There are 5 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen Touaregin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
After driving the car for approximately 30 minutes without any problems and turning it off, it would not turn the ignition back on, release the parking brake or shift out of „P“. Several towing companies were unable to tow the vehicle due to the manufacturer’s failure to provide instructions on how to release the shifter in case of a problem. Other vehicles have a release button somewhere, the 2012 VW Touareg doesn’t. On page 481 of the owners manual VW advises the owner that if „you want to have the vehicle towed, the gear shift selection lever must first be released with the emergency procedure. Get professional assistance.“ The manual doesn’t explain what this emergency procedure would be. We had to call 3 different towing companies with professionals who didn’t have any clue in regards to the question how to release the shifter. The fourth company came with special equipment which allowed to tow the vehicle with the shifter in „P“ The dealership found that the ESL module (electronic steering lock) was faulty, which could be a safety issue, especially if it actuates while driving the vehicle.
STEERING WHEEL SHAKES DURING HIGH WAY DRIVING. MOSTLY HAPPENS AROUND 80 MPH, HAVE DONE THE ROAD FORCE BALANCING AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS. THE POWER STEERING WHEEL ALSO HAS A WEAK ASSISTANT TO TURN BACK TO CENTER. HERE IS A YOUTUBE LINK OF DEMONSTRATION OF STEERING SHAKE. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GQIK_KW7KGG
I HAVE A 2012 TOUAREG TDI THAT HAS A STEERING SHAKING PROBLEM WHICH IT HAS EXHIBITED SINCE I PURCHASED IT. VW HAS TRIED TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BY ROAD FORCE BALANCING AND INSTALLING NEW TIRES BUT THIS HAS NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, OR OSCILLATES, WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS REACHING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH AND HIGHER. THE OSCILLATION CONTINUES UP THROUGH HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT SUBSIDING. THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUOUSLY CYCLES BACK AND FORTH FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITH ABOUT 1/4 INCH TO 3/8 INCH. THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT AND SEEN WHEN MY HANDS ARE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AT ALL SPEEDS AND WHICH NECESSITATES CONSTANT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER TO HOLD THE CAR STRAIGHT. *TR
THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 99% OF THE TIME. THE SPEED AT WHICH THIS OCCURS IS IN THE RANGE OF 65-80 MPH. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
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 26, 2026