VW Touareg Maintenance and Repair

pamperedbecky · July 2009

Thanks for the reply! Here in Illinois, the Lemon Law would only apply if the car was less than 12 months old. Unfortuntely it's more like 20 months old. The car is finally FIXED and they have given me a bunch of things for free: Ipod Adapter, oil change (we all know those are worth about $90), wiper blades, detailed the car and the latest thing given the additional time this took them is they would have paid half of the roof rails. BUT now we're looking at applying that $$ toward an extended warranty. I still have 25,000 to go on the current factory warranty and I'm waiting to hear what the options are with an extended warranty. Yes, it is a 3rd party situation, but oh well.

So, they have compensated me in various ways and I"m so so happy to have my car back. I'm still working out this last detail of whether or not to have the roof rails installed or go with the extended warranty. I know what the practical choice would be, but I just love the look of roof rails and wish I would have paid more attention to that when I bought the car!!

Oh and I'm not really a "pampered" person.

I just happen to be a consultant with a company that sells top-notch cooking tools/entertaining stuff that has that name in the title. I'm far from "pampered."

tayl0rd · July 2009

Ah! A Pampered Chef lady!

I love their baking stones and some of the utensils. Not crazy about the rest of it. Do they still make you carry stuff around in that wood crate? (My ex wife sold it, too.)

cfo_86k · August 2009

As I myself purchased a new 2007 Touareg in November 2006 for my wife to replace an '02 Toyota Land Cruiser and know what it feels like to buy a car/SUV that needs repairs every 2 months (but no officially a :lemon: ) Had the Land Cruiser for over 4 years, 66k miles and not a single issue. Had the Touareg for less than 3 months when the first electrical issue arose- toasted central locking unit. During its 3 years with us, it must have visited the dealership 10+ times for various items- brakes and braking systems were especially horrific. The best was when we were on weekend getaway in Maine and the transmission refused to shift out of park after refueling. (Shift lock was not the issue or so says the service manager.) Was flatbedded to a dealer on a Saturday afternoon-- I can not begin to explain the head ache we went through to have them flatbed the SUV back to NJ. In the end, we suffered emotional pain but that pain was relieved when we traded it in for an Infiniti FX which thus far has been fairly reliable other than a replaced relay switch.

elias · September 2009

cfo, no need for a pity party, at least not for the non-2rag VW owners.
seems like the 2rag is way less reliable & more costly-maintenance from all the anecdotes i've heard.

many of us are 100% with our VWs over the decades. 6 for 6 in my case.
65 bug, 80 rabbit, 03 tdi wagon, 05 tdi passat, 06 tdi newbeetle, 06 tdi jetta.
also my pals had 79 rabbit diesel and 80 dasher diesel back in the ancient times.

vrm · September 2009

Can the VR6 engine use regular gas?

Or is premium gas *required* for this engine?

Thanks!

chatfield2 · September 2009

I am getting ready to buy new tires for my 2006 Toureg. Any suggestions on a considerations/great brand or any NYC locations to get a geat price.
Thanks

elias · September 2009

yes, it can use regular gas.
no, premium gas is not required.
as far as i know, there aren't any gas powered cars/suvs in USA that require premium gas, but there many that are 'recommend' premium gas.
for those that 'recommend premium', they'll all run fine/forever on 87 octane while *may* losing some mpg or power compared to premium...
on your 2reg, take a look inside fuel door - there may be a sticker there which agrees.

qpower · September 2009

Actually, there is a sticker which clearly calls out for minimum 91 octane gas. You can always use lower octane, but you will sacrifice power and some economy.

Eventually, you will be unhappy with the loss of spirit.

