSHIFTING -SOUNDS LIKE THE FUEL INJECTION IS SLUGGISH WHEN ACCELERATING -STEERING WHEEL FEELS SLUGGISH WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND ACCELERATING THROUGH TURNS. VIBRATING SOUND WHEN TURNING. -STARTING IGNITION: LONGER PAUSE FOR IGNITION TO START AFTER TURNING THE KEY AND FOOT IS ON BRAKE. -SUSPENSION: SUSPENSION OF THE CAR ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHEN BRAKING AND SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A TANK SLIDING/ SHIFTING IN THE REAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. WHEN I INITIALLY HEARD THIS SOUND I OPENED THE TRUNK/CARGO AREA FOR THE SPARE TIRE AND FOUND DRIED AD BLUE SPILLED ALL OVER THE CARGO AREA INCLUDING DIRTY RAGS WHICH HAD BEEN USED TO WIPE UP ADBLUE AND STUFFED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUNK. -AIR CONDITIONER IS EMITTING A VERY STRONG NAUSEATING YEAST ODOR THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY AND ISN'T COOLING EFFICIENTLY. I HAVENT AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED ANY UPDATES MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE RE: THE 3.0 LITER GEN EPA/CARB MODIFICATIONS: I SUSPECT VEHICLE TAMPERING.