Most common 2011 Volkswagen Touareg problems
Share of the 16 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 →
2011 Volkswagen Touareg recalls (2)
Unknown or other
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.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
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.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg:
High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure
The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information,…
What 2011 Volkswagen Touareg owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
This has happened multiple times, at low speeds, car goes into limp home mode randomly and creaks along at 8 miles an hour, most recently lost braking power and message comes up "hybrid error, pull over in a safe location." then when you turn it off and on again it works fine. This is not helpful as there is no information for the mechanic to go by to solve the problem. We have replaced the catalytic converter, both fuel pumps and pre-fuel pump mechanisms and still the odd error message lack of car running. I am thinking about using it as a planter in my yard, currently is it living with the mechanic waiting to behave badly again, so he can try and the problem, but not driveable by an ordinary citizen. It has happened, while slowing down, while turning, all at low speeds, but that doesn't really help much. I still can't drive it. It has 138K on a hybrid engine. …
The vehicle recently completed a 70,000 mile service at the local vw dealer. Two days after the service, the vehicle began to exhibit the faint smell of fuel on the driver's rear side of the vehicle when parked. With each passing day, the scent of fuel continues to increase and now enters the vehicle cabin at low idle speeds (especially when exiting major roads of travel).
Engine & cooling
On my 2011 VW Touareg TDI there is an exhaust leak. Can be smelled within seconds of starting it. A turbo/EGR pipe cracks and the result is a serious exhaust leak under hood right next to where air is drawn into the cabin for HVAC. Parts are backordered with no ETA. Even though when driving there is exhaust getting into the car the dealer and VW corporate just says "sorry for the delay of the parts". This part failure seems to be a known issue- The VW dealer was told by corporate that installing a used part is not acceptable either. Currently been waiting 11 months on this part. The leak was noticed right after VW had to "fix" all the TDIs for the emissions scandal.
This has happened multiple times, at low speeds, car goes into limp home mode randomly and creaks along at 8 miles an hour, most recently lost braking power and message comes up "hybrid error, pull over in a safe location." then when you turn it off and on again it works fine. This is not helpful as there is no information for the mechanic to go by to solve the problem. We have replaced the catalytic converter, both fuel pumps and pre-fuel pump mechanisms and still the odd error message lack of car running. I am thinking about using it as a planter in my yard, currently is it living with the mechanic waiting to behave badly again, so he can try and the problem, but not driveable by an ordinary citizen. It has happened, while slowing down, while turning, all at low speeds, but that doesn't really help much. I still can't drive it. It has 138K on a hybrid engine. …
Steering
At highway speeds, 60-75mph, the steering wheel shakes dramatically. Dealer re-balanced, still shook. Dealer replaced Eagle ls2's at 32K miles with same tires and road-force balanced...still shook. Based on others with same problem, I recommened they try gy latitudes...along with road-force balance and nitro fill, shaking has been gone for past 15K miles. But this is a repeatable event on flat/smooth road surfaces, at speed. Many dealers apparently unable to correct, based on feedback at various Touareg fan sites (vw vortex, club Touareg, etc.) seems to impact tdi lux (my trim) more than others, from 2011-2013.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH the steering wheel began to shake violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure who advised the contact that the tires and rotors needed to be replaced. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 18,000 and the current mileage 20,500.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 24 / 21 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Touareg rates average: 38% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Touareg at the same age. It is one of the best Touareg years by this measure. 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 2011 Volkswagen Touareg?
The fuel & propulsion system — 5 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and steering (3).
How many recalls does the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg, the most recent from May 16, 2018 (unknown or other). 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 2011 Volkswagen Touareg problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 58% 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.