To say that no vehicles in NA require premium gas is absurd. I had a Chrysler Pacifica that "recommended" mid grade 89 octane gas, but I never followed that recommendation. That seemed unnecessary. The Touareg is a different story.

elias · September 2009

gpower, perhaps we disagree on the definition of 'required' and 'recommended' in this context.
Can you give an example of a gas car/suv for which premium gasoline is required?
Here are my definitions:
Premium Required = warranty-voided and engine-damage possible unless-you-use premium.
Premium Recommended = vehicle may have reduced power or mpg if you don't use premium, but warranty and engine will remain fine/intact.
If you are using different a different definition for 'required' please let me know what it is. Thanks for your consideration.

jeff318 · November 2009

I have an 04 Tourage. In the last few days it has started to make squeaking noises. They are coming from the suspension system on all four tires. This leads me to believe that it is something with the pneumatic suspension system. Has anyone else had an issue with this? Also am I right in my diagnosis? Thank you all for your help.

caranci · November 2009

The in dash display tells me to move selector to park position while i'm driving. Has this happened to anyone else? The dealer can't find the problem and it's very annoying flashing every 30 seconds while your driving.

elias · November 2009

that is annoying, alright, caranci.
possibly consider applying black electrical tape to block the flashing light?

(that's why I do for the TPMS light all winter, since my snowtires+steelwheels do not have TPMS).

meandhim · November 2009

hi, , we have a 2005 Touareg SE Sport Auto- Diesel 2.5 TDI... its done 45000 mls.
has anyone had the following problem.
It has been driving perfectly, but a few days ago, when I put my foot down to overtake someone, got really a lot of blue/black smoke from exhaust, and growling/rattling noise from front, but the car drives ok until you kick down.
any help would be much appreciated
thanks

texags · December 2009

It certainly cannot use regular gas. Unless you like driving with the check-engine light on. I've tested it in my 2004. Regular Gas... check engine light. Premium... light goes off... The placard says minimum 91 octane only.

elias · December 2009

Thanks taxags -
I sit corrected - looking at the 2010 info, it also shows premium *required* for the T-reg V6. Not merely recommended!

casey01 · December 2009

We have an '04 touareg with the TPMS. A few months ago, it would tell me that I had a flat tire about every 3 seconds. When I took it in, they said I definatly had a bad sensor on one of the wheels, so they replaced it. When the flat tire light still came on, they decided another sensor must be bad so they replaced that also. When I picked it up and drove half a block away, the flat tire light started again. I turned around and went back to dealership where they told me that it was working when they had it and wouldn't do anything for me. They only suggested replacing the other 2 sensors or the whole module and see if that did anything. Since then, it goes back and forth between flat tire or TPMS fault. Sometimes I can drive for a day or two and not see anything. We actually have lights and errors constantly. Between the tire stuff, system fault workshop and the remote. We get a light error also and the lights are fine. Now I'm getting something on and off that there is a problem with the exhaust. I don't really want to go to the dealership so they can replace whatever and hope that it might fix the problem. In the past when we brought it in, supposedly most of these problems don't show up when the mechanics check them out. Has anyone else had these problems and if so, what was your fix?

devane · January 2010

what did you ever do about the problem with toureg. im having same issus.

jlcjr · January 2010

My lease ran out and I was able to turn it in. They couldn't duplicate the problem at the dealership.

jeff618 · January 2010

I found aftermarket wiper blades for the Volkswagen Touareg. I replace the entire wiper because of the abuse the ice and snow put them through - I figure better safe than sorry (plus much less hassel than dealing with those rubber blade refills). I went with Trico Tech Beam Blades. I've been a Trico NeoForm guy for a while, but I tried the new Techs because they have a new mounting system that allows the wiper arm to sit slightly lower than in the past. The Techs are beefy as hell and look great with the new, lower side mount. By the way - they came with complete removal and installation instructions - very easy. Got them online.

millervw · February 2010

What did you decide to do. I have the same problem on a 04. They want me to replace all the sensors and module. It's driving me crazy.

bgshrly06 · February 2010

My fiance & I just got a used 2006 Touareg in Dec. I've driven it so much that its time for an oil change. My fiance called VW to get a price quote for a change. I was shocked to hear that it would be $100+ for a simple oil change. Is that true? I would like to take my SUV to another shop to do a simple oil change for a reasonable price. I was told by someone that since I had a German vehicle, I would have to bring it somewhere that knows German cars. My question is, do I have to take my SUV to VW or can I take it to any other oil change shop to get a simple oil change?

scoates · February 2010

I have an 05 Touareg. I bought it a little over 2 years ago (yes used and my big mistake). It has got to be the biggest piece of junk I have ever had. I have already put $3000 in it . From sensors going out to having to replace the drive shaft. I have never taken this stupid thing off road, and take excellent care of it. After reading some of the postings on here, I am scared to death to know what the hell else is going to go wrong. I am fixing to have to replace my front break pads and now have learned from here that I will more than likely have to fix the rotors as well.

