29 of the
945 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Touareg
are about the lighting —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
Hello: this is the 2nd VW TOUAREG this year to repair so far, this one is a 2004 model that I have had to replace complete left & right xenon headlamp assembly Very pricy. Wiring insulation turns brittle, cracks & falls off inside the headlamp assembly, This allows the bare wires to touch & short causing fuses to blow shutting off headlamps while driving at night. This I think should be recalled, I have fixed 5 of these TOUAREGs in 4 years for this same problem. THANK YOU 10/24/24
NHTSA complaint #11621837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
No warning prior to failure. At highway speed, Dashboard Notice: SYSTEM FAULT - SERVICE NOW. All electrical systems stopped working, including: Lighting - No Headlight/Running Light control- No Turn Signals- 4-Way Flashers worked, then stopped working- No Windshield Wipers- No interior Windshield defogger- No Side Window Control for manual traffic signals- Do not know if Brake Lights were working- Mechanic states that battery was not charging- Some Dashboard displays were not working - Cruise control stopped working -
NHTSA complaint #11527464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My SUV was sitting for a few days at the airport and I when I got in the car, it started fine but the headlights, interior lights, power folding mirrors and the voltmeter were not working. I had to leave the car there since it was night time. The next day I drove it home in daylight and started checking fuses. I noticed two fuses (#2, #12) on the driver side fuse panel were failed. I replaced the #2, 5 amp, fuse and no changes were noticed. Then I replaced the #12, 25 amp, fuse and I heard a number of systems clicking and powering on; the lights flickered. Then I smelled burning and saw a puff of smoke come from under the dash. I immediately pulled the fuse . After troubleshooting, I found the body control module 7L6-937-049-K had caught fire internally and started to burn through the casing. Had I not pulled the fuse and disconnected the battery, this could have been catastrophic. Once I smelled the smoke, I realized it was like the acrid smell in the suv the night before. The fact the fuse blew the previous day saved the vehicle. It was parked on the fourth floor of parking garage at the airport so many vehicles could have been damaged and people endangered had it caught fire. Not to mention the disruption at an airport. There were no warning lamps. The only indication of a problem was the inoperable systems I mentioned. Also thinking back, the slight acrid smell was present the day I arrived at the airport, I had mistaken it for plane exhaust and car exhaust smells in the garage. The vehicle has not been inspected by any dealer, manufacturer or govermental agency. I have contacted the manufacturer for guidance and help with repairing. I am awaiting a response.
NHTSA complaint #11518742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Protective coating on wires in the headlight and turn signal assemblies crumbled and disintegrated, causing all the lighting components and ballast for HID lights, light level adjusters and the fuses and relays to short out, sparks and potential fire hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11508422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gas leak (see pics). I started noticing a strong gasoline smell and my car keeps running out of gas almost immediately after filling up. This has not been inspected nor confirmed by a dealer. This is my only source of transportation and needs to be fixed ASAP. There is not a VW dealership where I live, the closest being in Mario, IL, or St. Louis, MO.
NHTSA complaint #11477238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Leaking gas caught on fire put it out but now I have no head lights no high beams replaced everything still nothing. All lights on dash go crazy kills battery all the time and had to replace something in the rear end. Overall it has cost me $2500 and I still have no headlights at all and leaking gas. It’s my only vehicle I hope next time it doesn’t catch back on fire could have been worse and still could be. Somebody could get hurt and I have kids.
NHTSA complaint #11441658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LIGHT WENT OUT ON DARK ROAD. NEARLY CRASHED. FOUND INSULATION ON WIRES FOR LIGHTS DETERIORATED. HARNESS WAS MELTED LOWER IN THE FENDER. ONLINE SEARCH FOUND SAME ISSUE IS COMMON AND INCLUDED FIRES.
