2005 Volkswagen Touareg

Typical pattern

13.2% of complaints about the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is fuel / propulsion (16 complaints), typically at 13.2 yr or about 102,000 miles.

Complaints: 106
Median age at failure: 6.3 yr
Median mileage: 58,600 n=84
Crash / fire / tow: 1.9% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

17V583000 2017-09-20

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Touareg vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel filter flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

04V592000 2004-12-15

Seat belts

CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." ALL THREE REAR SEAT POSITIONS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER POSITION ARE EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS THAT HAVE A LOCKING FEATURE WHICH CONVERTS THE RETRACTOR FROM AN EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE TO AN AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE FOR THE PURPOSES OF CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLATION. THE BELT MAY DEACTIVATE THE ALR MODE WITH CERTAIN CHILD RESTRAINTS.

WHEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THE CHILD RESTRAINTS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SECURED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES OR DEATH.

In owners’ own words

Fuel / propulsion 141,323 mi 9.4 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED AN INACCURATE READING. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL TANK LEAKED GASOLINE CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,323.

Fuel / propulsion 77,000 mi 12.6 yr in service

THE TOP OF THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING CRACKED AND WAS LEAKING FUEL. THIS HOUSING IS UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CRACKS WEREN'T RELATED TO USAGE OF THE VEHICLE OR AN ACCIDENT. IT APPEARS TO BE GENERAL DETERIORATION OF THE PLASTIC. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM COVERED BY VW RECALL 20Z4 OR NHTSA REFERENCE #17V151000. HOWEVER THOSE ONLY COVER VEHICLES BACK TO 2007.

Fuel / propulsion 102,000 mi 12.9 yr in service

FUEL LEAKING AT FUEL PUMP FLANGE. STRONG FUEL VAPOR ODOR IN THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED.

Other Touareg model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2005 Volkswagen Touareg

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Touareg model years

How to read this