I was driving the vehicle and noticed smoke coming out from under the hood I pulled over immediately and the whole engine compartment was on fire I tried to put fire but Fire department showed up and extinguish the fire, fire was due to a fuel leak
2008 Volkswagen Touareg: fuel leak
8 of the 56 complaints about the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg describe fuel leak.
- owner complaints
- 8
- of this car's complaints
- 14%
- typical mileage
- 95,600
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
Fuel leak by model year
What owners say
On december 28, 2020 I detected the distinct odor of gasoline outside of the driver's side of our 2008 vw touareg while it was stationary, not running. Later while driving the pungent odor was also discernable within the vehicle. A picture of the tank reflects wetness on the driver's side. This morning during a call to donaldson's vw service, they responded that there are no open recalls for this vehicle regarding a fuel leak, for which a history of recalls exist. Is it possible that a prior recall service requires incremental remediation? What recourse is available to have a vw dealer resolve this manufacturer defect at volkswagen's expense? A brief internet search reveals precedent for vw touareg fuel leaks affecting production years 2004 through 2013 (and possibly beyond the scope of my search). Safety recall 20ai (the federal safety agency: 17v583) - fuel filter flange leak certain 2004-2007 volkswagen touareg safety recall 20z4 (the federal safety agency: 17v151000) - fuel pump flange may crack causing fuel leakage 2007 - 2010 volkswagen touareg safety recall 24bk (the federal safety agency: 15v019000) - fuel leakage affecting various audi and vw models spanning 2011 - 2013 thank you for your indulgence and potential assistance!
Strong smell of fuel leak on drivers side of vehicle. Checked under the hood but no apparent leak and no leaking fuel smell
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen touareg. While driving 65 MPH, the contact noticed that the vehicle was burning an excessive amount of fuel. The contact pulled over and observed fuel leaking from the vehicle and a strong odor of fuel was present. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel lines were leaking. The vehicle was repaired and the mechanic installed a new fuel pump; however, the failure recurred and the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact continued to smell a strong fuel odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who instructed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 17v151000 (fuel system, gasoline), but the repairs were completed before the recall was announced. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen touareg. The contact stated that while the brakes being serviced, the contact was made aware that there was a severe fuel leak. The contact mentioned that there was an abnormal fuel odor in the vehicle prior to being made aware by the mechanic. The failure occurred without warning. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 17v151000 (fuel system, gasoline) however the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 102,864.
Underneath the car around the rear end, there is an obvious leaking of fuel ( usually observed after stopping and turning off car). The leaked fuel can form a small puddle. It will stop after a while. But judging from the situation this leak can become bigger and bigger, which could be very dangerous and is a fire hazard. I am not a specialist on cars, but since I am not a frequent driver and never drive cars to uneven sand roads, therefore the manufacture of the fuel tank itself and maybe its design is most possible for the cause of the this problem.
For the last 2 weeks, I started to have a smell of gas on the driver side of my car from outside. Progressively, the smell has get stronger and stronger, getting also inside the car. I put the car on a lift and realize that the entire fuel tank on the driver side located below the rear seat was covered by gas leak. It is also spilling on the exhaust system that is just on the side of that tank at extremely hot temperature. This is surely a scenario for disaster. The leak is coming from the top of the left side tank at the fuel pump location. This is clearly a safety hazard. I will take my car to volkswagen to ask them to repair it. By looking on internet forums, I realized that this is not a isolated incident, I found repeating entries of that fuel pump leak failure... This is extremely dangerous and will certainly end up in a fire...
The car started to smell like gas even after hours in the garage. We took it to a mechanic which they said that it can be a gas leak.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Touareg vehicles. The fuel filter flange may crack and allow fuel to leak out.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel filter flange if cracks are found. A protective cover will be applied to the fuel filter to prevent oxidization cracks from forming. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 20Z4.
Recall number 17V151000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, a fuel supply line was changed during production which could lead to insufficient sealing of the fuel supply line connector.
- Risk
- This condition could lead to a fuel leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel supply line, if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during february 2008. Owners may contact vwoa at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 08V035000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg fuel leak
Is fuel leak a common problem on the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg?
8 of 56 owner complaints about the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg (14%) mention fuel leak. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg?
There are 2 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg
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