Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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).
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.
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. …
I recently purchased a 2004 vw tuareg in July 1st of 2014. Immediately upon purchasing the vehicle I began receiving a parking brake alarm when I turned on the vehicle. The alarm would persist until I pushed down on the parking brake. I would also receive an occasional alarm for the tire pressure monitoring system. Then, on December 15, 2014 the vehicle refused to turn on at all. The dashboard display had a flashing steering wheel. I had the vehicle towed to a Volkswagen dealership where the technicians looked it over and told me that the cause of the problem is that two cables touched and shorted out the system. After 3 weeks of holding the vehicle, the cost of repair was quoted at around $3,500 to replace some modules. I was also informed that this might be a recall issue as many other 2004 vw tuaregs have had similar problems.
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.
Multiple engine light failures for over 4 years. Engine light came on and engine shut down immediately while wife was on the freeway. Very dangerous...essentially no warning. Have replaced wiring harness in the vehicle and have had it in the shop for electrical issues many times. Unsafe handling and acceleration...car jumps forward at stops while it is downshifting. Think the transmission, tires and brakes should be tested. Think you will find they are defective. Engine blew up at 44,000 miles. Very dangerous car..and you will find other touaregs with similar issues. Should be recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start when attempting to drive. When the vehicle was started, an electrical noise was heard from the dashboard. In addition, the electrical system failed after three days. The vehicle was taken to david maus Volkswagen north (1050 lee rd, orlando, fl 32810, phone: [phone]), but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
Lights on the dash come on hill assist shuts on and off by itself brake light comes on and off sunroof has open by itself ac has stopped working and the next day works again heated steering wheel works when it wants this happened while you're driving or sitting still everything I have read on the internet has pointed to an electrical issue this is an everyday thing
I've been having various problems with the electrical system on my 2004 vw Touareg from the purchase date of 08/19/03. The alarm would sound, without cause, the doors would not unlock and various switches would not work at times. All of the problems were random. I brought the car in for repair several times. But, the problems were not fixed. In April 2006, my car battery was replaced because it was no longer handling a charge. The battery change was a warranty item. After the battery change, the electrical problems became more frequent. My turn signals began to act up. When I signal for a right turn, the blinker will click to the left one to three times, then to the right. I told murrieta vw about the problem and brought the car in for warranty service on 06/30/06. They couldn't find a "fault code" and couldn't make the car duplicate the problem. So, they didn't fix the car. …
Constant repair of 2004 vw Touareg: this vehicle has been certified in all states of the union as being a certified lemon. When I purchased the vehicle I had no idea of this. I have had to replace a fan sensor which is a certified vw defect, but I had to pay for the cost, repair and labor in the amount of $550 and further, the vehicle left me stranded because the faulty sensor allowed a fan to keep blowing thereby draining my battery completely. Rear windshield wiper disintegrated during heavy rain and cost 65 to repair although the piece looks like something a child put together. Front windshield wiper flew off of car while raining, causing me to pull over and be stranded once again. I got stranded again because the vw engine coils burnt out without notice leaving me stranded in blizzard conditions in chicago. …
I went to start the car in my driveway and a red warning icon appeared on the instrument panel. I looked it up in the owners manual which stated the icon indicated a steering system failure. Further, the ignition key then stuck in the ignition switch/lock and could not be removed. As a result the truck's transmission gear selector could not be taken out of the "park" detent. This resulted in my not being able to get the truck to a position where a tow truck could access the car until the snow melted two months later. The vw authorized repair center diagnosed the problem as a failure in the steering column. Further, they stated that this is a common failure mode for this model and they believed a recall or campaign was imminent. This is a serious design flaw. If it had failed while being driven the results could have been catastrophic. …
Related recalls
Electrical system › Wiring
On certain sport utility vehicles, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) wiring harness May have been improperly routed during assembly. An improperly routed TPMS wiring harness May contact the parking brake cable spring.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the TPMS wiring harness routing and, if necessary, correct the wiring harness routing. Owner notification began August 18, 2003. Owners should contact vwoa at 1-800-893-5298.
Electrical complaints in other Touareg years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg?
NHTSA has 49 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg, 21% of the model year's 231 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Volkswagen Touareg electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-266 (wiring, Jul 25, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Volkswagen Touareg electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.