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Volkswagen TouaregModel year report

2006 Volkswagen Touareg Problems

Complaints
37filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
68,500miles, 29 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.2L 6-cyl 4WD/AWD · 14 city / 19 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 37 consumer complaints for the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg. The part named most often is fuel system, with 13 complaints (35% of the total), followed by electrical system (7) and transmission and drivetrain (5). 29 of the complaints include a mileage, and 28% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 68,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 332 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the fuel pump and 24 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 87 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Latches, locks and linkages (1), Other or unknown (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “I got my car repaired for this issue after smelling gas leakage before vw released the relevant recall campaign. I sent vw all receipt for repair paid by my pocket money, but vw refused to reimburse for my expense because I got it repaired too early. I did on 09/17/2014 but vw states that only the repair was done between 09/20/2016 and 03/19/2018. This is ridiculous answer. I am here attaching all the receipt and the letter from vw . Car is currently in motion after repair.”

NHTSA complaint #11156841, filed 2018-12, 70,000 miles

Electrical system: “I am an automobile insurance adjuster. A 2006 vw Touareg belonging to one of my customers caught fire at his work. He had taken the car to lunch, then back to work. 30 minutes after his return to work, the engine caught fire. The fire department put it out. Both a Volkswagen representative and a forensics engineer hired by the insurance company have inspected the damage. The preliminary finding is a faulty ignition coil. It appears vw is going to 'total' this customer's car under warranty, and pay for its replacement. …”

NHTSA complaint #10311165, filed 2010-02, 32,667 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I noticed a small vibration coming from the bottom around the middle of the vehicle. When I took it to a mechanic I was told that the hanger bearing and that the hanger bearing is not an available part hat the entire driveshaft needs to be replaced for $1,400.! The car is only two weeks out of warranty with only 51,000 miles so I took it to Volkswagen. Volkswagen said that they will not fix it under warranty because I am two weeks out but, if I had been a loyal customer, meaning if I had all my service done by vw they would have covered it! Really! …”

NHTSA complaint #10443572, filed 2012-01, 51,000 miles

Air bags: “In order to flip backseats down to give rear more cargo space the front seats must be moved forward. However when front seats are slid forward more then a few inches the wires for the airbag sensors under the seats are torn and ripped out of place since the harness is to short. This in turn disables the airbags. Vw is aware of this issue and makes customers buy a new wiring harness that is long enough to move seats forward with out tearing to repair the issue.”

NHTSA complaint #10447241, filed 2012-02, 81,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

28% of the 29 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 42,000 and 82,700 miles.

7%0–1010%10–2510%25–5031%50–7524%75–1007%100–15010%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (29 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 68,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’07’09’126’14’16’18’20’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Touareg · sedan AWDnot rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2006 Volkswagen Touareg version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Touareg 4WD/AWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic141916$5,150
Touareg 4WD/AWD4.2L 8-cyl6-speed automatic121714$5,850
Touareg 4WD/AWD5.0L 10-cyl · diesel6-speed automatic152017$5,650

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 332 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 332 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volkswagen Touareg

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20172412,3461—19—Falling
20164519,6462—1950 · TypicalFalling
20152439,1153—19—Stable
20142732,0003—1958 · TypicalFalling
20133036,6643—1943 · TypicalStable
20122840,0004—1950 · TypicalRising
20111634,7504—19—Falling
20102570,0001—160 · FewerFalling
20091975,6252—16—Falling
20085689,0004—1655 · TypicalFalling
2007959,4603—16—Not enough data
20063768,5001—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20057570,0002—16Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200423135,0004—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Volkswagen Touareg model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg have?

NHTSA recorded 37 consumer complaints for the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 13 complaints (35% of the total), followed by electrical system with 7.

Has the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg get?

The EPA rates the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg (Touareg, 3.2L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 19 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2006 Volkswagen Touareg reported?

Among the 29 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 68,500 miles and the middle half falls between 42,000 and 82,700 miles; 28% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.