2022 Volkswagen Taos problems

ENGINE

On July 30, 2026, while driving my 2022 Volkswagen Taos out of my apartment parking lot, the EPC and check engine lights illuminated. The vehicle shook, lagged, stalled, and could not accelerate normally. I parked and turned it off. An authorized Volkswagen dealer diagnosed a faulty spark plug. On August 12, the same failure recurred. The EPC and check engine lights illuminated, the vehicle shook, and it again lost acceleration. The dealer attributed the misfire to poor fuel caused by Arizona monsoon and dust-storm conditions and added a fuel additive. However, the only major dust storm around these dates occurred on August 19, after the first two incidents. No fuel-test results were provided to support this explanation. On August 20, the failure occurred a third time while I was driving on a major road. The vehicle shook and experienced a severe loss of propulsion and acceleration. The check engine light remained on after the engine was turned off. I had to restart the vehicle three times before I could move it into a parking lot. I was less than one mile from entering a highway, and the sudden loss of acceleration in traffic created a serious collision risk. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. On August 21, the dealer again attributed the misfire to poor fuel. It added fuel-system cleaner, filled the tank with 91-octane fuel, and test-drove the vehicle, but the misfire remained. The technician then reported that three spark plugs were fouled and required replacement. The same dangerous loss-of-power condition occurred three times within 22 days despite two prior repair attempts. The cause of the repeated misfires and fouled plugs remains unidentified. The vehicle is at the Volkswagen dealership and is available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, or injury.

NHTSA complaint #11758707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On July 30, 2026, while driving my 2022 Volkswagen Taos out of my apartment parking lot, the EPC and check engine lights illuminated. The vehicle shook, lagged, stalled, and could not accelerate normally. I parked and turned it off. An authorized Volkswagen dealer diagnosed a faulty spark plug. On August 12, the same failure recurred. The EPC and check engine lights illuminated, the vehicle shook, and it again lost acceleration. The dealer attributed the misfire to poor fuel caused by Arizona monsoon and dust-storm conditions and added a fuel additive. However, the only major dust storm around these dates occurred on August 19, after the first two incidents. No fuel-test results were provided to support this explanation. On August 20, the failure occurred a third time while I was driving on a major road. The vehicle shook and experienced a severe loss of propulsion and acceleration. The check engine light remained on after the engine was turned off. I had to restart the vehicle three times before I could move it into a parking lot. I was less than one mile from entering a highway, and the sudden loss of acceleration in traffic created a serious collision risk. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. On August 21, the dealer again attributed the misfire to poor fuel. It added fuel-system cleaner, filled the tank with 91-octane fuel, and test-drove the vehicle, but the misfire remained. The technician then reported that three spark plugs were fouled and required replacement. The same dangerous loss-of-power condition occurred three times within 22 days despite two prior repair attempts. The cause of the repeated misfires and fouled plugs remains unidentified. The vehicle is at the Volkswagen dealership and is available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, or injury.

NHTSA complaint #11758707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The infotainment system on my 2022 Volkswagen Taos began displaying a persistent "frozen software update" notification approximately six days prior to June 28, 2026. This condition disabled normal use of the radio and, most significantly, the vehicle's backup camera — a federally required safety feature. The vehicle was brought to an authorized VW dealership for a scheduled 110,000-mile service completed on June 27, 2026, with resolution of this software freeze as the primary concern. The issue remained unresolved following that visit. Prior guidance to leave the vehicle running while parked to allow the update to complete was followed with no change in the condition. The vehicle was returned to the dealership on the evening of June 28, 2026, with an additional appointment scheduled for the morning of June 30, 2026, specifically to address the unresolved defect. As of this filing, the backup camera and radio functions remain impaired due to this unresolved software failure, despite a dealer service visit.

