2016 Volkswagen Touareg Complaints

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHED, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO 17 DEGREES. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A LOUD SOUND, LIKE A GUNSHOT AND IMMEDIATELY GLASS FELL ON OUR HEADS. THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AS THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND US. IT WAS A SCARY INCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY ONBOARD. ONLY MINOR GLASS CUTS WERE SUFFERED, MOSTLY ON THE HANDS AND WE WIPED THE GLASS PIECES OFF OURSELVES. OUR DRIVING SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES/HOUR, THROUGH OPEN FIELDS (NO BUILDINGS OR CONSTRUCTION NEARBY) ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY.

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. WOULD DESCRIBE THE FEELING AS RANGING FROM A SHUDDER OR "HICCUP" TO A DROPPING SENSATION. OCCURS AT ANY POINT OF ACCELERATION - WHETHER FROM LOW RATE OF SPEED TO HIGH (AS IN ENTRANCE RAMP ACCELERATION) OR FROM CRUISING SPEED TO HIGHER CRUISING SPEED (AS WHEN SPEED LIMIT INCREASES). IDENTIFIED THIS SENSATION WITHIN WEEKS OF TAKING DELIVERY OF VEHICLE AND IT HAS CONTINUED.

ENGINE AIR FILTER COMPARTMENT FILLS WITH WATER UNDER NORMAL, IN-MOTION OPERATING CONDITIONS, LEAVING A SPONGY, MOLDY MESS OF THE AIR FILTER AND EXTREMELY POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS ENGINE OVERHEATING DURING SUMMER MONTHS. HAVE REPLACED THE FILTER REPEATEDLLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW.

AT 18,293 MILES THE VEHICLE ENTERED "LIMP MODE" WHILE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ENGINE AIR FILTER BEING SATURATED WITH WATER DUE TO A CLOGGED AIR BOX DRAIN HOLDING WATER. AT 26,054 MILES, THE FILTER WAS AGAIN FOUND TO BE SATURATED WITH WATER. THIS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE AIR FILTER A SECOND TIME. NORMAL AIR FILTER REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED AT 60,000 MILES. AT LAST REPLACEMENT, VW DEALER "MODIFIED" THE AIR BOX DRAIN TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE

THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY FOR 4 DAYS, DURING SO HEAVY RAINSTORMS PASSED OVER MY AREA. WHEN I WENT TO GO START THE CAR AFTER 4 DAYS, A SUNNY DRY DAY FINALLY, ITS SPUTTERED AND SUFFOCATED WHEN STARTING UP. HAVING HEARD THESE VEHICLES HAVE WATER PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE ENGINE I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE CAR. WHEN I OPENED THE AIR FILTER HOUSING THERE WERE ABOUT 2 INCHES OF WATER IN THE HOUSING THAT UNDOUBTEDLY GOT SUCKED INTO MY ENGINE WHEN IT WAS STARTED. WITH THE VEHICLE, NOT BEING DRIVEN AT ALL DURING THE RAIN, HEAVY SPRAY FROM THE ROAD OR OTHER CARS CAN BE RULED OUT AS A CAUSE AND I FIGURE THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE SEAL OR DESIGN OF THE AIR INTAKE. ESPECIALLY, SINCE VW CHINA RECALLED THESE VEHICLES FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE EARLIER THIS YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR WAS PARKED ON A TYPICAL INCLINED DRIVEWAY ABOUT 8 FEET IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOOR, IN NO PRECARIOUS POSITION. NOW THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SPUTTER AND LOSE REVS WHEN STARTING UP.