car has a design flaw. If car sits in the sun the emergency stop braking system will fail due to heat. The camera/computer board is mounted in the ceiling behind the rearview mirror. when the sun is out the system will fail do to heat. This problem is in Volkswagons, Audi's and Porche's with various models. The issue is described in detail in multiple blogs and car clubs. I bought the car used. I think this system is as important for safety as airbags. As a 2 stage safety feature to avoid an accident. This failure also affects the Adaptable Cruise Control. Car color and climate affect this system. Volkswagon has an AEB recall but refuses to acknowledge the design flaw. Problem keeps occurring.
Volkswagen Touareg adaptive cruise problems
10 of the 646 owner complaints about the Volkswagen Touareg describe adaptive cruise control problems, most of them for the 2015 model year.
- owner complaints
- 10
- worst model year
- 2015
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
- 20171
- 20163
- 20155
- 20091
Often reported together
What owners say
Collision Avoidance Camera (Part Number: 7P6907217BZ1Y) has failed. The camera is still on the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. All front assist/safety systems are unavailable, including cruise control. Systems are designed specifically to prevent collisions. The dealer (Volkswagen of Corpus Christi) has confirmed the issue as of September 4, 2023. The control module is failing all over the world, on various vehicle brands (Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen) and models. A replacement is not available, new or used. This was confirmed by the dealership.
The Driver Assistance System (Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Collision Avoidance, AEB, and Lane Departure/Lane Keeping system) all do not work. The VW dealers have said the Front Collision Avoidance Camera is not working. The system was intermittently working, then stopped working on the interstate highway in the left lane. The car failed to warn/slow/break automatically while the ACC function was activated, forcing me to engage the brakes manually to avoid a collision. The ACC/Front Collision warning light goes on now but did not when it first malfunctioned, and still only goes on intermittently but the system does not work at all. I had two local VW dealers check out the Driver Assist system. One said the entire system is not working. Another said the fault codes are emanating from the Front Collision Avoidance Camera. This is VW part 7P6907217BZ1Y. I ordered the part in November 2023 from a OKC VW dealer online (since it was the best price.) They then told me the part was unavailable/on back order. However, it has been 7 months and there is no ETA on the part availability. The dealer sent me a text message exchange with VW and that is what VW told the dealer. I am concerned VW is no longer making the part as required by 49 U.S.C. 30118-30119 and/or 49 U.S.C. 30120. I am part of VW Touareg owner forums. There are other Touareg (and other VW model) owners who report this same problem, lack of part availability, and no info from VW on whether they are even trying to obtain/supply this part any longer. I believe this is a serious, widespread safety issue based on reading other complaints online by Touareg/VW owners who have ACC/Driver Assist, who face the same dilatory action by VW to perhaps avoid fixing this issue until their legal obligation to manufacture the part expires. The parts and overall ACC/Collision Avoidance systems are very pricey, and this is a direct safety issue. thank you
Collision avoidance system / cruise control malfunction
Question 1: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Answer 1: Collision Avoidance Camera. The camera can be removed from the vehicle and shipped for inspection. Question 2: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Answer 2: All front safety feature stop working. Collision avoidance warning, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control. Question 3: Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Answer 3: Yes. This is a well documented failure. Onboard data shows a communication failure with the camera. The car has been diagnosed with a failure in the front AAC camera. This camera is failing all over the world, in numerous years and models. Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and VW Touareg. A replacement is not available, new or used. Question 4: Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Answer 4: Car starts and runs without warning for a time. All of a sudden a warning appears that the Accident Avoidance system is not functioning. I no longer have any front facing safety features. This camera has a high failure rate. If being used and it fails an accident is very possible.
The windshield camera that is responsible for the imaging used for many of the system on the 2016 Touareg is a high failure item and has been constituently backordered from VW. When this camera fails, the advanced systems that were part of this option fail to operate. This includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. The system does provide warning notifications, but they may occur at any time and there is no confidence the system is working. These notifications overtake other system displays making it difficult or even hazardous to navigate vehicle system menus at times. In addition, this vehicle does not offer standard cruise control, which can accelerate driver fatigue due to the loss of this basic and common feature. The original part on this vehicle is not available used in the USA, or from VW USA. There is a company in Aus that repairs them, but in this particular instance, it appears the repaired unit has failed as well now. This system is very expensive to recalibrate, adding to the expense of the repair, especially without new parts available there is little route to be able to remedy this situation permanently for a safety device that is expected and was an added cost option on this model. Much of the diagnostic work has been performed by myself as I am a Master Automotive Technician.
No warning prior to failure. At highway speed, Dashboard Notice: SYSTEM FAULT - SERVICE NOW. All electrical systems stopped working, including: Lighting - No Headlight/Running Light control- No Turn Signals- 4-Way Flashers worked, then stopped working- No Windshield Wipers- No interior Windshield defogger- No Side Window Control for manual traffic signals- Do not know if Brake Lights were working- Mechanic states that battery was not charging- Some Dashboard displays were not working - Cruise control stopped working -
While using Adaptive Cruise Control, vehicle intermittently displays "ACC not available" cruise control completely disengages and does not allow for traditional cruise control functions. Typically ACC begins to function again after about 5 mins or by powering off and powering on vehicle. Vehicle has never been in an accident. All incidents occur in Southern California. Situation when it disengages can pose safety risk to due sudden loss of propulsion while keeping up with traffic, especially frightening when driving at an incline, i.e. Grapevine. Message is intermittent and can turn on 10 minutes into a drive or two hours into a drive. Unable to show dealer message. No advanced notice of ACC failing or issue with vehicle. Vehicle has had all maintenance done with dealer. No modifications to any component.
The car at half tank will read as being empty. Fuel pump flange? The car will have gas and then randomly show fuel error and drop to empty. The car is drivable and then while drive will switch to empty back to half full mode. Less of the worry the adaptive cruise control and fwd collision warning freeze/not working
After less than four years of ownership, and outside of the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, the adaptive cruise control module(s) failed for no apparent reason, rendering the entire cruise control system inactive. The nature of the safety systems in volkswagens is such that if one system is not working, none will - thus, the 'front assist' collision avoidance system is no longer active, which is an integral part of the active safety technology in the touareg. In addition, basic speed modulation of conventional cruise control is also unavailable. The reliability of basic systems such as cruise control should not be contingent upon immensely expensive, and overly complicated technological components.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Volkswagen Touareg adaptive cruise
Which Volkswagen Touareg years have adaptive cruise control problems problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2015 (5 complaints), 2016 (3 complaints) and 2009 (1 complaints).
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