There are 3 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Touaregin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF NORWOOD (1280 PROVIDENCE HWY, NORWOOD, MA 02062) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED UNDER AN UNKNOWN RECALL HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,032.
On my 2011 VW Touareg TDI there is an exhaust leak. Can be smelled within seconds of starting it. A turbo/EGR pipe cracks and the result is a serious exhaust leak under hood right next to where air is drawn into the cabin for HVAC. Parts are backordered with no ETA. Even though when driving there is exhaust getting into the car the dealer and VW corporate just says "sorry for the delay of the parts". This part failure seems to be a known issue- The VW dealer was told by corporate that installing a used part is not acceptable either. Currently been waiting 11 months on this part. The leak was noticed right after VW had to "fix" all the TDIs for the emissions scandal.
WATER FOUND IN THE AIR INTAKE BOX DURING AIR FILTER CHANGE ON MY 2011 VW TOUAREG. BOTTOM 3.5 INCHES OF OLD FILTER WAS FOUND WET WHEN AIR BOX WAS OPENED. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AS LIQUID WATER THAT ENTERS THE ENGINE DURING OPERATION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE IN TRAFFIC RESULTING IN A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WATER OR FILTER MATERIAL INGESTION INTO THE ENGINE CAN ALSO RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE REQUIRING ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE BY VW WITH NO ACTION TAKEN TO DATE, DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND COMPEL VW OF NORTH AMERICA TO PROVIDE A FIX AND CONDUCT A RECALL CAMPAIGN AS HAS BEEN DONE IN CHINA AND GERMANY.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026