2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
30 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 30 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.31
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
So there’s a campaign to add a bracket to one of the catalytic converters. That’s great except I never knew about it and the thing they added the bracket to prevent happened to me. The exhaust pipe from the catalytic separated from the flange connecting to the manifold. It’s a 2000 dollar part from the dealer. Luckily I found a mechanic who is welding the flange and fixing what I got. Just another example of a car co…
The sunroof glass of the car spontaneously exploded while driving on the interstate. No rock or object ever hit the glass, and it exploded, sending glass and debris all over myself and my passenger while driving 70mph. The noise was deafening and caused me to swerve as I was so shocked. I easily could have gone in the ditch or hit another car. To make matters worse I was 50 miles from home on a Friday evening so ther…
The driver's seatbelt appears to be buckled, but releases under load. when inserting the end into the buckle it clicks and looks and feels buckled, but when loaded releases without warning. this occurred with different drivers and released unexpectedly multiple times while the car was being driven. replacing the buckle end resolved the defect.
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V035000 | Hybrid Propulsion System | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Touareg Hybrid vehicles manufactured March 20, 2010, to April 11, 2015. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Steering8 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Fuel/Propulsion System6 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine4 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Air Bags3 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Electrical System3 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid years
Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (8 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 89/100, computed from 30 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid's most common problem?
8 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid cost to run per year?
About $5,993 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,965 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 25/01/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 30 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 30 NHTSA complaints on record (2.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (2.3/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality