Used car guide

2009 Volkswagen Touareg: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Volkswagen Touaregs, from 1,011 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,011MOT tests in 2025
64%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
8,200typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for engine oil leaks

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Volkswagen Touaregs than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Engine oil leaks2× usual
    Volkswagen Touareg
    20.5% All 2009 cars
    10.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.3% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Flexible brake hoses2.5× usual
    Volkswagen Touareg
    7.4% All 2009 cars
    3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.

  • Sub-frame bushes9× usual
    Volkswagen Touareg
    4.5% All 2009 cars
    0.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Suspension arm2× usual
    Volkswagen Touareg
    7.9% All 2009 cars
    3.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Side repeaters3× usual
    Volkswagen Touareg
    4.5% All 2009 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 0.9% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 7.6% here, against 15.6% of all 2009 cars. Exhaust system: 2.2% here, against 8.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    44% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    34% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    28% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    28% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    22% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Volkswagen Touareg?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,028Tyres 24%
20211,969Tyres 23%
20201,941Tyres 21%
20192,854Tyres 23%
20181,554Tyres 22%
20173,257Tyres 23%
20163,824Tyres 23%
20154,102Tyres 24%
20143,006Tyres 25%
20132,269Tyres 28%
20121,787Tyres 25%
20111,618Suspension 27%
2010695Suspension 37%
20081,234Suspension 45%
20071,696Suspension 43%
20061,382Suspension 51%
2005927Suspension 52%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Volkswagen Touaregs registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score