2012 Volkswagen Touareg: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
28
Complaints
2
Recalls
1
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
3
Injuries
100.0
Severity index
Severity index 100.0 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 | 21.4% |
| STEERING | 5 | 17.9% |
| ENGINE | 5 | 17.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 | 14.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 | 10.7% |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 | 7.1% |
| AIR BAGS | 2 | 7.1% |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 2 | 7.1% |
The single most-reported system is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, cited in 6 of 28 complaints (21.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V329000 | 16/05/2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal |
| 16V170000 | 24/03/2016 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.