AI Damage2014 Volkswagen Touareg: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 30% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- Steering: 8 complaints (30% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- 3 L · hybrid · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact was injured and required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,000.
A rear seat belt came apart. The top plastic locking system came apart from the metal part of the locking system, Making the seat belt not useable . The sear belt was not used very much, since we are retired sad my wife does all the driving/ Ergo the rear seat is not use very often.
The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a burning odor was present inside the cabin of the vehicle and smoke was seen coming from the front console. After stopping the vehicle to inspect the cause it was discovered that the front passenger side seat heater had malfunctioned burning a hole into the seat and…
Vehicle has 72000 miles on it, Driver seat heater burned a hole on the leather, burning my pants, underwear and skin while I was driving. I had to pull over because smoke started to come out of the seat.
I attempted to start the vehicle and the starter button clicked followed by a strong ozone electrical smell and copious smoke from under the hood. We called the local fire department but canceled the call as the smoke seemed to be clearing.
While driving one morning I experienced loss in power and an flashing check engine light and glow plug light on the dash. The car went into âlimpâ mode and I could not accelerate past 40 MPG on a busy road. I pulled over slowly and let the car sit. After turning the car on off and back on, the CEL went away .
When driving the check engine light came on. At the service center at the dealer, the dealer indicated that the air filter had become wet with water. While reading a vw forum I became aware of a known problem with the air filter housing drain becoming clogged and the air filter becoming wet and water being ingested…
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 volkswagen touareg. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle did not accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Touareg has 46 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 27, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (33%), A/C or heater (11%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2014 Volkswagen Touareg from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2014 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.