Volkswagen Touareg Problems

This is actually more difficult than it ought to be as VW Australia doesn’t seem to publish a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) figure for the Touareg. Neither is the GCM something you can confidently calculate by adding the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) to the maximum towing mass (in the Touareg’s case, 3500kg). That’s because in many cases, a vehicle is not able to tow its maximum towed load while fully loaded itself. These limits are all calculated by the vehicle’s manufacturer and are seriously non-negotiable. It’s a bit of a trap for some owners who hitch up a big caravan or boat, only to discover that they then have very little payload remaining in the vehicle.

In any case, here are the relevant GCM figures for the 2015 Touareg: 150TDI – 6390kg; 180TDI – 6415kg; V8 – 6510kg.

We haven’t heard of similar problems with the Touareg. The tyres are the obvious starting point. Have you changed them? If so the new tyres could have changed the behaviour of the vehicle. If not, try running the pressures a little higher than VW recommends and see what affect that has. If that doesn’t work, check the shock absorbers to see that they are working correctly, and suspension bushes for wear. As it’s under warranty the dealer should check it for you.

The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of your vehicle is 2890kg. That is, the total mass of the vehicle and its payload (including passengers) must not exceed this figure. The Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is the absolute weight limit for the vehicle, it’s payload and whatever it’s towing.

A VW dealership can carry out a test that will reveal whether there’s wear in the transmission’s clutch packs. Based on the result of this test, the question of whether the transmission is within tolerance or not should be pretty black and white. If you’re still not happy, have the vehicle independently inspected (your state motoring club is a good place to start) for a second opinion.

While you should not be fobbed off by the dealership, it’s true this type of transmission can take some acclimatisation on the part of the driver. We’re not saying you should have to learn how to drive again, but these dual-clutch transmissions can take a little technique if you’re to get the best from them. However, when a characteristic transitions into an actual problem, you need to be on top of it.

None of the vehicles you’ve listed are exactly low-maintenance units. They all have complex all-wheel-drive drivelines (which will be appreciated when towing a heavy trailer across a wet showground) and they use the latest common-rail diesel technology which is fairly intolerant of poor servicing.

As for a power tailgate on a ute, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. But some of the wagon versions of these vehicles can be optioned with powered tailgates. The catch there is that these vehicles use coil sprung rear axles (as opposed to the leaf-sprung ute versions) so they’re not as adept at towing. The Toyota Fortuner, for instance can’t match the HiLux’s 3.5-tonne limit and makes do with 2800kg; not enough for your requirements. The Ford Everest (based on the Ranger) is a little better at 3000kg, but still trails the Ranger’s 3500kg towing capacity and is right on your self-imposed minimum.

It depends on the specific model. The GVM varies from 2850 kg to 3200 kg; the GCM varies from 5735 kg to 6700 kg.

The 2011 R-Line package for the Touareg included plenty of extra kit, so identifying one shouldn’t be a problem. Those extras started with a body kit with a deeper front spoiler, side skirts and a rear roof spoiler. The R-Line package also extended to 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, look for stainless-steel kick panels inside each door, a different steering wheel, lots of leather, aluminium gear-selector and pedals and a 12-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

You’ve pretty much covered the field there, so it should come down to what you want from your car. Do you want comfort, safety, fuel efficiency, offroad capability, cabin space? If you are mostly driving on the highway, then a diesel SUV is probably the best bet. I would rule out a dual-cab ute because of comfort, unless you need the flexibility a ute gives you. I would rule out a hybrid, they’re not at their most efficient on the highway; they’re better suited to town use. Based on your annual mileage I wouldn’t keep the car any more than 3-4 years, that way you’ll have a decent resale value when you get out of it.

I’m reluctant to recommend the Touareg, or the X5 for that matter. They are good cars, but can be expensive when things go wrong, and they are more likely to go wrong than is a Prado. I would definitely go for the Prado.

The dual-clutch transmission in your Touareg is a wet-clutch design and, therefore, much more robust than the dry-clutch version that caused VW so much angst when it was introduced many years ago. However, even the wet-clutch unit has been known to have its problems, and the symptoms you’ve described tend to point towards worn clutch packs or the electronics that control them.

Any time a dual-clutch transmission shudders or thumps, is cause to have it scanned to check the operation of these clutch packs. It’s also likely that a cold transmission will amplify these symptoms. A VW dealer can carry out this test and the results will give you a much better idea of what’s going on inside the transmission.

If it is a fault with the transmission, it should be covered by the new-car warranty. But make sure the dealer logs it with head office. That makes it a pre-existing condition so that, even if the warranty runs out, it’s still VW’s problem to fix as the problem first occurred during the warranty period.