2012 Volkswagen Touareg Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Touareg years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. That ranks 7th out of 14 Touareg model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (6 complaints, 21%), typically at around 71,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 28owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Volkswagen Touareg problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 21% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 18% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 18% | 850 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 14% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 11% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 7% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 7% | 134,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 7% | 17,008 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 4% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | 125 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 4% | 73,900 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Volkswagen Touareg recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Unknown or other
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.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (EA11003) — opened Feb 7, 2011, closed Mar 27, 2015.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
After driving the car for approximately 30 minutes without any problems and turning it off, it would not turn the ignition back on, release the parking brake or shift out of âPâ. Several towing companies were unable to tow the vehicle due to the manufacturerâs failure to provide instructions…
I was driving to church on the morning of 2/16/25 when I heard a very loud âBoom.â 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…
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 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…
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that the driverâs 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…
Other Volkswagen Touareg years
← 2011 Touareg · 2013 Touareg →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Touareg | 24 | 1 |
| 2016 Touareg | 45 | 2 |
| 2015 Touareg | 24 | 2 |
| 2014 Touareg | 27 | 2 |
| 2013 Touareg | 30 | 2 |
| 2012 | 28 | 2 |
| 2011 Touareg | 16 | 2 |
| 2010 Touareg | 25 | 1 |
| 2009 Touareg | 19 | 2 |
| 2008 Touareg | 56 | 4 |
| 2007 Touareg | 9 | 3 |
| 2006 Touareg | 37 | 1 |
| 2005 Touareg | 75 | 2 |
| 2004 Touareg | 231 | 4 |
See all Volkswagen Touareg problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, engine, steering problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Touareg model years, the 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.