The customer service at the VW dealership was HORRIBLE! They treated and spoke to me like i was an idiot because I am a woman. Once they realized I had a husband and he called, they seemed to change their attitude with me. I will NEVER own another VW again. The vehicle is crap and so is the customer service!

mikeskon · February 2010

I had the same issue. I had a flat fixed at a local non-VW shop and suddenly the sensors would not shut off. I took it to the dealer and they said all four sensors were shot and the emulator needed to be replaced as well. I believe the cost was about $1,600. After thinking this over for all of 5 minutes, I asked them to turn the sensors off. My $.99 tire guage seems to work fine.

mikeskon · February 2010

My check engine light came on and the dealer says the fuel pump is starting to fail. $1100 to fix at dealer and $550 elsewhere. They said it's ok to drive, but at some point it may fail and leave me stranded, most likely when I try to start. Has anybody else run into this issue?

mikeskon · February 2010

It's been a while since your post. I had some problems with soft Pirellis which wore out in 10K miles, the dealer comp'd me on 3 of 4 tires because the soft tires should have never been put on such a heavy car. I have Yokohamas now, I bought through Discount Tire and had them installed by the dealer, for a savings of about $100 per tire. I've probably put 20K miles on them and they ride very well and the wear seems reasonable for the miles. I expect I'll get 40K or more out of them.

alman08 · February 2010

No need to take it to the dealer for just the oil change, but I definitely would not recommend places like jiffy. And don't bother with that certain someone who told you that you will have to bring it to a German car specialist just because it's a German vehicle, especially for an oil change. VW dealership service dept charge ++++++++++ more for just about anything.

casey01 · February 2010

We've only replaced the first two--I'm not paying anymore money when they can't guarantee that new sensors or the module will fix anything. We're actually trading the car in on a new car we have ordered. The service writer at the VW dealership said this is probably only the start of our problems, so we want to get rid of it while we can. I guess '04's had lots of problems and they gave most people an option to purchase an '05 for a good deal, but we had leased, so never got that option. We didn't have any problems for the lease period and so then bought the lease out and of course, then all the problems started. Good luck.

cintel73 · February 2010

i have a 2004 touareg V8 with the air suspension. It squeeks over speed bumps in the front end in the winter in cold weather. other than that and the million recalls on an 04 it hasnt had any air suspension issues. When does it make the noise??

cintel73 · February 2010

i have the 04 also. I have 67,000 miles and i just brought it in and they replaced all the sensors as i kept getting a pressure monitoring system failure. I have the certified pre owned warranty for 7yrs 73,000 miles. Are you under warranty. They should replace them for you.

cintel73 · February 2010

Tell them to replace the sensors under warranty. How many miles? do you still have warranty?? I have certified pre ownded warranty and they replaced all mine at 67,000 miles.

arhou · February 2010

I'm getting considerable vibration transmitting through the steering column to the wheel. It is most apparent when the car is stopped with the AC on. The dealer in Houston replaced the power steering pump but that did not correct the problem.

Anyone experience this? Any comments on a fix?

thanks

elias · March 2010

a motor-mount could be broken/malfunctioning? ( can you see the motor shaking excessively if you open the hood while symptom is occurring, or when you shift from P -> D? maybe do side-by-side compare with another Treg? )
if problem happens only with AC on, I'd suspect AC compressor too - presumably it's only happening when the AC compressor is engaged. If it's also happening with AC compressor disengaged but AC on, that would be strange and would require additional analysis.

bsmoltok · April 2010

i got an 04 V8. while driving i heard a sudden noise in the front (engine side). when i checked it out with a mechanic, i was told that the propeller shaft is bad and it would cost me about $1,200. could this be true? are the parts this expensive?

