Most common 2005 Volkswagen Touareg problems
Share of the 75 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Touareg complaints by model year
Best Touareg years: 2007, 2009, 2011. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005, 2016. Compare all years →
2005 Volkswagen Touareg recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Touareg vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel filter flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel filter flange for cracks, replacing the flange if cracks are found. If no cracks are found, a protective cover will be installed onto the filter flange.
Seat belts
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." all three rear seat positions and the front passenger position are equipped with seat belt retractors that have a locking feature which converts the retractor from an emergency locking…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently install a 'clip' in each of the two rear outboard seat belts. The clips will prevent unwanted deactivation of the alr mode with child seat installations. The recall began on April 11, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg:
SRS warning light illumination
My 2004-05 (to 11/2004) touareg vehicles have a potentially faulty/loose side air bag wiring connector that can cause the wiring circuit resistance to exceed the design limit and illuminate the supplemental restraint system (SRS) air bag light.on 02/2005, vw issued a technical service bulletin (TSB #69-05-02) to address this condition by replacing the connector with a direct connection.vw's testing has shown that…
Exterior door handle malfunction
Vw issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) dated June 10, 2005, describing a condition of exterior door handle sticks in the opened position after the door is opened.vw described the cause of the problem to be a potential for increased friction between the door handle and the lock cylinder housing . . . Because some guide nubs that were molded into the plastic door handle . . .
What 2005 Volkswagen Touareg owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 23 →
The contact owns a 2005 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over and attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V583000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.
The issue explained in Recall Notice 20Ai has reappeared after being 'fixed'. Issue Summary: On certain vehicles, the fuel pump flange may develop fine cracks or fissures, which could result in a fuel leak. Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Date of Recall Repair: 02/25/2019 Date of noticed failure: 08/07/2023 It has not been communicated that this part will continue to be a hazard, and I have now discovered that even when noted that this recall action has been completed, my vehicle has gasoline leaking into the passenger compartment via the same avenue as Recall 20Ai notes. This is highly concerning as all impacted VW Touaregs that were 'recalled' may still be at risk of vehicle fire or ignition.
Electrical system
Due to a leak in either the sunroof or the windshield water continuously drips down every time it rains onto the floorboard of the driver side of this vehicle, creating a sopping wet floor board that has 2 inches of water, which in turn soaks the whole electrical system for this vehicle. I mean the water continuously drips from the time you purchase this vehicle until forever I guarantee that anybody who has a v8 version of the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg has a sopping wet driver, side floor board! The water never has a chance to dry, especially in colder climates Mine went into limp mode due to this electrical system, failing. VW MECHANICS told me I needed a whole new engine w! …
After doing major research with other owners of like year and model I have discovered that i'm not the only one that is experiencing headlight electronics or headlight electrical system within the headlight assembly frying the electrical wires, cracking the brittle wire coating and exposing many of the electrical wires together within the housing unit of the headlight Assembly. This caused many short circuits Headlights Shutting off at random times but most importantly shutting off at night on a dark highway. Depending on the bumps and bruises of the streets would cause the Wires to touch each other and short circuit. Although this is a 17-year-old vehicle but I've never experienced electrical components being degraded this much For like Like age of any vehicle.
Transmission & drivetrain
Due to a leak in either the sunroof or the windshield water continuously drips down every time it rains onto the floorboard of the driver side of this vehicle, creating a sopping wet floor board that has 2 inches of water, which in turn soaks the whole electrical system for this vehicle. I mean the water continuously drips from the time you purchase this vehicle until forever I guarantee that anybody who has a v8 version of the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg has a sopping wet driver, side floor board! The water never has a chance to dry, especially in colder climates Mine went into limp mode due to this electrical system, failing. VW MECHANICS told me I needed a whole new engine w! …
I currently own a 2005 v-6 Volkswagen Touareg. The vehicle has less than 15,000 miles. Approximately 3 months after owning vehicle, the vehicle exemplified obvious shifting concerns as well as poor gas mileage. The transmission was replaced in hopes to correct the issues described above, however, it has not improved. I was asked to drive the vehicle for at least another 6 months to a year, to break it in. In this time, my car has worsened. The shifting is more erratic, losing power, jumping gears, and nearly stalling when taking off from a stop and at intersections. As a result of the erratic shifting, I have been nearly rear-ended. My car has been in 5 times for 3 to 8 days at a time. The dealership has not been able to duplicate this issue, since it has replaced the transmission. …
2005 Volkswagen Touareg engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg a good car?
Based on 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Touareg rates use caution: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Touareg at the same age. It is one of the Touareg years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg?
The fuel & propulsion system — 23 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the electrical system (14) and transmission & drivetrain (10).
How many recalls does the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg, the most recent from September 20, 2017 (fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Touareg?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2009 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2005 and 2016. See the full Volkswagen Touareg years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Volkswagen Touareg problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.