Recalls: Volkswagen 7P Touareg
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Volkswagen 7P Touareg
In March 2016, a recall was issued for 2011-16 Volkswagen 7P Touareg vehicles that had VINs in the range WVGZZZ7PZBD024361 to WVGZZZ7PZGD024826. In these vehicles, a circlip on the bearing bracket of the brake pedal may become detached from its locking position such that the bearing pin could move out of one of the two bearings – this action could impair brake pedal actuation and the loss of braking effectiveness could pose an accident hazard for the driver and other road users (PRA 2016/15290).
In May 2016, a recall was issued for 2016 Volkswagen Touareg vehicles because the fabric of the side airbag may tear in the event of an airbag deployment. As such, the effectiveness of the side airbag may be reduced, thereby increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. The recalled Volkswagen Touareg vehicles had VINs in the range WVGZZZ7PZGD028584 to WVGZZZ7PZGD029833 (PRA 2016/15382).
Problems and faults: Volkswagen 7P Touareg
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items identified below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
VW Touareg Diesel V6 engine: NOx emissions “defeat device”
Volkswagen 7P Touareg vehicles powered by 3.0-litre diesel V6 engines (engine codes: CASD/CJMA/CASA/CRCA) that were available for sale from 2011 have software in the electronic control module (ECM) that can sense – via sensors measuring the position of the steering wheel, vehicle speed, the duration of the engine’s operation and barometric pressure – when the vehicle is undergoing emissions testing. The ECM then operates in a low NOx “temperature conditioning” mode to satisfy emissions standards.
At exactly one second after the completion of the initial phases of the standard test procedure, the software immediately switches to a “normal mode” and changes a number of operating parameters that increased NOx emissions. In other tests where the vehicle did not experience driving conditions similar to the start of the emissions testing procedure, the emissions were higher from the start, consistent with the operation and existence of a “normal mode”.
The software on these vehicles constitutes a “defeat device” since it is an Auxiliary Emissions Control Device (AECD) designed to circumvent emissions testing. Volkswagen has admitted that all its 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engines from ‘model years’ 2009 through to 2016 have defeat devices.
Carbon deposits (build-up) on intake valves
Volkswagen’s naturally aspirated, direct injected petrol engines (such as the Touareg’s 3.6 FSI) are considered susceptible to accumulating carbon deposits (or build up) on the intake valves. In these direct injection petrol engines, carbon deposits may accumulate on the stem and throat of the intake valve due to:
- the vaporisation of oil which is not trapped by the oil separator; or
- unburned fuel and exhaust gases that escape past the piston rings and enter the crankcase (‘blow-by’).
Since direct injection engines do not spray fuel on the backside of the intake valves, the detergent properties of the fuel cannot remove the carbon build up (as occurs in port injected engines). Symptoms of carbon deposits on the intake valve include difficulty starting the vehicle (hard starting), misfiring and misfire engine codes and reduced engine performance. Potentially, these deposits can result in damage to the catalytic converter and, for turbocharged engines, the turbocharger itself if bits of the deposit break off and enter the exhaust. To remove the carbon deposits, the intake must be removed and the valves cleaned manually. To reduce the incidence of carbon deposits, a common aftermarket measure is the fitment of an oil vapor catch can. The catch can receives dirty air from the crankcase via the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve, filters it and returns it to the intake manifold via the PCV port.