NHTSA complaint #11757992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

The infotainment system on my 2022 Volkswagen Taos began displaying a persistent "frozen software update" notification approximately six days prior to June 28, 2026. This condition disabled normal use of the radio and, most significantly, the vehicle's backup camera — a federally required safety feature. The vehicle was brought to an authorized VW dealership for a scheduled 110,000-mile service completed on June 27, 2026, with resolution of this software freeze as the primary concern. The issue remained unresolved following that visit. Prior guidance to leave the vehicle running while parked to allow the update to complete was followed with no change in the condition. The vehicle was returned to the dealership on the evening of June 28, 2026, with an additional appointment scheduled for the morning of June 30, 2026, specifically to address the unresolved defect. As of this filing, the backup camera and radio functions remain impaired due to this unresolved software failure, despite a dealer service visit.

NHTSA complaint #11757992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Per VW TSB 15-23-01, Volkswagen explicitly admits that the original engine production head gasket design is defective. A leaking head gasket can cause sudden engine overheating, power loss, or catastrophic engine failure while driving. This seems like a major , dangerous issue that should be covered under a recall

NHTSA complaint #11755980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

I am submitting this complaint because the driver's seat belt does not fit me properly despite using all available factory adjustments. I am an adult female who is 5 feet 2 inches tall. The driver's seat is adjusted to its highest position, and the shoulder belt height adjuster is set to its lowest position. Even with these adjustments, the shoulder belt crosses and rubs against my neck instead of resting across the middle of my shoulder and chest. This has been an issue since I purchased the vehicle. The discomfort has become increasingly severe over time and now causes me to repeatedly reposition the belt while driving because it presses against my neck. I am concerned that the restraint system does not properly accommodate shorter adult drivers. While the seat belt remains fastened, the fit is poor enough that it creates a distraction during vehicle operation and raises concerns about occupant protection in a crash. I am requesting that NHTSA evaluate whether the seat belt geometry in the 2022 Volkswagen Taos provides an appropriate fit for shorter drivers and whether similar complaints have been reported by other owners.

NHTSA complaint #11752378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

On 7/9/2026, my 2022 VW Taos was brought to the dealer for being severely underpowered, check engine lights on, and a strong raw fuel smell inside the vehicle. On 7/10/2026, the dealer stated the vehicle was ready, claiming they replaced a turbo charge pipe O-ring. The service advisor verbally stated the vehicle had been successfully test-driven for 5 miles on streets and the highway. However, official paperwork only stated "cleared faults verified no leaks in system, vehicle is now operating as designed." Immediately upon driving home on the highway, as the vehicle reached 70–75 mph under load, a loud whistling noise and a sudden, dangerous loss of propulsion occurred simultaneously. The vehicle was returned to the dealer on 7/10/2026. On 7/13/2026, the vehicle was picked up after a second repair where the dealer admitted the plastic charge pipe (05E-145-673-Q) was actually fractured and had completely blown off the turbocharger during my highway drive, generating fault code P227900 (Intake Air System Leak). Upon reviewing the paperwork from both visits, I discovered the odometer had only increased by exactly 1 mile during the first service visit. The dealer completely failed to road-test the vehicle under actual highway boost loads before certifying it as safe, which directly caused a catastrophic structural engine failure and an emergency safety hazard at 75 mph.

NHTSA complaint #11750349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On 7/9/2026, my 2022 VW Taos was brought to the dealer for being severely underpowered, check engine lights on, and a strong raw fuel smell inside the vehicle. On 7/10/2026, the dealer stated the vehicle was ready, claiming they replaced a turbo charge pipe O-ring. The service advisor verbally stated the vehicle had been successfully test-driven for 5 miles on streets and the highway. However, official paperwork only stated "cleared faults verified no leaks in system, vehicle is now operating as designed." Immediately upon driving home on the highway, as the vehicle reached 70–75 mph under load, a loud whistling noise and a sudden, dangerous loss of propulsion occurred simultaneously. The vehicle was returned to the dealer on 7/10/2026. On 7/13/2026, the vehicle was picked up after a second repair where the dealer admitted the plastic charge pipe (05E-145-673-Q) was actually fractured and had completely blown off the turbocharger during my highway drive, generating fault code P227900 (Intake Air System Leak). Upon reviewing the paperwork from both visits, I discovered the odometer had only increased by exactly 1 mile during the first service visit. The dealer completely failed to road-test the vehicle under actual highway boost loads before certifying it as safe, which directly caused a catastrophic structural engine failure and an emergency safety hazard at 75 mph.

