2004 Volkswagen Touareg Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Touareg describe a long list of mostly electronic and driveline complaints, with many filed in the first couple of years of ownership at relatively low mileage. Frequently reported themes include hesitant or harsh transmission behavior, random electrical faults (alarms, door locks, warning lights), faulty tire pressure monitoring, and airbag warning lights. Fuel-system problems tend to appear much later, often past 90,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission hesitation, harsh or delayed shifting

   • 56 complaints (24%)
   • median 36,400 mi at 3.6 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,400 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2018

   Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, lurching when accelerating from a stop, and on some vehicles the transmission seeming to drop into neutral while driving. Owners report repeated dealer visits with software reflashes, module replacement, or whole transmission replacement, and some say the transmission was described as not serviceable. Several mention the cost of a gearbox or transmission replacement as very high. Reported from very low mileage up to the 90,000-105,000 mile range, with many under 40,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive the vehicle from a cold start and from a stop, watching for hesitation, lurching, or delayed engagement. Ask whether the transmission control module was reflashed and whether any transmission or transfer case work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At 94,000 miles transmission problems, told transmission non-serviceable vw does not recommend any transmission fluid replacement. Could be gear box cost $2400 or entire transmission cost $7,000. Vwa will pay $1,000 to our choice of gear box or transmission replacement but if we choose wrong repair will not pay for anything further! Vwa obviously is aware of problem and designed the transmission in such a way that it can't be serviced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10354882, filed 2010-09, 92,000 miles

   “Car: 2004 Volkswagen Touareg v6 SUV 38,900miles problem: car frequently jerks while slowing down (at speeds between 20-40mph). Was told drive shaft was damaged and needed to be replaced at a cost of $1,150 parts plus labor of approx. $1,000 which included computer diagnostic. Upon pick up from mechanic problem still persisted so I took the car back to mechanic. I was told that damaged drive shaft damaged 2 valves in the transmission which now also need replacing at a cost of $1600. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10326523, filed 2010-04, 38,800 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical gremlins: alarm, locks, warning lights, stalling

   • 65 complaints (28%)
   • median 42,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (50 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2019

   Owners describe random electrical faults: the alarm sounding on its own, doors that will not unlock or unlatch, switches that stop working, and warning lights or messages appearing without a clear cause. Some complaints mention the engine stalling or refusing to start, traced by dealers to the alternator, battery, steering column lock, or wiring harness. Several report the problems returned after repairs. Mostly reported below 35,000 miles, often within the first two years of ownership.

   Recall 03V2660005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test every lock, remote, switch, window and warning light, and ask whether the battery has been replaced or has a history of going flat. Check for prior harness or steering column lock repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2004 vw Touareg, in the first year of ownership the car has been in the shop or in alarm mode for 220 days. I have had the car in eight times for a tire scrubbing problem and three times for an alarm problem. I have noe filed a law suit and sold the car without ever hearing any concerns from vw.”

   NHTSA complaint #10125126, filed 2005-06, 400 miles

   “I've been having various problems with the electrical system on my 2004 vw Touareg from the purchase date of 08/19/03. The alarm would sound, without cause, the doors would not unlock and various switches would not work at times. All of the problems were random. I brought the car in for repair several times. But, the problems were not fixed. In april 2006, my car battery was replaced because it was no longer handling a charge. The battery change was a warranty item. After the battery change, the electrical problems became more frequent. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10162259, filed 2006-07, 33,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light and deployment concerns

   • 28 complaints (12%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2021

   Owners report the airbag warning light coming on, sometimes after a battery change, and dealers diagnosing seat airbag or harness faults. Some complaints describe airbags not deploying in a collision or deploying unexpectedly, and others mention repeated harness connector repairs for the front airbag wiring. Several say the light returned after repair. Spread from low mileage to around 90,000-134,000 miles, with many reports between 50,000 and 90,000 miles.

