Volkswagen Touareg Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2004 draws 2.68 complaints per run and the 2012 1.24, a 2.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 62.6% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 86 complaints, typically at 4.9 years.

Volkswagen Touareg years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Volkswagen Touareg — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2017	1.53	23	15	yes
2016	2.2	44	20	yes
2015	1.57	22	14	yes
2014	1.47	25	17	yes
2013	1.42	27	19	yes
2012	1.24	26	21	yes
2011	1.27	14	11	yes
2007	1.29	9	7	yes
2006	1.45	32	22	yes
2005	1.88	62	33	yes
2004	2.68	190	71	yes

ROWS 11·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 6 Volkswagen Touareg years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2004, 2016, 2005; the three worth hunting are 2012, 2013, 2006.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Volkswagen Touareg — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	67	15.1%	covered
1 year	56	27.7%	covered
2 years	43	37.4%	covered
3 years	35	45.3%	you pay
4 years	37	53.6%	you pay
5 years	34	61.3%	you pay
6 years	40	70.3%	you pay
7 years	21	75%	you pay
8 years	16	78.6%	you pay
9 years	15	82%	you pay
10 years	16	85.6%	you pay
11 years	13	88.5%	you pay
12 years	12	91.2%	you pay
13 years	26	97.1%	you pay
14 years	6	98.4%	you pay
15 years	7	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 37.4% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 62.6% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 30% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Volkswagen Touareg, the early trouble is Power Train and Tires — reported at around 3.7 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 4.9 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Volkswagen Touareg — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	86	4.9 yrs	—	1
Electrical System	77	4.8 yrs	—	7
Fuel/propulsion System	68	9.6 yrs	1	—
Power Train	57	3.7 yrs	2	1
Air Bags	42	4.8 yrs	5	—
Steering	37	4.3 yrs	1	—
Unknown Or Other	36	5.6 yrs	—	1
Tires	34	1.9 yrs	—	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Touareg's vehicle class. Per production run, the Subaru Outback draws 3.64, the Toyota Land Cruiser 1.49 and the Subaru Forester 3.35, against 1.91 for the Touareg.

FIG.05·Volkswagen Touareg — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Touareg	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Subaru Outback	8,587	159	2005–2026
Toyota Land Cruiser	257	85	1981–2026
Subaru Forester	6,521	121	1998–2026
Chevrolet Trailblazer	8,447	57	2002–2026
Honda Element	1,308	100	2003–2011
Jeep Liberty	8,880	80	1993–2013

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

Upgrade to Pro

Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.

Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
No ads, on every page
No ads, no tracking — and much more

See plans → Start free →

Free plan available — no credit card needed

Everything on the Volkswagen Touareg

Recalls30 campaigns Fuel economy24 mpg best Common problems546 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices451 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2004–2018

Frequently asked questions

Is the Volkswagen Touareg reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.91 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Touareg years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2004, 2016, 2005. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2012, 2013, 2006. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Touareg problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 4.9 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Touareg problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 37.4% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 30% of the complaints here.

Is the Touareg more reliable than the Subaru Outback?

Yes: 1.91 complaints per production run for the Touareg against 3.64 for the Subaru Outback.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →