2012 Volkswagen Touareg recalls and problems

The 2012 Volkswagen Touareg has 2 recalls and 28 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg
Photo: 2012 Volkswagen Touareg by OSX, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2012 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 14 Touareg model years — 7th most.

2recalls
28complaints
1crashes
0fires
3injuries
40,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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2 recalls

Unknown or other

May 16, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V329000 · 252 vehicles

Problem: 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 evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy & notes

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Mar 24, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V170000 · 46,574 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2012: 2 complaints20122013: 2 complaints2014: 4 complaints20142015: 2 complaints2016: 8 complaints201682018: 2 complaints2019: 1 complaints20192021: 1 complaints2022: 1 complaints20222023: 2 complaints2024: 1 complaints20242025: 1 complaints2026: 1 complaints20261

NHTSA investigations

High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

EA11003 · opened Feb 7, 2011 · closed Mar 27, 2015
Summary

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous …

2012 vs. other Volkswagen Touareg years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg, the latest from May 16, 2018 (unknown or other). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (8), engine (6), steering (5). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.