Volkswagen Taos

Where it stands out against its peers

• Engine: more complaints than 93% of 2022 cars — 45% of its 309 complaints, where an ordinary 2022 car has 18%.
• Service brakes: more complaints than 91% of 2022 cars — 20% of its 309 complaints, where an ordinary 2022 car has 9%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ENGINE — 61 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 31 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 14 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 14 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 10 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 8 owners reported this
• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 7 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 7 owners reported this
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 6 owners reported this
• VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 6 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 5 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 5 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 5 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES — 4 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 4 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

22% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 21V615000

  An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 5, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24HH.

• 21V651000

  A fuel leak may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A fuel leak also increases the risk of fire in the presence of an ignition source.

  Dealers will inspect the connection and replace the fuel supply line and connector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 31, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20DB.

• 22V176000

  A broken rear suspension knuckle can cause a loss of stability, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace one or both rear suspension knuckles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 13, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42L8.

• 22V514000

  A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.

• 22V687000

  An engine that stalls may increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iL.

• 23V214000

  A sudden engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20DV.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volkswagen filed 69 bulletins about the 2026 Taos.

• Engine: 16
• Electrical system: 11
• Service brakes: 4
• Air bags: 2
• Exterior lighting: 2
• Power train: 2
• Forward collision avoidance: 1
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1
• Steering: 1
• Suspension: 1
• Other: 28

• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 -… · August 2026
• Replace the steering column switch for Ghost (mystery) activation. · August 2026
• MIB3 Recovery Solution · August 2026
• Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement · August 2026
• Update Programming · August 2026
• Inquiries · July 2026
• Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards · July 2026
• Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start. · July 2026

61 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.