MODELYEARINDEX

Which Volkswagen Touareg years to avoid

No Volkswagen Touareg model year in 2010–2017 falls into the flagged band. The weakest are 2010 and 2013, and even those sit close to this model’s own median.

Ownership label · Volkswagen Touareg Full report
C
Grade 2010–2017
2010 vs model median 1.3×
Model median3× median
Fuel System 7
Engine 4
Electrical 1
Weakest

2010 · 2013

Best

2011 · 2015

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.33× 15 C
2011
0.53× 11 B
2012
0.67× 13 B
2013
1.04× 23 C
2014
0.96× 23 B
2015
0.56× 12 B
2016
1.15× 29 C
2017
1.18× 24 C

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2010 C 15 reports · median 51,000 mi

  1. Fuel System 7

    During the process of filling the almost empty tank with diesel fuel, an electrical short (per report of the local fire department that was called in) created heat that was able to melt part of the tank in the area of… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 4

    While traveling approximately 75 MPH on an interstate the vehicle suddenly lost power/turned off. There were no warning lights, no noises, no vibrations, no signs of anything. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 1

1 crash · 2 fire · 1 injuries

2013 C 23 reports · median 18,400 mi

  1. Steering 5

    Vehicle exhibits a steering wheel shake that consistently occurs above 60mph on all road surfaces. At onset, can feel oscillation in hands and arms. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 5

    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… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Suspension 3

    The car keeps having a clicking noise on the back, suspension parts were replaced but it does keep having the same noise, back to the dealership it is. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

The best year for the Touareg

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2011 is the best-scoring Touareg model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.8 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2011 0.53× 11 B
2015 0.56× 12 B
2012 0.67× 13 B

Recalls

5 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
16V170000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES 2011–2016 46,574
17V151000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2010 20,908
16V243000 TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS 2016 366
18V329000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2011–2015 252
21V321000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2017 46

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2010 were reported at a median of 51,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Volkswagen Touareg years should you avoid?
No Volkswagen Touareg model year in 2010–2017 scores in the flagged band. The weakest are 2010 and 2013.
What is the best year for the Volkswagen Touareg?
2011 is the best-scoring Volkswagen Touareg model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.8 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Touareg have?
5 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Volkswagen Touareg model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2010 Touareg
Complaints in window
15
Severity-weighted
39
Model median (weighted)
29
vs model median
1.33×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
1
Open investigations
0
Score 64.2 C