   Recall 04V592000Recall 04V2330001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light is off at start-up and ask whether any airbag harness, connector or module repairs were done. Have any stored airbag fault codes read before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Both right and left side front airbag wiring harnesses required repair within 600 miles of first incident to correct prior repairs to replace harness connectors with spliced wire under voluntary service pack recall . Both repairs were triggered by airbag fault light on dash. You had done an investigation in 2006 on this. Vw would not cover the repairs because I was out of warranty . It cost me $600 to fix the problem and I have no assurance from the dealer it won't occur again or that I will need new harnesses or airbag modules.”

   NHTSA complaint #10631849, filed 2014-09, 101,202 miles

   “- while traveling 40 MPH on a state road another vehicle slid into contact's vehicle, impacting the Volkswagen on the driver's side front fender to the back of the vehicle. Vehicle spun around and the passenger's side struck a guard rail. None of the airbags deployed during the crash. A police report and pictures were taken. Updated 02/06/07.”

   NHTSA complaint #10178054, filed 2007-01, 64,000 miles
4. 4
   Tires

   Tire pressure monitoring system false warnings

   • 23 complaints (10%)
   • median 2,297 mi at 0.7 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2018

   Complaints describe the tire pressure warning light or chime coming on intermittently even when tire pressures are correct. Owners report multiple dealer visits, sensor or switch replacement and resets, with the warning returning afterward. Some also describe uneven or rapid tire wear and pulling to one side. Frequently reported at very low mileage, often under 5,000 miles.

   Recall 03V266000

   What to check: Ask whether the TPMS sensors were replaced and whether the warning light stays off over a few days of driving. Check tire wear patterns on both sides for uneven wear.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Tire monitoring system failed. This is a recurring problem, hopefully will soon be classified as a recall. I have taken the vehicle to vw service 5 times in the last 3 months to get this issue fixed, but either the service bulletins are inadequate or the service dept at abq dealership incompetent. Regardless they have not been able to solve the problem. The error (monitoring failure) light comes on sporadically informing me that there is a problem with at least one of the tires. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10058652, filed 2004-02, 400 miles

   “The vehicle comes equipped with a tire pressure sensor. This sensor failed and registered that the tire pressure was low in one or more tires when the tire pressure is fine. The dealership has replaced the sensor and rotated the tires but the failure still occurs. Also the entire body of the vehicle shok at about 40 MPH. Please provide additional information.”

   NHTSA complaint #10075654, filed 2004-06, 2,297 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel odor and fuel pump or injector problems

   • 24 complaints (10%)
   • median 101,000 mi at 14.0 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,164 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2025

   Complaints describe a strong fuel smell, fuel leaking, and difficulty starting or stalling that dealers traced to the fuel pump, filter flange or injectors. Some owners mention fuel injector replacement and, in one case, a partially filled cylinder leading to engine damage. One owner reported the fuel pump failing again after the recall repair was performed. Mostly reported past 80,000 miles, often above 100,000 miles.

   Recall 17V5830001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Look for fuel smell around the rear of the vehicle and under the rear seat area, and ask whether recall 17V583000 (fuel filter flange) was completed. Ask whether injectors or the fuel pump have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I received a letter from Volkswagen of america, in march of 2018, stating that there is a safety recall 20ai-fuel pump flange for my make and model of vehicle. I had already had that repair done, due to a severe leak in my fuel pump (gas was pouring out of the bottom of the vehicle as as fast as I was pumping the gas in on one occasion). I had to have my vehicle towed to a repair facility and couldn't drive it until it was repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11099448, filed 2018-06, 93,000 miles

   “The Touareg made some rattling noise while I was driving at 35 MPH. As soon I stopped and made it my destination and turned off the car the car wouldn't start up. I took it to the dealership and the dealership couldn't figure out why the car wouldn't start. Finally, after a well over a week, they determined that I needed to replace all six fuel injectors. The fuel injectors got replaced now the car turns on but as soon as you step on the gas the car dies.”

   NHTSA complaint #11114294, filed 2018-07, 168,835 miles

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.