Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel/propulsion system6
- Engine5
- Steering5
- Electrical system4
- Power train3
- Service brakes2
- Air bags2
- Seat belts2
- Seats1
- Fuel system, diesel1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2012 Touareg vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 0 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg failed the safety check 1.88% of the time — 25% less often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 118,926 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
18,896 new Volkswagen Touareg cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (10,574), the United Kingdom (2,401), France (1,236).
- Average mass
- 2,207 kg
- Average power
- 190 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 98% · Petrol 1.5%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2012 Volkswagen Touareg cars on Dutch roads are the 3.0 diesel (180 kW, 241 hp), 3.6 petrol (206 kW, 276 hp) and 3.0 hybrid (245 kW, 329 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 diesel | 180 kW 241 hp | 77 |
| 3.6 petrol | 206 kW 276 hp | 23 |
| 3.0 hybrid | 245 kW 329 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
160 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 79% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €97,902.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde57
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen50
- Band onvoldoende profiel46
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage24
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm23
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld17
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht16
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd7
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,757 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 148 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 1,956 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 78% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 10.2% | 12.2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.4% | 14.3% |
| Tyres | 4.3% | 7.0% |
| Brakes | 3.2% | 7.7% |
| Visibility | 2.4% | 5.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.9% | 3.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
301 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 40% arrived as used imports, 57% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 10.6–12.3 L/100 km (about 19–22 mpg US), CO₂ 283–288 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touareg TDI (modified) · Sport utility vehicle · Diesel | 12.4 | 9.0 | 10.6 |
| Touareg · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 13.8 | 10.4 | 12.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg.
| 2016128 22 Mar 2016 | Brakes On certain vehicles, a securing clip at the brake pedal hinge may have become dislodged during vehicle assembly. This could allow the pivot pin to move out of p… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 11002875 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001508 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 10253483 | Engine Exhaust Flap Limited Warranty Extension |
| 10253262 | VW Engine oil quality standards |
| 10253215 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10253214 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation