2004 Volkswagen Touareg Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

“THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN (OR WHILE IT'S DRIVING, BUT IT'S NOT OFTEN I'M OUTSIDE OF THE CAR WHILE IT'S RUNNING). THIS IS DUE TO THE PLASTIC HOUSING ON THE FUEL PUMP THAT HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND IS LEAKING GASOLINE”

“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”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FUELED UP, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL EMITTED INTO THE VENTS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE”

“THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THIS VEHICLE FAIL DUE TO THE INTERNAL WIRING INSIDE OF THE HOUSING. THIS LEADS TO ZERO VISIBILITY DURING NIGHT TIME”

“THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY SHORT OUT AND STOP WORKING. THE WIRES ON THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE NO INSULATION BECAUSE IT HAS FALLEN OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES AND STILL CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP AND WAS NOT HELPED”

“THIS IS A PROBLEM IMPACTING A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF 2005-2006 VW TOUAREGS WITH HID HEADLIGHTS. WIRE IN HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY IS TO SMALL FOR LOAD. THE INSULATION DECAYS DUE TO HEAT AND RESULTS IN A SHORT WHICH WILL BLOW THE FUSE FOR AFFECTED HEADLIGHT”

“( STARTED NOTICING THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 1 TO 2 YEARS AGO)WHILE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN 5TH GEAR AND SPEEDS OF UNDER 50 MI./HR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE AUTOMATIC DOWN SHIFT OCCURS WITH A VERY HARSH "KICK" TO A POINT THAT THE PASSENGERS FEEL THE JOLT”

“CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ERRATIC SHIFTING. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP CAR WILL HESITATE AND JERK. *TS THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO ONLY OCCURE WHIL THE TRANSMISSION IS IN LOWER GEARS”

“TRANSMISSION HAS TERRIBLE SHIFT CHARACTERISTICS. UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED, THE TRANSMISSION WON'T DOWNSHIFT TO 1ST OR WHEN IT DOES IT LAUNCHES YOU INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO STUMBLE BAD FROM A STOP IF IT HASN'T DOWNSHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR”

“THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT WENT OUT. AT FIRST IT SOUNDED LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE BUT UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE. I WAS TOLD A DESIGN FLAW AND ALL OF THESE WOULD FAIL”

“REAR CENTER DRIVE SHAFT FROM GEARBOX TO DIFFERENTIAL, MIDDLE BEARING FAILS. VOLKSWAGEN ONLY SUPPLIES NEW SHAFTS FOR $1,400 NO BEARINGS OR EXCHANGE. THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF TOUAREGS ACCORDING THE CLUBTOUAREG FORUM. THIS IS A PREMATURE DESIGN FAILURE OF THIS CAR. *TR”

“DRIVE SHAFT SUPPORT BEARING FAILURE @ 62,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER VW DOES NOT SELL INDIVIDUAL BROKE PART BUT SELLS ASSEMBLY WHICH COST $1,100 PLUS TAX. THIS IS COMMON AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL. *TR”

“THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WILL PERIODICALLY DISPLAY VARIOUS WARNING MESSAGES INDICATING A FLAT TIRE. TIRE PRESSURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN NORMAL (UNCHANGED FROM PRIOR TARE), AND VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TIRE INCLUDING SOAP TEST HAS ALWAYS BEEN NORMAL”

“THE COMPUTER PROGRAM CONTROLLING THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IS FLAWED. THE COMPUTER WILL INDICATE (ON DASH DISPLAY) THAT A TIRE IS FLAT WHEN THE ACTUAL PRESSURE IS ABOUT 4 POUNDS EITHER HIGH OR LOW. IT WILL NOT SHOW THE ACTUAL TIRE INVOLVED OR CONDITION”

“DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM. IT GAVE INCORRECT READINGS. THE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT STAYED ON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SIX TIMES. THE TIRE PRESSURE HAS BEEN CHECKED, AND THE MONITOR HAS BEEN RESET”

“2004 TOUAREG-EXCESSIVE WEAR ON ALL 4 TIRES, LESS THAN 20K MILES. *JB”

“ON MY 2004 TOUAREG WITH 12500 MILES ON IT, ALL FOUR TIRES (THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW) ARE COMPLETELY WORN. THE CAR WAS NEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD. CONTINENTAL TIRES. *NM”

“DT: CONTACT STATE THE TIRES WORE OUT AFTER ONLY 14,000 MILES. THE SERVICE DEALER REALIGNED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE TIRES”

“MY VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG HAS A "HESITATION" WHEN ACCELERATING AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN IN VW CIRCLES AS "DEATH LAG". MANY TIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELLERATE THE VEHICLE WILL JUST SIT THERE FOR 3-10 SECONDS EVEN IF THE ACCELLERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY”

“2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG THAT HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION FROM A COLD START APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE TIME. THIS HESITATION PRESENTS A HAZARD TO BOTH PASSENGERS IN THE TOUAREG AND PASSENGERS IN VEHICLES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. VEHICLE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE THEN HESITATES”

“VEHICLE HAS AN INCONSISTENT LACK OF THROTTLE RESPONSE. WHEN PRESSING ACCLERATOR YOU MAY GET A RESPONSE, A DELAYED RESPONSE OR NOTHING. PULLING FROM STOP SIGN WITH A SAFE DISTANCE OF ONCOMOING TRAFFIC VEHICLE HESITATED ALMOST CAUSING COLLISION”

“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER CHANGING BATTERY. LOCAL MECHANICS CAN'T TURN IT OFF. DEALER WANTS LARGE AMOUNT TO "DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG MODULE AT THE COST OF $3,000”

“AIR BAG FAULT WARNING LIGHT IS ON. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT OR BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF EVENT THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS. SRS ILL.PCO”