Volkswagen Touareg VIN Number Check

A free NHTSA vPIC decode tells you which Volkswagen Touareg you are looking at. Then check its model year against 15 NHTSA recall campaigns and what owners have reported.

VIN prefixWVG

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

Volkswagen Touareg

About the Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagen sold the Touareg in the US for model years 2004–2017, across two generations. The 7L came first (2004–2010), and the 7P took over for 2010–2017. Across those years NHTSA lists 15 vehicle recall campaigns and 645 owner complaints. Complaints pile up on the 7L. Its 2004 and 2005 model years alone account for 306 of them, with owners bringing up fuel system most often and the electrical system after that. EPA rates the 7L at 14–20 mpg combined, while the 7P, whose lineup includes hybrid versions, gets 16–24 mpg. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years2004–2017

Generations7L · 7P

NHTSA recall campaigns15

Owner complaints645 at NHTSA

Volkswagen Touareg photographed at a US vehicle auction — Auction lot photo, for illustration

Generations

Volkswagen Touareg generations

Two generations since the 2004 model year. The 7L (2004–2010) has the most owner complaints, the 7L (2004–2010) and 7P (2010–2017) the most recall campaigns (8 each).

2 / 2

2010–20172nd generation

Photo: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

200420102015

2010–2017· Generation 2 of 2

7P · 2nd generation

EPA classStandard Sport Utility Vehicle

EPA combined mpg16–24

NHTSA recalls8

Engines (EPA)

3.0 L 6-cyl (turbo, diesel) · 2010–2016
3.6 L 6-cyl · 2010–2017
3.0 L 6-cyl (supercharged, hybrid) · 2011–2015

Drive & transmission (EPA)

AWD/4WD
automatic (2010–2017)

Known issues to check

Engine and cooling (84)Fuel system (44)Steering (26)5 high-risk recall campaigns

Mentions in 218 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · 7PWVGEP9BP?GD······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2016 Volkswagen Touareg Sport (FSI Only), Sport w/ Technology, Lux, Executive, built in Bratislava, Slovakia

Check a Touareg VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which Touareg model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 15 campaigns on file for Touareg model years 2004–2017; no single year stands out (4 at most). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

Pick a row

What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Volkswagen Touareg owners report

NHTSA data

Between them, the 2004 and 2005 hold 306 of the 645 complaints, or 47%. Tap any bar or generation.

645NHTSA complaints, 2004–2017

15mention a crash

13mention a fire

34injuries reported

Owner complaints by model year7P: 218 complaints · most for the 2016 (44)

Top complaint areas · 7P

Mentions in 218 complaints, 2010–2017.

Engine and cooling84

Fuel system44

Steering26

Forward collision avoidance23

Electrical system20

Powertrain (transmission, driveline)10

Crashes 5Fires 3Injuries 13

2010–2017 (7P)

NHTSA data summary

Engine and cooling owns this generation. Its 84 mentions are well ahead of the next area, fuel system (44). Complaints peak with the 2016 (44 of 218).

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner complaints · by model year

Touareg complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Hybrid and diesel Touareg versions count alongside gas ones. Tap a year to see its top systems.

645complaints, 2004–2017

15mention a crash

13mention a fire

34injuries reported

Most complaints: 2004 (231), 2005 (75), 2008 (56)

2004 · 231 complaints

Crashes 9 · fires 5 · injuries 6

Power train50

Electrical system49

Tires36

Air bags27

Fuel/propulsion system23

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

Touareg CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 37 Touareg versions for model years 2004–2017 (gas, diesel and hybrid). The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 414 g/mi, for the 2015 hybrid. Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

7L2004–2009

14–20 mpg · CO₂ 509–635 g/mi

7P2010–2017

16–24 mpg · CO₂ 414–555 g/mi

Model year2016

19combined MPG

462CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)

$3,550EPA yearly fuel cost

5–6/10Smog rating

1 = worst · 10 = cleanest

4/10Greenhouse gas rating

Bin 5 · LEV-II ULEVEmission standard

Cleanest gas version of 2016: Touareg · Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L — 19 MPG · 462 g/mi

Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year

GasDieselHybrid

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

Touareg vs Ford Explorer vs Jeep Grand Cherokee

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 2010–2017. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the Touareg, against 31 for the Ford Explorer and 34 for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Pick a range to compare.

Volkswagen Touareg7P

Model years 2010–2017

NHTSA recall campaigns: 8
NHTSA owner complaints: 218
EPA combined mpg: 16–24
Engines (EPA): 6-cyl 3.0, 3.6 L
Also listed: turbo, diesel, supercharged, hybrid
Drive (EPA): AWD/4WD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Engine and cooling 84
Fuel system 44
Steering 26

Ford Explorer

Model years 2010–2017

NHTSA recall campaigns: 31
NHTSA owner complaints: 12,071
EPA combined mpg: 15–23
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.0, 2.3 L · 6-cyl 3.5, 4.0 L · 8-cyl 4.6 L
Also listed: turbo
Drive (EPA): AWD/4WD, FWD, RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Steering 3,418
Structure and body 2,648
Engine and cooling 1,872

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Model years 2010–2017

NHTSA recall campaigns: 34
NHTSA owner complaints: 8,619
EPA combined mpg: 13–25
Engines (EPA): 6-cyl 3.0, 3.6, 3.7 L · 8-cyl 5.7, 6.1, 6.4 L
Also listed: turbo, diesel
Drive (EPA): AWD/4WD, RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Electrical system 2,823
Engine and cooling 1,543
Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 1,262

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Volkswagen Touareg VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on a Touareg

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Gray Volkswagen Touareg (first generation) SUV, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: IFCAR, Public domain; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The Touareg carries its VIN on a plate at the base of the driver's side windshield, with a door jamb sticker, a B-pillar label, and an engine bay stamp as secondary locations. The 7P generation starts with the 2010 model year; the VIN’s 10th character (A for 2010) shows which side of that line a car falls on.

Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge

The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.

FAQ

Common Volkswagen Touareg VIN questions

Which Volkswagen Touareg model years have the most owner complaints?

The 2004 leads with 231, ahead of the 2005 (75) and 2008 (56). Those first two alone make up 47% of the 645 Touareg complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Volkswagen Touareg had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 15 vehicle campaigns for model years 2004–2017, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns. By generation, the 7L and 7P have the most (8 each); a campaign can span two generations.

Which Volkswagen Touareg recalls are high risk?

NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 03V-266, 17V-583, 17V-151, 08V-035, 16V-035, 18V-329, 15V-019 and 21V-321. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.

Which Touareg generation am I looking at?

By US model year, the 7L is 2004–2010 and the 7P 2010–2017. Read the year off the VIN’s 10th character (A is 2010).

What fuel economy does the Volkswagen Touareg get?

It varies. EPA rates the 2010–2017 7P at 16–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive, up from 14–20 mpg for the 2004–2010 7L (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Volkswagen Touareg compare with the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee on recalls?

For 2010–2017 models the Touareg has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns. The Ford Explorer has 31, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 34. Complaints run 218, 12,071 and 8,619 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

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