Reliable Auto DB

2016 Volkswagen Touareg reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg holds 44 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Touareg years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Tire pressure monitoring and Pedals and linkages.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg
Photo by Navigator84, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

44

Per year

2

Recalls

2

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (22 of 44), then Forward collision avoidance (8) and Electrical system (5). Those filings include 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Touareg has 24 complaints, 1 per year, and the 2017 has 24 complaints, 4 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Volkswagen Touareg. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall tires, tire pressure monitoring 2016-04-26 · NHTSA campaign 16V243000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toureg vehicles manufactured July 7, 2015 to March 3, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. Additionally, the tire pressures printed on the Safety Certification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Remedy Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will correct the TPMS settings and replace the safety certification label, free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2016. Volkwagen's number for this recall is 44M9.
Recall hydraulic brakes, pedals and linkages 2016-03-24 · NHTSA campaign 16V170000
Summary 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.

Complaints by component (44 total)

Engine
22
Forward collision avoidance
8
Electrical system
5
Service brakes
5
Structure
3
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Speed control
2
Air bags
1
Back-over prevention
1
Lane departure
1
Steering
1
Suspension
1
Show 4 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12015120161201742018112019920206202122022120232202462025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The car will stop (while driving) for no apparent reason. “Phantom Braking”. This is without any known objects/people approaching our vehicle. It’s a part of the electronic automatic braking system but obviously it is…"
    Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-11-13
  • "My lane assist camera is not functioning and Volkswagen is telling me the part is now obsolete and can't be repaired. It is part #7p6907217bxz1y. I took it to Pompano Volkswagen on 4/4/24 and have been waiting for the…"
    Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-08-16
  • "UNKNOWN- simply picking up my kids and various alerts came on the dashboard including the ABS brakes error, Parking brake error, and others that I am not sure of. I just bought this suv on Friday from DCH Acura of…"
    Unknown or other, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-05-19
  • "Rear viewing camera does not display when vehicle is placed in reverse."
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Back-over prevention · filed 2025-05-06
  • "Vehicle manufacture (Volkswagon) has quit supplying/manufacturing a safety guidence parts for my auto. 7P6-907-217-BX-Z1Y Collision Avoidance Camera NOT AVAILABLE i would like my anti Self collision guidance repaired,…"
    Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-02-05

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Touareg 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 21 28 24 MPG $3950
Touareg 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 17 23 19 MPG $3400

Specs and fitment

Second generation (7P), 2012–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-40 or 5W-30 (capacity about 7.1–8.1 qt with filter by engine)
Tire size 255/55R18, 265/50R19, 275/45R20 (trim-dependent; some markets also 235/65R17)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 16V-170 covers certain 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles: the brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pedal to dislodge. The campaign lists 46,574 vehicles; dealers inspect for the clip and install any that are missing. Recall 18V-329 covers certain 2011-2015 Touareg vehicles among other VW models for a Takata driver air-bag inflator concern. Recall 21V-321 covers certain 2017 Touareg GP vehicles among other VW models.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Volkswagen Touareg Next year 2017 Volkswagen Touareg See every Volkswagen Touareg model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg holds 44 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Touareg years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Tire pressure monitoring and Pedals and linkages.

What are common problems with a 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (22 of 44), then Forward collision avoidance (8) and Electrical system (5). Those filings include 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Touareg has 24 complaints, 1 per year, and the 2017 has 24 complaints, 4 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg been recalled?

The 2016 Volkswagen Touareg has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Owners have filed 44 complaints about the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Volkswagen Touareg get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg is 21.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Volkswagen Touareg use?

This generation commonly lists 5W-40 or 5W-30 meeting VW specs; capacity is roughly 7.1–8.1 qt with filter depending on engine—confirm the manual.

What tire sizes does a Volkswagen Touareg use?

US OEM fitments commonly include 255/55R18, 265/50R19, and 275/45R20 depending on trim and wheel package.

What brake-pedal recall affects certain Touareg models?

Recall 16V-170 covers certain 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles where the brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip.