2011 Volkswagen Touareg Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg ranks 8th worst out of 13 model years with a complaint index of 42 and a Good verdict. It has 16 complaints, 2 recalls, and no fires or deaths reported.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 42/100
- #8 of 13 Touareg years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 16
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 19 city / 24 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
Top 2011 Volkswagen Touareg problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine5 (31%)
- Fuel System5 (31%)
- Other3 (19%)
- Steering3 (19%)
- Airbags1 (6%)
- Electrical System1 (6%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (6%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Steering wheel shakes violently or shudders at highway speeds between 60 and 75 mph, sometimes recurring after tire replacement or rebalancing.
- Fuel system problems include throttle hesitation, glow plug warning lights, and stalling that required towing to a dealer.
- Owners report a fuel odor near the rear of the vehicle that gets stronger over time and enters the cabin at idle.
- Engine issues include unpredictable acceleration stumble from a standing start and water found inside the air intake box.
- An electrical fault caused the key to become stuck out of the ignition while the engine kept running, with no way to shut it off.
- In one crash, front airbags did not deploy despite significant front-end damage.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V329000May 16, 2018Other252 vehicles
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. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
- NHTSA 16V170000Mar 24, 2016Brakes46,574 vehicles
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.
Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 24 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,200
- 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.
2011 compared with other Touareg years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg reliable?
- Compared with other Touareg model years, the 2011 rates Good, ranking 8th worst of 13 years with a complaint index of 42. It has 16 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls.
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Touareg?
- Engine and fuel system issues each make up 31% of complaints, followed by steering problems at 19%. Median mileage at failure across all issues is 39,500 miles.
- Does the 2011 Touareg have any recalls?
- Yes, two recalls: one covering brake pedal pivot pin clips on 2011-2016 Touareg models, and one broader compliance recall spanning several Volkswagen models including the 2011-2015 Touareg.
- How does the 2011 Touareg compare to other years?
- The 2011 model (complaint index 42) is safer than the 2008 (100, Avoid) and 2016 (92, Avoid) model years but riskier than the 2015 (0, Best) and 2017 (17, Best) model years.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Touareg?
- EPA rates the 2011 Touareg at 21 mpg combined (19 city/24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200.