YearToAvoid

2005 Volkswagen Touareg Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#5 most-complained of 13 Touareg years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Volkswagen Touareg has 75 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 67 out of 100 — #5 highest of 13 Touareg model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is fuel system (23 complaints, 31% of the total). Complaints report 1 injury.

Complaints
75
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13 city / 18 hwy

Top 2005 Volkswagen Touareg problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System23 (31%)
  2. Electrical System17 (23%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (13%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain10 (13%)
  5. Airbags8 (11%)
  6. Structure & Body8 (11%)
  7. Seat Belts7 (9%)
  8. Brakes4 (5%)
  9. Engine4 (5%)
  10. Steering4 (5%)
2005 Volkswagen Touareg complaints: complaints filed per quarter102004 Q42007 Q12010 Q12012 Q32014 Q22017 Q32019 Q32024 Q4
102 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2004 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2007 Q1 (10).

2005 Volkswagen Touareg recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 17V583000Sep 20, 2017Fuel System73,941 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    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. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Ai.

  2. NHTSA 04V592000Dec 15, 2004Seat Belts50,483 vehicles

    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 retractor (elr) mode to an automatic locking retractor (alr) mode for the purposes of child restraint installation. The belt may deactivate the alr mode with certain child restraints.

    Risk: When involved in a crash, the child restraints may not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injuries or death.

    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. Owners should contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.

2005 Volkswagen Touareg fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,350
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Touareg years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Caution6775215
2006Good2537116
2007Avoid839316

All Volkswagen Touareg years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg ranks #5 of 13 among Touareg model years (Complaint Index 67/100, verdict: Caution). It has 75 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg?
The most reported problem areas are fuel system (23 complaints), electrical system (17 complaints), and suspension, wheels & tires (10 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 70,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg, most recently reported 2017, covering fuel system and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg?
EPA rates the 2005 Volkswagen Touareg at 15 MPG combined (13 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,350. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.