bosnova · April 2010

Hi everyone.I am having a problem with my dashboard on my '05 T'reg splitting for no apparrent reason.It seems to be around the air bag located in the dash on the passenger side. Professional repairer is reluctant to fix due to the heat used in repair and the proximity of the airbag... possible deployment?Anyone else have this problem?Any advice?Thanks,Jerry

herbiegemma · May 2010

I was wondering if anyone can help with the problem I am having with my Touareg TDI 05, Automatic 50,000 miles. When I am driving the car and have to turn the steering wheel full lock the car judders and it is especially noticable if I am moving slowly in a confined space (hard lock left or right). However if I stop the car and put it in Neutral then turn the Diff lock right round and back again it stops the juddering for that moment but comes back shortly after. The juddering does not happen when I am driving the car straight forward.

qpower · May 2010

What you describe is a classic symptom of transfer case stepper motor troubles.

I thought that this had stopped being a problem for the trucks.

Good luck!

Geoff

herbiegemma · May 2010

Hi Geoff

I am a girl and have no idea what you mean by transfer case stepper, can you elaborate and is this something that can be sorted fairly easily

Thanks

qpower · May 2010

Girl or not, you own this complex machine for better or for worse, so get to know it...it will be to your advantage!

You can start this educational curve with time spent looking at the www.clubtouareg.com website, where you will find more info on these vehicles than you can imagine possible! Remember the adage about the fish vs. the fishing pole?

But I will assist herein once: the stepper motor is a motorized gear reduction drive attached to the transfer case and it insures that your tires do not fight one another on the road surface as you turn in any kind of radius. Otherwise, the tires tear against the ground and one gets the juddering when making slow turning movements, like backing out of a parking spot, etc.

Any dealer would know what you were talking about if you mention the "transfer case stepper motor" to them...

Good luck with your t reg!

herbiegemma · May 2010

Thanks Geoff. I promise I will get to know my car better....!!!! - feel like a naughty school girl right now.

I have already taken the car to 2 mechanics and they told me that they cannot find the problem which is why I thought I would try to find someone with a bit of savy about Touaregs.

I have been looking up on other forums about the motor stepper and I am sure you have diagnosed the problem - spot on..

I appreciate your help Geoff - thanks again - it is a relief to actually know the problem with

herbiegemma · May 2010

The problem I have now is although I know the problem with the car I am being told that if I take it to a VW dealer they want to diagnose the problem themselves which they want to charge me £65.00 per half an hour. I have told them I know the problem but this makes no difference. Does anyone know if I have to take it to a VW dealer or are there other mechanics out there that have the technology to solve this problem?

qpower · May 2010

Dealers ask for diagnostic time as a means of padding their repair revenues, but by and large, you can't avoid this sin!

I am not familiar with this trouble being well handled by an independent mechanic. Frankly, this will be aexpensive vehicle to own as it is the same chassis as the Porsche Cayenne. This will prove to be a "fact of life". This doesn't mean you should like it, but rather you should own an extended warranty if you were within the original warranty period.

Barring this coincidence, you will need to budget for the high costs of maintenance, especially if you are unlucky. Some are and some aren't...

I'm a bit fatalistic I guess...

No mechanic will accept your word that the stepper motor is bad, per se, without checking it out themselves. That is to say this is not a repair that presents itself to the eyes the way, say, a flat tire would.... So you would need to have patience with the process. However, if you are off warranty, and the stepper motor is bad, then you would want to mount a campaign with VW in your country over the inherent troubles that these have caused, but this is only a suggestion based on the troubles for the 2004-5 model years. At one time, VW was willing to replace any stepper motor within certain serial number vehicles. I imagine that this is an expensive item, but in the US there is at least one company, Cardone Industries, which re-manufactures these assemblies. So a rebuilt unit migt be available to save you some money, although I do not know about this in the UK.

