What 30 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg

2013 TOUAREG TDI GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THEN THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE LOST THROTTLE RESPONSE -- DID NOT STOP RUNNING BUT ALSO FELT LIKE RUNNING ON ONLY A FEW CYLINDERS -- COULD NOT DRIVE OVER 40 MPH ON FREEWAY. ALSO LOST ABILITY TO DOWNSHIFT AUTO TRANSMISSION. DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MY REGULAR VW DEALER, WHO SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED -- AS DIRECTED BY VW USA -- FROM BACK TO FRONT. THE DEALER CLAIMS THERE WERE "PIECES OF RUST IN THE FUEL SYSTEM?" DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN SEVEN MONTHS OLD. NOW INTO SECOND WEEK WAITING FOR REPAIR. READING ONLINE, THERE IS EVIDENTLY A FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE FOR THE 2011-13 TDI TOUAREG RELATING TO THE INJECTORS (CERAMIC PARTICLES) AND FUEL PUMPS ABILITY TO HANDLE USA DIESEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10557216

CONTINUOUS (ORIG. REPORT DATE 10/3/13) WITH TWO UNSUCCESSFUL SERVICE ATTEMPTS TO DATE (10/12/13) OF A REPORTED STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY/SHAKE [AT HIGHWAY SPEED BETWEEN 60-65 MPH]. THIS ISSUE REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE ORIGINAL REPORT; AS ISSUE CONTINUES UNAFFECTED BY ROAD SURFACES TO INCL. OTHER VARIABLES SUCH AS: PRE-DAWN, DAYTIME AND EVENING ROAD CONDITIONS; WEATHER AND TEMPERATURES. VEHICLE STILL DEMONSTRATES A DIFFICULTY IN TRACKING STRAIGHT ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES (REMOVING ANY OF ROAD 'CROWN' INFLUENCE). HAD BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF ROAD FORCE BALANCE OF ALL 4 TIRES (GOODYEAR EAGLE L2 TIRES) AND A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT; AGAIN AT SPEED BETWEEN 60-65 MPH. ISSUE HAS BEEN RECORDED ON VIDEO POST THIS FIRST ATTEMPTED AND FAILED REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10547709

UPON REACHING SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 AND APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES PER HOUR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOTICEABLY SHAKE BACK AND FORTH VERY OBVIOUSLY, SO MUCH SO THAT IT WORRIED ME THERE WAS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10542458

VEHICLE EXHIBITS A STEERING WHEEL SHAKE THAT CONSISTENTLY OCCURS ABOVE 60MPH ON ALL ROAD SURFACES. AT ONSET, CAN FEEL OSCILLATION IN HANDS AND ARMS. WITH HANDS LIGHTLY ON WHEEL OR REMOVED, CAN VISUALLY CONFIRM STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION (CYCLICAL ROTATION FROM L TO R AND BACK) WITH ABOUT 3/8" TOTAL TRAVEL AT STEERING WHEEL PERIMETER. CABIN ALSO EXHIBITS SLIGHT VIBRATION WHICH CAN BE FELT IN SEAT. CAR DOES NOT TRACK WELL IN LANE AND CONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. VW IS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND ADDRESSES IT IN TSB 44-13-01 FROM JUNE 2013. REPEATED APPLICATION OF THE REMEDIES IN THE TSB HAVE FAILED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. SUBSTITUTION OF ALL FOUR WHEELS AND TIRES FROM ANOTHER TOUAREG THAT DOES NOT EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM FAILS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, SUGGESTING THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE WHEELS/TIRES. ISSUE PERSISTS WITH NO REMEDY TO DATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536956

WE TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEH. ON 3/14/12 WITH 495 MILES ON IT. IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN WAS INTERMITTENTLY SHUDDERING/ VIBRATING AND MAKING A NOISE. VEH. WAS INITIALLY TAKEN IN @ DEALERSHIP ON 3/27/12. ALSO HAD ISSUE WITH AD BLUE INDICATOR COMING ON. VEH WAS TAKEN BACK AGAIN ON 4/6/12 FOR THE SAME ISSUES AND ALSO NOW PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND STEERING LOCKING UP AND BINDING WHILE TURNING. STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED ON SECOND ATTEMPT TO FIX. VEH. BROUGHT BACK ON 4/17/12 FOR SAME ISSUES EXCEPT AD BLUE APPEARS TO BE FIXED. TO DATE VEH. STILL HAS RECURRENT/ INTERMITTENT ISSUES: SHUDDERING STEERING WHEEL AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS, VIBRATION/ SHAKING IN STEERING COLUMN, WHINING NOISE WHILE TURNING, TIGHTENING OF STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING SOMETIMES REQUIRING TWO HANDS TO TURN THE WHEEL, VEH PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND VEH WANDERS IN LANE REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION. THE STEERING OVERALL IS VERY INCONSISTENT. SOMETIMES THERE FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH LAG IN THE STEERING AND OTHER TIMES IF FEELS LIKE IT IS FIGHTING ITSELF. THERE IS ALSO A NEW PROBLEM NOW WITH THE AC MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE WHEN IT KICKS ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10459878