NHTSA complaint #11750349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On 7/9/2026, my 2022 VW Taos was brought to the dealer for being severely underpowered, check engine lights on, and a strong raw fuel smell inside the vehicle. On 7/10/2026, the dealer stated the vehicle was ready, claiming they replaced a turbo charge pipe O-ring. The service advisor verbally stated the vehicle had been successfully test-driven for 5 miles on streets and the highway. However, official paperwork only stated "cleared faults verified no leaks in system, vehicle is now operating as designed." Immediately upon driving home on the highway, as the vehicle reached 70–75 mph under load, a loud whistling noise and a sudden, dangerous loss of propulsion occurred simultaneously. The vehicle was returned to the dealer on 7/10/2026. On 7/13/2026, the vehicle was picked up after a second repair where the dealer admitted the plastic charge pipe (05E-145-673-Q) was actually fractured and had completely blown off the turbocharger during my highway drive, generating fault code P227900 (Intake Air System Leak). Upon reviewing the paperwork from both visits, I discovered the odometer had only increased by exactly 1 mile during the first service visit. The dealer completely failed to road-test the vehicle under actual highway boost loads before certifying it as safe, which directly caused a catastrophic structural engine failure and an emergency safety hazard at 75 mph.

NHTSA complaint #11750349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While driving at highway speeds, the a low coolant caution light came on. We immediately pulled over before the engine overheated and added coolant and brought the vehicle in for repairs. This Taos currently has 43,000 miles and needs its head gasket replaced for the SECOND time. The first head gasket was replaced on 12/23 with 16,000 miles under a technical bulletin by VW. This is a know issue for this vehicle. With a head gasket failure, this can lead to engine overheating and seizing. This needs to be a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11749254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

There have been multiple complaints of the mechatronics unit failing prematurely. I am facing that right now and it should be under warranty but is being challenged. So many people have mentioned the mechatronics unit failing prematurely upon research and discussion with the dealership. The car stalled on the freeway and I was unable to accelerate. It was confirmed and being worked on by the dealer. All regular maintenance has been done. “Trans in emergency mode. You can keep driving.” Showed up 5 minutes before the car stalled

NHTSA complaint #11747765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

There have been multiple complaints of the mechatronics unit failing prematurely. I am facing that right now and it should be under warranty but is being challenged. So many people have mentioned the mechatronics unit failing prematurely upon research and discussion with the dealership. The car stalled on the freeway and I was unable to accelerate. It was confirmed and being worked on by the dealer. All regular maintenance has been done. “Trans in emergency mode. You can keep driving.” Showed up 5 minutes before the car stalled

NHTSA complaint #11747765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The engine coolant is leaking and the cylinder head gasket is leaking at the back of the engine. This requires full replacement. This is a known issue with Technical Service Bulletin 15-23-01 from Volkswagen back in 2023, and both VW and our Dealership are refusing to cover the costs of replacement.

NHTSA complaint #11747011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V687000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact associated the failure with the recall. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights and the EPC and engine temperature warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

NHTSA complaint #11746041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the engine seized. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be inspected; however, the failure was not duplicated. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer; but the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that an adjustment to the fuel system was performed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The failure was persistent. The contact stated that the failure had occurred with minor children inside the vehicle. In addition, the contact noticed a fuel odor on the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with high and low fuel pump failures. The contact was informed that the high and low fuel pumps needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,009.

