AI Damage2017 Volkswagen Touareg: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Volkswagen Touareg filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 287 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 287
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 79% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 5 Forward collision avoidance 4% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 4% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 4% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 19 complaints (79% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 56.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 15.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Forward collision avoidance: 1 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
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
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 19 | 0 | 44 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 56 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 87 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 11 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The vehicle has an internal oil drain system that slowly leaks oil past the pistons into the combustion chamber of the engine causing the engine to burn oil. This is very dangerous when smoke exits the vehicle from the exhaust and into the air that could be inhaled by others.
No warning, just check engine light after the crack. Crack along thin weld, leading right into the catalytic converter. Also environmental concern that exhaust gasses are not being treated. Potential fire hazard.
While using Adaptive Cruise Control, vehicle intermittently displays "ACC not available" cruise control completely disengages and does not allow for traditional cruise control functions. Typically ACC begins to function again after about 5 mins or by powering off and powering on vehicle.
Power seat reclining function on passenger and driver side. Due to the top of the adjustment lever being positioned too close to the top of the set cushion, if you sit on the edge of the seat, the seat back will continue to recline until you get up if you notice it or it hits the back seat bottom cushion.
Also when you have Autohold engaged, when you come to a stop and put the car in park, disconnect the seatbelt the parking brake engages(expected), however when you turn the car off (after you've already removed your foot from the break pedal) it slightly releases and reengages the brake causing a slight movement of…
This is absolutely a safety risk as there was power loss and inconsistency which could have been very dangerous depending on the level of control required by the traffic conditions. The dealer has diagnosed and insurance is scheduled to inspect.
My car since I bought it and it has a visible shaking in the steering wheel, there were multiple attempts to fix the problem and it just keeps coming back. Eventually vw customer service is saying that it is a normal characteristic of the car.
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 1,179 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 44% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Touareg has 35 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Suggested fuel additive
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided
- Differences between a leak and seepage
- Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
- This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during…
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery…
- Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
- Inquiries
- Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
- Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start
- Lubricating engine components before reassembly
- This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during…
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the error message ERP0204E could occur during…
- Safety Related Inquiry and Reporting
NHTSA lists 287 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Volkswagen Touareg?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, service brakes. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), headlights and tail lights (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Volkswagen Touareg?
NHTSA lists 287 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 2017 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 2017 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 2026-11-04.