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2012 Volkswagen Touareg
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
28 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 25, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#71 of 475Among the 2012 models with a matured record, the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg ranks #71, scoring higher than 81% of them. See the 2012 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Volkswagen Touareg, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Fuel system (7) · Steering (5) · Engine (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Fuel system
25%7 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“While driving my family around, the car lost engine power and came to a stop on a busy roadway leaving us stranded until a tow truck could arrive. There were no warnin…”
Steering
18%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“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 H…”
Engine
18%5 complaints
“THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM ITS OWN FLANGE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE EXHAUST HEADER. ULTIMATELY CAUSING AN EXHAUST LEAK AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. …”
Electrical system
14%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I was driving to church on the morning of 2/16/25 when I heard a very loud “Boom.” I thought something had hit the car. It sounded like a gun going off. When I pulled …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 28 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Unknown Or Other · 18V329000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 16V170000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.
Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Volkswagen before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report fuel system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any fuel system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report steering problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any steering symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Volkswagen TOUAREG beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every Touareg model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.