NHTSA complaint #11375085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING, FIRST SIDE MARKER AND RIGHT SIDE TURN SIGNAL BEGAN TO FAIL, THEN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHT FAILED. UPON INSPECTION ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE FAILED COMPONENTS, INSULATION WAS CRUMBLING & NON- EXISTENT. IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE LEFT SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. SAME CONDITION OF WIRE INSULATION FALLING OFF WIRES, CAUSING SHORTING OUT OF COMPONENTS. REPLACEMENT OF HEADLIGHT HOUSING ASSEMBLY, BULBS, BALLASTS AND CONTROLLERS WAS REQUIRED TO OPERATE VEHICLE CONDITION. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP (PRESTON VW, BOARDMAN, OHIO), THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROPLEMS WITH THE TOUAREG RELATED TO WIRING OR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. TOTAL COST TO REPLACE W OEM THROUGH ROCK AUTO AUTO PARTS (MOST COST EFFECTIVE) WAS TOTAL$1,314.82
NHTSA complaint #11363544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INSULATION ON WIRES IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FALLS OFF WIRES CAUSING SHORTS AND DISABLES BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAUSING LOSS OF VISION AT NIGHT. THIS ALSO STOPS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. ALSO PLASTIC HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAZES AND SCRATCHES RESULTING IN POOR LIGHT BEFORE THE SHORTING WIRES DISABLE ALL HEADLIGHTS.
NHTSA complaint #11341573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INSULATION ON WIRING INSIDE HEADLIGHT HOUSING DETERIORATED LEAVING EXPOSED WIRE. SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURRED CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #11315655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG HAVE BEEN BURNING THE BULBS AND GIVING ME MANY PROBLEMS TO CONDITION IN THE NIGHT YESTERDAY APRIL 26, 2019 THE HEADLIGHT BURNED LEFT I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT AND OPENED THE HOOD AND I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SMALL FLAME OF FIRE AND I TURN IT OFF AND WENT TO MY HOUSE WITHOUT LIGHTS WHEN I REMOVE THE HEADLIGHT I FIND THAT ALL THE CABLES ARE WITHOUT THE COVER THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR NOT BOBY I WANT TO KNOW WHERE I CAN GO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM
NHTSA complaint #11204264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THIS VEHICLE FAIL DUE TO THE INTERNAL WIRING INSIDE OF THE HOUSING. THIS LEADS TO ZERO VISIBILITY DURING NIGHT TIME. THE HEADLIGHTS WHEN OPERATING CORRECTLY ALSO DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT OUTPUT TO BE ABLE TO SEE DURING THE NIGHT EVEN WITH A BRAND NEW ASSEMBLY.
NHTSA complaint #11149899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY SHORT OUT AND STOP WORKING. THE WIRES ON THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE NO INSULATION BECAUSE IT HAS FALLEN OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES AND STILL CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP AND WAS NOT HELPED. I CONTACTED VW CORPORATE OFFICE AND NO HELP. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST VW FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. MORE THAN ONCE IT HAS LEFT MY DAD STRANDED BECAUSE HE HAD NO HEADLIGHTS TO DRIVE HOME WITH.
NHTSA complaint #11092681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN CHANGING ANY OF THE THREE BULBS IN EACH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, WIRING TO THE BULB HOLDER(S) WILL BE MISSING INSULATION AND HAVING EXPOSED, OR BARE, COPPER WIRES. EVEN WHERE THE INSULATION IS STILL INTACT, THE INSULATION IS VERY LIKELY TO BE BRITTLE AND JUST THE MINIMAL MOVEMENT OF THE WIRES, NECESSARY TO REPLACE ANY OF THE BULBS, WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL INSULATION TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE WIRING INSIDE THESE HOUSINGS. THERE IS NO WIRE WRAP, ELECTRICAL TAPE, NOR HEAT SHIELDING ON ANY OF THE WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, LIKE WHAT YOU FIND ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE VEHICLES' WIRING LOOM AND ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THESE WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE FULLY EXPOSED TO THE HEAT BUILD-UP WITHIN THE HOUSING WHILE ALSO BEING SUSCEPTIBLE TO ABRASION AGAINST ANY OF SEVERAL STAMPED METAL PIECES INTERNAL TO THE HOUSING. THE WIRE GAUGE USED SEEMS SUFFICIENT FOR THE CURRENT REQUIRED TO RUN THE 55-WATT HALOGEN BULBS USED FOR HIGH AND LOW BEAMS IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF TOUAREG, ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS ARE NOT FUSED INDIVIDUALLY, MEANING PER-SIDE, SO THE LARGER VALUE FUSE IN COMMON FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS IS HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT-CARRYING CAPACITY WIRING WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. ANY SHORTING OF THESE WIRES, EITHER DIRECTLY AGAINST EACH OTHER OR THROUGH ANY METAL MAKING UP THE STRUCTURE OF THE REFLECTORS, WOULD HAVE TO PASS ENOUGH CURRENT TO BLOW THE COMMON FUSE. THIS WOULD CERTAINLY RESULT IN SMOKING THE REMAINING INSULATION WITHIN THE HOUSING AND POTENTIALLY FURTHER UP INTO THE ENGINE BAY HARNESS WHICH PLUGS INTO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE BUT MINIMALLY CAUSING A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS, IF NOT ALL LIGHTING AND OTHER ELECTRICAL LOADS. A QUICK GOOGLE OR YOUTUBE SEARCH REVEALS THIS PERSISTENT ISSUE OVER MANY MODELS AND YEARS OF VW, AUDI, AND OTHER MANUFACTURERS USING SIMILAR HELLA OR VALEO LIGHTING COMPONENTS.
