Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg — assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its 17-character VIN to decode that exact car — its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment — alongside these records. Free, no account.
Run a VIN →Recalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Volkswagen Touareg year.
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for this make/model/year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car — check with a dealer using the VIN.
Issue: 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: 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.
Campaign 18V329000
Issue: 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: 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.
Campaign 16V170000
Rated configuration: 2015 Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD
The parts named most often across 24 owner complaintsfiled with NHTSA for this make, model and year — the closest free answer to “what is likely to go wrong?”
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so treat this as where to look, not a defect rate.
Collision Avoidance Camera (Part Number: 7P6907217BZ1Y) has failed. The camera is still on the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. All front assist/safety systems are unavailable, including cruise control. Systems are designed specifically to prevent collisions. The dealer (Volkswagen of Corpus Christi) has confirmed the issue as of September 4, 2023. The control module is failing all over the world, on various vehicle brands (Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen) and models. A replacement is not available, new or used. This was confirmed by the dealership.
The Driver Assistance System (Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Collision Avoidance, AEB, and Lane Departure/Lane Keeping system) all do not work. The VW dealers have said the Front Collision Avoidance Camera is not working. The system was intermittently working, then stopped working on the interstate highway in the left lane. The car failed to warn/slow/break automatically while the ACC function was activated, forcing me to engage the brakes manually to avoid a collision. The ACC/Front Collision warning light goes on now but did not when it first malfunctioned, and still only goes on intermittently but the system does not work at all. I had two local VW dealers check out the Driver Assist system. One said the entire system is not working. Another said the fault codes are emanating from the Front Collision Avoidance Camera. This is VW part 7P6907217BZ1Y. I ordered the part in November 2023 from a OKC VW dealer online (since it was the best price.) They then told me the part was unavailable/on back order. However, it has been 7 months and there is no ETA on the part availability. The dealer sent me a text message exchange with VW and that is what VW told the dealer. I am concerned VW is no longer making the part as required by 49 U.S.C. 30118-30119 and/or 49 U.S.C. 30120. I am part of VW Touareg owner forums. There are other Touareg (and other VW model) owners who report this same problem, lack of part availability, and no info from VW on whether they are even trying to obtain/supply this part any longer. I believe this is a serious, widespread safety issue based on reading other complaints online by Touareg/VW owners who have ACC/Driver Assist, who face the same dilatory action by VW to perhaps avoid fixing this issue until their legal obligation to manufacture the part expires. The parts and overall ACC/Collision Avoidance systems are very pricey, and this is a direct safety issue. thank you
Collision avoidance system / cruise control malfunction
Question 1: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Answer 1: Collision Avoidance Camera. The camera can be removed from the vehicle and shipped for inspection. Question 2: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Answer 2: All front safety feature stop working. Collision avoidance warning, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control. Question 3: Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Answer 3: Yes. This is a well documented failure. Onboard data shows a communication failure with the camera. The car has been diagnosed with a failure in the front AAC camera. This camera is failing all over the world, in numerous years and models. Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and VW Touareg. A replacement is not available, new or used. Question 4: Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Answer 4: Car starts and runs without warning for a time. All of a sudden a warning appears that the Accident Avoidance system is not functioning. I no longer have any front facing safety features. This camera has a high failure rate. If being used and it fails an accident is very possible.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated while her husband was stopped at a traffic light, he started to hear an abnormal sound. The driver stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the catalytic converter to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts not being available. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,500.
The car at half tank will read as being empty. Fuel pump flange? The car will have gas and then randomly show fuel error and drop to empty. The car is drivable and then while drive will switch to empty back to half full mode. Less of the worry the adaptive cruise control and fwd collision warning freeze/not working
Today, engine completely cut off in the middle of traffic (20-30 MPH), loss of power steering and breaking power. Engine dashboard yellow message appeared. I experience this several times before and previously brought to the attention of VW service department and some ECU repairs and engine sensor repairs were done - but the problem continues to happen. Sometimes engine cuts off simply at idle (e.g. waiting at traffic light) but loss of engine power together with power steering and breaks is very concerning when driving.
WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE CAN BE A HUGE LAG IN TIME FROM WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO WHEN THE CAR REACTS AND ACCELERATES.IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WHICH IS WHERE THE DANGER ARISES. THIS STARTED WHEN VW "FIXED" THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALLER GAP TO GET INTO IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE VW RETUNED THE CAR. I WORRY ABOUT MY WIFE AND KIDS GETTING HIT BY SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THE LAG/HESITATION THAT IS OCCURRING. VW SHOULD FIX THIS ISSUE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS.
OUR 2015 TOUAREG TDI WITH 35,000MI LOST POWER ON INTERSTATE 10. THE VEHICLE WAS IN 'LIMP' MODE AND ONLY ABLE TO REACH A SPEED OF 20MPH IN A 75MPH ZONE ON INTERSTATE 10. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WE MADE IT TO A DEALER IN LAS CRUCES, NM. AFTER THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS WATER IN THE AIR FILTER, THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE AIR FLOW SENSOR. AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH WE DISCOVERED THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE EXTERIOR DRAIN SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES WATER TO FLOW INTO THE AIR INTAKE, THRU THE AIR FILTER, THRU THE TURBO, AND ULTIMATELY INTO THE ENGINE. THE UNDIRECTED EXTERIOR DRAIN WATER DAMAGES THE AIR FILTER, THE TURBO, AND, IN SOME CASES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE WILL FAIL. I WAS TOLD OUR 2015 TOUAREG TDI WOULD NEED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO REPLACE THE TURBO AT A COST OF $4,000-$5,000.
WATER INTRUSION IN AIR FILTER CAUSING MULTIPLE MALFUNCTIONS AND SEVERE LOSS OF POWER. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING, DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER, GLOW PLUG FLASHING, AND CHECK ENGINE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED AIR FILTER AND MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR AND CHARGED $500+ FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS A VW CPO AND STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATED I MUST HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH DEEP WATER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, WHICH I DID NOT. IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED MY DRIVING THROUGH 3-4 FEET OF WATER. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR REPLACED IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. I HAVE NOTICED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE AND ALSO THAT VW HAS RECALLED THIS VEHICLE IN CHINA FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT NOT THE USA. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING.
AFTER A RAINSTORM WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT AN ANGLE I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED IT WAS MAKING AN ODD SOUND. DISCOVERED THAT THE FIXTURE THAT HOLDS THE AIR FILTER WAS CONTAINED WATER AND THE AIR FILTER WAS SOPPING WET. INGESTION OF WATER INTO THE ENGINE CAN CAUSE ISSUES SUCH AS HYDROLOCKING. *TR
THROTTLE LAG. WHEN I PULL OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IT IS DANGEROUS. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LAG BETWEEN WHEN I HIT THE PEDAL AND WHEN THE CAR MOVES. IF I THROW THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, IT IS NOT BETTER. IT IS DANGEROUS. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR WITH SUCH AWFUL RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE.
Showing 12 of 24 complaints.
Over 5 years this costs $8,750 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.