Best regards,

Geoff ">link title

dud39 · June 2010

I have a 2007 VW Tourareg I need to provide a 12volt hotwire to my caravan connector on the tow bar VW dealers shrug their shoulders has any body done it can you provide details of how to do it, and the connection points for the wire
thanks dud39

chiefwright · July 2010

The left turn signal light bulb in the left rearview mirror assembly is out and needs replaced. How is the access gained to this bulb?

fjohnson2 · September 2010

Help. I am considering buying a Toureag and interested in comments regarding performance and service

chiefwright · September 2010

The VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne share the same base mechanics, frame, suspension, etc... . The VW motor is a some what de-tuned version of the same porsche motor. The VW and the Porsche both share part with Audi.

The VW V8 is a very good performer, especially with the tiptronic transmission. It has the power to cruise at autobahn speeds, tow a trailer, it handles snow, and ice with ease. Very good ride, comfortable, easy to drive on long trips. It is a very good off roader. In 4wd, low range or with the axles locked, it will climb, descend, pull out of mud or snow, or anything else you should not have been in, in the first place or you are out for adventure and wanted to test the vehicle or your off road skills. It is a very confident performer.
The 6 cylinder version struggles to move that heavy of a vehicle. The new diesel may be better, never driver one, don't know.

Gas mileage is not the greatest. The best I have ever gotten is 20 mpg on the interstate, at 75 - 80 mph, with a cruise range of 350 miles per tank.
Parts for repair are almost exclusively from the VW dealer, so prices are higher. $250.00 for a headlight bulb and $100 installation. You can do it yourself in 5 minutes, and buy a bulb for $85.00 at the Autoparts warehouse internet site. Limited aftermarket parts available. AutoPartsWarehouse.com is the best place for available parts. Prices are good.

My 2005 Touareg has had some problems, but the dealer has fixed them under warranty(suspension, electrical). Tune up's, recommended maintenance intervals, etc... are expensive. They recommend a new timing belt at 80,000 miles - $1600.00 from the dealer. If you shop around, maybe cheaper.

Overall a good performer, but higher cost of ownership.
Hope this helps.

sanjeevp · September 2010

I am based in Kenya and bought a slightly used 2005 V6 Touareg from Japan a couple of years back. Reading from the forum, I gather that i also have the stepper motor syndrome and VW dealership told me i have to buy a new transfer unit as the warranty does not apply for secondhand cars. This is a bit unfair as the fault is of VW whether first or second owner. Please advice. Also have been experiencing electrical problems. Engine light is always on and dealer says because the airflow regulator is faulty but petrol consumption and power is okay. How do i know this is true? This part not available in Kenya!! Car is excellent but i think not built for africa.

qpower · September 2010

I think the German engineers would disagree with the statement that the truck is not built for Africa!

Stepper motor troubles are well understood, this item is available to replace on it's own, do not let them replace the entire transfer case, unless it has an issue, as I imagine you can buy and import the stepper motor yourself if necessary from the US or Europe. Forget about VW supporting you at this late a stage, unless you have particularly low mileage.

Do you mean the mass air flow sensor? That's available in the US and Europe as well for replacement. If faulty, this will affect fuel consumption or power output.

sanjeevp · September 2010

Hi Geoff! thanks for reply. Any idea how much a stepper motor costs? When i imported the car it had clocked 25,000 kms. Was quoted US$4000 for transfer unit.
3 days back had another light coming on for ESP. I lost power and gear indication disappeared just showing PNDR etc. Dealer said the air housing cracked dont know how and they superglued it as part not available in kenya.so the ESP light went off as well as engine light. today the engine light is back on!! Dealer said engine light was also on because of loose air pipe connection. Initially they said air flow meter was faulty. honestly i think they are going round in circles.As you said if mass air flow sensor is faulty then power and fuel consumption will be affected and i have none of these.
never had problems with my old toyota prado!! very reliable.

qpower · September 2010

My independent aftermarket manufacturer does not list a part number or price for the stepper motor. They claim that they will rebuild one, if parts are available, from a core.

You need to find a VW dealer to sell one to you.

Frankly, you may not be able to keep this vehicle on the road in Kenya if it is going to have multiple major issues.

my two cents

sanjeevp · September 2010

Hi Geoff! You are absolutely right, i will eventually have to draw a line. The car also has a very poor resale value here. just one more question please whats a stepper motor and what does it exactly do. Cheers!

VW Touareg Maintenance and Repair

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