NHTSA complaint #11064291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HEADLIGHT WIRING INSULATION HAS MELTED CREATING SEVERAL SHORTS AND CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO STOP WORKING COMPLETELY. IT APPEARS TO BE ALL OF THE WIRING HEADING TO AND INCLUDING THE HEADLIGHT. IT HAS CAUSED FALSE CODES TO APPEAR AS WELL.
NHTSA complaint #11053313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, I STARTED BLOWING FUSES FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE TURN SIGNAL. I WOULD HAVE NO FRONT OR REAR TURN SIGNAL, AS WELL AS NO HAZARDS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I LOOKED INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT ALL THE WIRING WAS EXPOSED DUE TO THE WIRING INSULATION ROTTING OFF, LEAVING EXPOSED WIRING. I AM A FIREFIGHTER, AND THIS IS A VEHICLE FIRE, WAITING TO HAPPEN. YOU CANT EVEN WRAP ELECTRICAL TAPE AROUND IT, DUE TO THE HEADLAMP UNIT NOT BEING ABLE TO BE TAKEN APART. I HAVE NO LEFT TURN SIGNALS, AND RISK BEING HIT, SIDESWIPED, OR GETTING A TICKET FROM THE POLICE FOR SOMETHING I CANNOT FIX. I HAVE REPLACED 4 DIFFERENT FUSES NOW TRYING TO FIX THIS.
NHTSA complaint #10960102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAD MY TOUAREG IN PUERTO RICO FOR OVER 10 YEARS IN STORAGE. SINCE CAR HAD NOT USED FOR NORMALLY BUSINESS DAYS. THE HEADLIGHT CABLES AND LIGHTS ARE GOT BAD. ALL CABLES GOT DRY AND BROKE IN THE OUTSIDE CAUSE THE HEAT OF THE ISLAND. THE CONTROL UNIT GOT BAD. ALL FRONT LIGHT SISTEM DOESNOT WORK CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAVE 86000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10918437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS IN 2004 VW TOUAREG, LIGHTS GO OUT PERIODICALLY WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. THIS WAS AN ISSUE COVERED BY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. NOW VW WON'T EVEN TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT AND REFERS YOU TO AN 800 NUMBER THAT WAS DISCONNECTED YEARS AGO. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND VW IS RUNNING AWAY FROM THEIR LIABILITY. TYPICAL BEHAVIOR FOR VW.
NHTSA complaint #10825674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR FOLLOWING ME LIGHT ISSUE. LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM VERY BRIGHT (XENON) WITH NARROW BEAM PATTERN. SEEMED AS IF EVERY TIME THERE WAS A BUMP THEY WERE FLASHING ME BUT ITS JUST THE LIGHTS THEMSELVES. THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND HEAD LIGHTS REPLACED. NOTICED THIS ON ALL TOURAGES.....
NHTSA complaint #10703645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND WOULD NOT OPERATE IN LOW BEAM MODE. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTED THAT THE INSULATION FOR THE WIRING INSIDE EACH HEADLIGHT UNIT WAS BRITTLE, CRACKED AND IN SOME CASES THE INSULATION HAD FALLEN COMPLETELY OFF. THIS CAUSED BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO GROUND OUT AND FAIL, POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10683124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.