Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Volkswagen Touareg owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and would not increase in speed while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact also stated that while making a turn, there was a loud clicking noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,000.
I was turning left at a fairly busy intersection & had waited for 2 cars to go that were in front of me. When my turn came & a gap appeared in incoming traffic, I removed my left foot from the brake, depressed the accelerator with my right foot & turned. However, the car did not accelerate. It moved into the lane of oncoming traffic, but just idled & I could not get the car to move for 2 - 3 seconds. I pushed the throttle all the way to the floor with no effect. A serious accident did not occur only because the oncoming traffic slammed on their brakes in time. After what seemed like forever, the car began to move & I was able to get out of the way. The same thing has happened 19 times since & the car has been returned to the dealer 4 times to fix this problem. Each time they 'could not duplicate' the problem. …
2004 Volkswagen Touareg that hesitates upon acceleration from a cold start approximately 20% of the time. This hesitation presents a hazard to both passengers in the Touareg and passengers in vehicles of oncoming traffic. Vehicle begins to accelerate then hesitates. It is impossible to determine when this might occur. Also, there was a recent incident where the Touareg hesitated and the vehicle behind the Touareg had to rapidly brake to avoid rearending the Touareg. It has been returned to the dealership on 4 different occasions with this complaint however the dealership indicates they cannot duplicate the complaint. Volkswagen of America states no problem found. The following questions on this form are not applicable as numerous incidents have occurred on numerous dates and we are not able to indicate the exact number of incidents. …
Dt: the consumer stated that 2004, Volkswagen toureg experienced loss of acceleration when pulling out. When the car is started in the mornings it is fine, but after the car sits for a couple of hours it starts having a delay in the acceleration when pulling out. This has been happening for a couple of months. The car has been to the dealership three or four times, and they could not fix the problem. The dealer said they were waiting on Volkswagen to come up with a solution. The consumer called Volkswagen, and they said that the consumer should keep working within the terms of the warranty until the problem was solved. The problem at this point seemed to be intermittent. At this point no one knows what is wrong with the car.
The computer program controlling the accelerator applications to the engine is flawed. He existing program anticipates the drivers intentions in slowing to a stop in that it cannot accept a sudden request for acceleration from the driver before completing the previous action. This causes an excessive "delay" in applying throttle in an emergency situation and when it finally does, it could result in death in certain conditions. The computer should be programmed to accept an emergency command of this type under the conditions described above. This has also been reported as a past condition in Audi automobiles that has been transferred into the taurag in 2004.
Tl*- the contact stated that since she purchased the vehicle acceleration has been sluggish. The dealer stated that it was the nature of the beast, and there was nothing that they could do about it. The engine was not powerful enough to sustain the weight of the vehicle. The contact often took the vehicle for repairs. Neither road nor weather conditions have been factors in the failure. When accelerating from a dead stop, acceleration is slow but steady, when accelerating while moving between 40 MPH acceleration is non-existent for approximately 3 seconds and then takes off fast. Updated 03/30/07.
Vehicle would jump forward when making turns, making it difficult to control vehicle. Owner took vehicle to dealer for repair of the transfer case 3 times. The accelerator pedal would get stuck, which was not enabling the vehicle to accelerate and to change gears. Also, windshield wipers would work intermittently, causing visibility problems on the road during inclement weather. In addition, the battery would drain and cause the vehicle not to turn on. Manufacturer was contacted by owner numerous times.
My Volkswagen Touareg has a "hesitation" when accelerating affectionately known in vw circles as "death lag". Many times when attempting to accellerate the vehicle will just sit there for 3-10 seconds even if the accellerator pedal is depressed all the way. This has nearly caused numerous accidents with some avoided only by oncoming traffic swerving and skidding to a stop while my vehicle sits still in traffic.
While approaching an intersection, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The consumers foot was on the brakes but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and drove it to the dealer for inspection, however, the mechanic could not duplicate the problem.
When the vehicle has slowed to a near stop and the accelerator is depressed, it initially hesitates, then surges forward. This prevents the driver from accelerating smoothly and could be a safety concern. I think the engine ECU May need a software update.
Acceleration complaints in other Touareg years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg, 10% of the model year's 231 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Volkswagen Touareg acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Volkswagen Touareg acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 8,000 miles, and 77% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.