NHTSA complaint #11745744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The systems failing are electrical, engine, and fuel/propulsion systems. VW TAOS 2022 purchased Sept. 2023. Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, I'm driving down the street and the vehicle began to lose power and start slowing down. It eventually cut off. About a week later, I experienced the same issue. I called the dealer and they had me to bring my car in. I was told that they couldn't find the problem, but that the car was misfiring. They "repaired" and returned it to me. As I drove on local streets and the interstate, I have problems with acceleration. The car does not pick up speed like it should and lags behind and then suddenly jerks forward (even after battery rest times during a stop). It rides a bit rough. Occasionally, my dashboard blacks out while I'm driving. My auto-start doesn't always work, even after the fob batteries have been changed. My gas seems to disappear and I find myself gassing up more often than I should be. I would contact the dealership, they'd coordinate service around my scheduled service dates and claim that they could never find or duplicate the problems that I'm having. The problems continue. My engine light came on while I was driving and stayed on. I was told to bring in my car. The dealership kept it from July-Sept 2025, replacing parts and then returned it to me. Two days later the engine light came back on and I had to return to the dealer again for service. After leaving a parking lot (Jun 2026), two blocks down the street the TAOS began to lose power, the engine light is flashing and the EPC code (engine control malfunction) light lit up. I called VW and they dispatched a tow. My TAOS was towed to Checkered Flag VW. My safety (and others) is at risk because the power loss just happens without warning. If a driver is not paying attention, they could run into the back of me or hit me on the side during a lane change due to the slow movement.

NHTSA complaint #11743911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The systems failing are electrical, engine, and fuel/propulsion systems. VW TAOS 2022 purchased Sept. 2023. Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, I'm driving down the street and the vehicle began to lose power and start slowing down. It eventually cut off. About a week later, I experienced the same issue. I called the dealer and they had me to bring my car in. I was told that they couldn't find the problem, but that the car was misfiring. They "repaired" and returned it to me. As I drove on local streets and the interstate, I have problems with acceleration. The car does not pick up speed like it should and lags behind and then suddenly jerks forward (even after battery rest times during a stop). It rides a bit rough. Occasionally, my dashboard blacks out while I'm driving. My auto-start doesn't always work, even after the fob batteries have been changed. My gas seems to disappear and I find myself gassing up more often than I should be. I would contact the dealership, they'd coordinate service around my scheduled service dates and claim that they could never find or duplicate the problems that I'm having. The problems continue. My engine light came on while I was driving and stayed on. I was told to bring in my car. The dealership kept it from July-Sept 2025, replacing parts and then returned it to me. Two days later the engine light came back on and I had to return to the dealer again for service. After leaving a parking lot (Jun 2026), two blocks down the street the TAOS began to lose power, the engine light is flashing and the EPC code (engine control malfunction) light lit up. I called VW and they dispatched a tow. My TAOS was towed to Checkered Flag VW. My safety (and others) is at risk because the power loss just happens without warning. If a driver is not paying attention, they could run into the back of me or hit me on the side during a lane change due to the slow movement.

NHTSA complaint #11743911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The systems failing are electrical, engine, and fuel/propulsion systems. VW TAOS 2022 purchased Sept. 2023. Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, I'm driving down the street and the vehicle began to lose power and start slowing down. It eventually cut off. About a week later, I experienced the same issue. I called the dealer and they had me to bring my car in. I was told that they couldn't find the problem, but that the car was misfiring. They "repaired" and returned it to me. As I drove on local streets and the interstate, I have problems with acceleration. The car does not pick up speed like it should and lags behind and then suddenly jerks forward (even after battery rest times during a stop). It rides a bit rough. Occasionally, my dashboard blacks out while I'm driving. My auto-start doesn't always work, even after the fob batteries have been changed. My gas seems to disappear and I find myself gassing up more often than I should be. I would contact the dealership, they'd coordinate service around my scheduled service dates and claim that they could never find or duplicate the problems that I'm having. The problems continue. My engine light came on while I was driving and stayed on. I was told to bring in my car. The dealership kept it from July-Sept 2025, replacing parts and then returned it to me. Two days later the engine light came back on and I had to return to the dealer again for service. After leaving a parking lot (Jun 2026), two blocks down the street the TAOS began to lose power, the engine light is flashing and the EPC code (engine control malfunction) light lit up. I called VW and they dispatched a tow. My TAOS was towed to Checkered Flag VW. My safety (and others) is at risk because the power loss just happens without warning. If a driver is not paying attention, they could run into the back of me or hit me on the side during a lane change due to the slow movement.

