TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, RESTARTED IT, AND DROVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES WHEN THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD SOUND, JERKED FORWARD, AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, AND AFTER SIX ATTEMPTS, WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE DROVE 15 MPH ON THE SHOULDER UNTIL HE REACHED THE EXIT. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY BOTH STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. HE WAS ADVISED TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE INFORMED HIM THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRONIC SHIFTER, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE ENGINE RUNS, BUT DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,500.
2007
POWER TRAIN
AT 41000, THE CAR STARTED MAKING A HIGH PITCH NOISE WHENEVER DRIVING. AFTER GETTING A SECOND OPINION, IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE BEARING ON THE CENTER DRIVE SHAFT HAS FAILED. CALLED VW AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND THAT THIS PART IS NOT SERVICEABLE. THE WHOLE DRIVE SHAFT (AND A NEW COUPLER/FLEX DISC) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VW GENUINE PARTS COST $1095 ON THE DRIVE SHAFT AND $270 FOR THE COUPLER; LABOR IS SET TO 3 HOURS. SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND IS INDEED A COMMON PROBLEM FOR VW TOUREGS V6/V8 AND ALSO CAYENNES. I HOPE VW MAKES THIS A RECALL AS IT MAKES AN UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE AND COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF NOT REPLACED IN TIME. *TR