2023 Volkswagen Taos Safety Report

Engine

15 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Service Brakes

9 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Unknown Or Other

6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Electrical System,Engine

5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Power Train

5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Service Brakes,Engine

5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.

Engine issues are the most common problem, affecting 40% of vehicles.

Brake issues, particularly rear brake pads and rotors, are a significant concern.

Electrical system failures, including start/stop errors and EPC light issues, are frequent.

Coolant system leaks and head gasket failures are reported.

Started driving, engine light comes on and it shows error code “start/stop error” Car won’t go past 30pmh.

I took the vehicle in to the VW dealership for service on 06/30/25 and they found that the head gasket had failed after only 26500 miles. A failed head gasket could lead to engine failure during operation which would create a significant safety issue.

I was told there was a leak in my coolant system that has happened to many other with the 22 and 23 taos. If out of warranty the claim would be almost 5k even though my car is only 2 years old. The work needed to be done is labor intensive and also a issues with the cylinder head gasket.

I was driving home from work in rush hour so traffic was pretty heavy and all of the sudden my gas pedal would not accelerate my car at all. I was cruising at 8-10 MPH as it was stop and go traffic. About 10 seconds later my break pedal stiffens and I am unable to break. Neither the gas or break pedal were functioning. It is a miracle that no accident was caused. I turned on my hazards lights but...

Rear brake pads needed replaced at 16,000 miles and need replaced again at 50,000. VW refuses to replace them or address the issue since the car is no longer under warranty.

head gasket is leaking - dealer won't acknowlege the problem - coolant leaking into oil- low coolant light comes on

Head gasket failure, car loses combustion, u safe to drive. Engine light has been on for 5 months so far. Dealer has not been able to fix it.

I purchased this car on 11/16/2023, brand new with 32 miles on it. On 11/20/2023 the automatic start-stop failed while I was at an intersection and the car would not move. There were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms of the problem. Fortunately a police officer drove through the area minutes after the car stopped and was able to help me until a tow truck arrived. The car was towed to ...

On 12/20/25, the "lane assist not available" and the "EPC" warning indicators lit up. I was in the car with my 11 year old, we pulled over and looked in the manual to understand EPC, and the manual said it "is possible to continue driving," so we continued. As we entered the freeway the car went into limp mode and would not accelerate. I put the gas pedal to the floor, put on my hazard lights, and...

I am reporting a 2023 Volkswagen Taos, VIN [XXX] , purchased new on [XXX]. The vehicle has shut off completely while driving three times, each time with multiple warning lights. Incident 1 – [XXX]: Engine shut off while driving. The dealership told me it was “safe to drive in” and claimed to repair it, but the problem returned. Incident 2 – [XXX]: Engine shut off again, required towing. The dealer...

I currently lease this vehicle through Volkswagen, and it's been nothing but causing me trouble. The Engine Power Control (EPC) light comes on at random, and it significantly reduces my RPMs to the point where I cannot accelerate properly on the highway or up a hill. I have almost been t-boned after pulling out into a road, and as soon as I get on the road, the car does a "rocket ship" maneuver.

Premature tire wear. OEM tires worn out after 32000 miles. Dealership states that tires are worn out and need to be replaced. Tires wearing out this fast indicates a problem in the suspension design of the vehicle that could lead to decreased traction and handling and contribute to an accident. Dealership/manufacturer are offering no explanation or solution to the premature wear issue.

Rear brake pads and rotors worn out at 32000 miles. Rear brake pads originally worn out and replaced under warranty at 16800 miles. Dealership states that the issue is no longer covered under warranty. This excessive wear is a safety concern as it points to a design flaw in the braking system that is causing unexpected braking pressure to be applied to the rear brakes which may be causing exten...

While I was driving down the road going 40 mph I heard and felt the engine stop. My dashboard display and stereo cut off, and the check engine light, check oil light, check battery light, and tire pressure alert light came on. I could not accelerate my car or move it forward at all, I could not see the speedometer due to the dashboard display going out. I pulled over and put the vehicle in park be...

The vehicle begins to feel like it is skipping while driving. The EPC light comes on, the dashboard beeps and indicates lane assist is unavailable, check engine sign illuminates. The vehicle will drive for a short time but then jerks and just stops. This has happened at least 3 times. Dealer has already replaced the fuel pump, electrical wiring and some switch that wasn't readying properly. A...

The rearview camera will shift the picture from time to time/distort it. Others times the camera won't come on, displays message saying "rear-view camera unavailable", or the screen comes on and it flickers the lighting to the picture.

On Sunday 8/24/25 I was driving home and the sunroof spontaneously exploded while I was driving. I was covered in glass and have a few minor cuts. I was extremely upset and traumatized. There were no warning signs prior to the sunroof spontaneously exploding. I did report it to my insurance company but I also called Volkswagen. Volkswagen instructed me to take it to a local dealership which I did.

2023 Taos SE shuts off completely at red lights/when I’m stopped more than 60 seconds. It prompts me to shift into park, put the key to steering column and restart, then shift back into drive and go. Dealer scanned it on two separate occasions and has no explanation. Couldn’t reproduce. Very dangerous as increases risk of crashes and rear ended when a car needs to be restarted mid roadway. The 202...

Rear breake pads and rotors need replacement after extremely low miles driven and no functional indication of such wear during driving and no warning. Found during regular oil change maintenance at dealership. Unsure if the component has been inspected by another party. Only 26000 miles on the vehicle and over half of those are highway miles. Rear brake pads are of poor durability and pose a safet...

2023 VW Taos leased in June 2023 - needed to replace brakes 2 years (June 2025) into owning the car. Inspection would not pass without them. This is an excessively quick wear that cost me over $600 for a leased vehicle that should be just basic ownership during 3 year lease. August 2025 - Brought in for an oil change and a coolant yellow light on dashboard. Our local mechanic would not touch t...