NHTSA complaint #11743911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The EVAP line has a fault, stuck open, affects nothing whatsoever. But has every single light on the dash on. It tells me the brakes don't work, the air bags don't work, the cruise doesn't work. Everything. The confusing thing is some things actually work and some don't. The brakes work, the cruise doesn't. The auto detection doesn't work. What's worse, you can't replace that part. No one sells it. This is absolutely horrendous and very dangerous.

NHTSA complaint #11743340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Had my car in at a Volkswagen dealership for its routine maintenance they called me back, letting me know that I had the head gasket leak and that coolant was leaking.

NHTSA complaint #11741341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Head gasket failure is a known issue for this model. Some owners report failure at 12k miles in for quite some time. I am now faced with this known issue VW has had time to remedy. If it is a known failure why not take care of it especially if it spans across 3 models 2022 - 2024. I should not have to absorb this type of repair 4 years 57k miles in on my vehicle. Of course, everything pops up right as warranties expire. I was refused even dealer “good faith” for being 7,000 miles over the threshold VW powertrain warranty of 4 years 50k miles. Now to find $4638.83 for parts plus whatever labor will be.

NHTSA complaint #11740807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle has intermittent hesitation/delayed acceleration from a stop and during low-speed stop-and-go driving. At times, engine RPM increases before the vehicle responds or accelerates normally. This creates a safety concern when entering traffic, turning, merging, or accelerating from a stopped position because the vehicle does not always respond predictably to throttle input. The concern was reported to a Volkswagen dealer in writing during a prior repair process and was later formally documented on a repair order as hesitation on acceleration. The vehicle has prior Volkswagen repair history involving a coolant warning/low coolant concern, head gasket repair, and later camshaft seal/belt cover repair. After the most recent repair, the delayed acceleration/hesitation concern remained unresolved. The vehicle is currently under review with Volkswagen Customer Care, but the safety-related drivability concern has not yet been fully resolved. Supporting documents include the 2025 written report of jerking from a stop, the 2026 repair order documenting hesitation on acceleration, and post-repair emails showing the issue remained unresolved. After I notified the dealer in writing that the hesitation/delayed acceleration concern remained after the most recent repair, I did not receive a documented response or resolution, and the concern remains unresolved with Volkswagen Customer Care.

NHTSA complaint #11740065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The car does not accelerate when the gas is pressed. It will delay, jerk or accelerate slower than it's supposed to.

NHTSA complaint #11740205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The car does not accelerate when the gas is pressed. It will delay, jerk or accelerate slower than it's supposed to.

NHTSA complaint #11740205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The vehicle has intermittent hesitation/delayed acceleration from a stop and during low-speed stop-and-go driving. At times, engine RPM increases before the vehicle responds or accelerates normally. This creates a safety concern when entering traffic, turning, merging, or accelerating from a stopped position because the vehicle does not always respond predictably to throttle input. The concern was reported to a Volkswagen dealer in writing during a prior repair process and was later formally documented on a repair order as hesitation on acceleration. The vehicle has prior Volkswagen repair history involving a coolant warning/low coolant concern, head gasket repair, and later camshaft seal/belt cover repair. After the most recent repair, the delayed acceleration/hesitation concern remained unresolved. The vehicle is currently under review with Volkswagen Customer Care, but the safety-related drivability concern has not yet been fully resolved. Supporting documents include the 2025 written report of jerking from a stop, the 2026 repair order documenting hesitation on acceleration, and post-repair emails showing the issue remained unresolved. After I notified the dealer in writing that the hesitation/delayed acceleration concern remained after the most recent repair, I did not receive a documented response or resolution, and the concern remains unresolved with Volkswagen Customer Care.

NHTSA complaint #11740065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.