2023 Volkswagen TAOS
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2023 Volkswagen TAOS has 160 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan.
160
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
2.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
41 complaints- • Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan
- • Brake pads are fading quicker than usual. Also, the coolant. Just checked and added some coolant today. I never filled my other 2 older cars, one with 22k miles and the other one has 25k miles on them. I never had to add a coolant on them. This VW is barely 3k miles and it’s having these issues
- • Vehicle is 6 months old, 4747 miles, stalled going uphill at 10mph. Upon attempted restart, smoke billowed out of the exhaust and engine compartment. Contacted VW Customer Service and was towed to VW dealership. Turbo failed and caused a laundry list of parts to fail. Parts are out till September.
“Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
32 complaints- • Driving on the freeway driver cutt me off I had to apply the brakes fast car brakes did not stop the car smooth the brakes grabbed and locked up causing the car to skid off the road did not respond when applied during an emergency to avoid collision. Excessive brake dust and do not stop car.eff
- • Brake pads are fading quicker than usual. Also, the coolant. Just checked and added some coolant today. I never filled my other 2 older cars, one with 22k miles and the other one has 25k miles on them. I never had to add a coolant on them. This VW is barely 3k miles and it’s having these issues
- • The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated while reversing, the contact depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to stop in a reasonable time. The auto-brake assist engaged, and the vehicle was able to come to a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however
“Driving on the freeway driver cutt me off I had to apply the brakes fast car brakes did not stop the car smooth the brakes grabbed and locked up causing the car to skid off the road did not respond when applied during an emergency to avoid collision. Excessive brake dust and do not stop car.eff”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
21 complaints- • Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan
- • Check engine light came on not long after buying the vehicle, additional electrical issues began including window regulator failures and battery failure.
- • I purchased the 2023 Taos SE at the beginning of may. When accelerating on the highway, the ACC light and engine light came on and the car started rapidly decelerating. Lane assist, cruise control and ACC were not able to be used. I managed to pull to the side of the road, and was towed to a VW deal
“Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
12 complaints- • The contact rented a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in drive with the brake pedal depressed and entering the garage, he released the brake pedal and the vehicle rolled and stalled. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The contact had to hold the fob near th
- • When put in reverse vehicle would not move (reverse back). Vehicle needs to be restarted several times for it to reverse properly. A safety issue when trying to maneuver in live traffic.
- • The throttle response from a stop in the Taos is not immediate, and will lag. Sometimes it will take 2 seconds to react to throttle input. This can be extremely dangerous when pulling into a roadway with traffic. There is also not an immediate reaction when throttle is applied quickly at Highway s
“The contact rented a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in drive with the brake pedal depressed and entering the garage, he released the brake pedal and the vehicle rolled and stalled. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The contact had to hold the fob near th”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
12 complaints- • Pulling into a parking spot, vehicle had a sudden burst of acceleration, as it was still on the road, resulting in an accident. Vehicle drove over a parking curb, hitting a small tree and a sign. Vehicle felt like there was a lag in response timing of the throttle to acceleration response. No one
- • Pulling into a parking spot, vehicle had a sudden burst of acceleration, as it was still on the road, resulting in an accident. Vehicle drove over a parking curb, hitting a small tree and a sign. Vehicle felt like there was a lag in response timing of the throttle to acceleration response. No one
- • I purchased the 2023 Taos SE at the beginning of may. When accelerating on the highway, the ACC light and engine light came on and the car started rapidly decelerating. Lane assist, cruise control and ACC were not able to be used. I managed to pull to the side of the road, and was towed to a VW deal
“Pulling into a parking spot, vehicle had a sudden burst of acceleration, as it was still on the road, resulting in an accident. Vehicle drove over a parking curb, hitting a small tree and a sign. Vehicle felt like there was a lag in response timing of the throttle to acceleration response. No one”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 160 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: Driving on the freeway driver cutt me off I had to apply the brakes fast car brakes did not stop the car smooth the brakes grabbed and locked up causing the car to skid off the road did not respond when applied during an emergency to avoid collision. Excessive brake dust and do not stop car.eff
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: Within the first 24 hours of picking up this new car warnings for 3000rpm max appeared, engine overheating and potential damage to engine components appears and engine functioning was decreased, exhaust control malfaction message, and electronic engine control message with associated symbol for lan
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: The contact rented a 2023 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in drive with the brake pedal depressed and entering the garage, he released the brake pedal and the vehicle rolled and stalled. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The contact had to hold the fob near th
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Volkswagen TAOS — Year Comparison
How does 2023 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 160
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 2
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2023 Volkswagen TAOS