Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering8
- Fuel/propulsion system6
- Unknown or other5
- Engine4
- Air bags3
- Electrical system3
- Suspension3
- Wheels3
- Fuel system, diesel2
- Seat belts2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg failed the safety check 2.24% of the time — 6% less often than the average 2013 passenger car (2.38%). Median odometer at inspection: 115,579 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2013
16,031 new Volkswagen Touareg cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2013; the largest markets were Germany (8,962), the United Kingdom (2,829), France (787).
- Average mass
- 2,186 kg
- Average power
- 187 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 99% · Petrol 1.1%
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 2013 Volkswagen Touareg cars on Dutch roads are the 3.0 diesel (180 kW, 241 hp) and 3.0 hybrid (245 kW, 329 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 diesel | 180 kW 241 hp | 90 |
| 3.0 hybrid | 245 kW 329 hp | 23 |
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
138 first registered in 2013 are on Dutch roads; 67% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €93,540.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde89
- Band onvoldoende profiel47
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen33
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm20
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld18
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt10
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht8
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage8
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
2,228 cars built in 2013 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 149 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, 2,384 of these cars first registered in 2013 took their annual MOT test. 77% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2013 the figure was 68%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| Tyres | 5.5% | 6.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.6% | 12.5% |
| Brakes | 3.0% | 6.8% |
| Visibility | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0.9% | 0.8% |
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
291 2013 cars are on the New Zealand register; 23% arrived as used imports, 75% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 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 10.2–12.6 L/100 km (about 19–23 mpg US), CO₂ 277–296 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touareg TDI (modified) · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Diesel | 11.8 | 8.1 | 10.2 |
| Touareg · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 14.4 | 10.4 | 12.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg.
| 2018266 17 May 2018 | Other On certain early production vehicles, modifications may have been made prior to sale that could make the vehicles non-compliant with regulatory requirements. Co… |
| 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 2013 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 |
| 10253262 | VW Engine oil quality standards |
| 10253215 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10253214 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10253213 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation