Im not sure how many more Touareg videos I will do. LOL lot depends on the reaction from this one. The last T-reg video flopped HARD HAAHHA

YES TO TOUAREG CONTENT!!! these have such a special place in my heart

This should definitely be turned into an off-road build

"just because you paid 3 grand it doesn't mean that you're fixing and maintaining a 3000$ car" words to live by!

I've had a 04 Touareg (V8) for 5 years now, and I knew little about cars let alone Touaregs back then. Today I have enough knowledge and understanding to post advice here, lol. So here's what I think- 1) Mechanically, 1st Gen Touaregs are respectably well built suvs. My 04 had some issues, but that is to be expected for the first year of any car. 2006's have plenty of those issues resolved. (Note: T's built in 2004-2006 are called *T1* Touaregs and those built in 2007-2009 are *T2* , but they're both considered 1st generation. 2010 and onwards are 2nd Generation.) 2) The engine in the T1's is a Multi Port Fuel Injection engine, which means that it doesn't suffer from carbon-buildup-on-valves issue the way engines with Direct injection do. IMO it is a very well made/designed engine. As long as you change the oil every 5000 miles and do timing-chain/water-pump service every 80,000 miles, it will last a long time. The one failure point on these engines that my mechanics don't want to mess with, is the seized actuator arms on the intake (discussed in the video). 3) The transmission, transfer case, differentials, etc, also are high quality. They perform very well, and with regular service they don't fail. Altogether, the drivetrain is great and tough enough to not only take it off-roading, but also tow 7700 lbs (which is a lot for a vehicle of this physical dimensions). 4) I wish I could say these nice things about 1st Gen's interior. The interior is so bad that you'll be better off just taking it to an auto-interior shop and have them rebuild the entire interior from floor to ceiling. 5) As for electrical issues, if you encounter those, take your Touareg to a VW technician. If he cannot fix those, he shouldn't be calling himself a VW technician. But before you do that, make sure to check the battery. *The Touareg's electrical system is quite sensitive to a weak battery, way more than other cars are. You have to almost obsess over making sure that the battery stays fully charged at all times.* Also, even a high quality battery would need to be replaced every four years. If the electrical issues happen despite you having a good battery, only then take it to the technician. So should you buy a 1st Gen Touareg? Before I answer that, realize that even a 2009 model is 14 years old today, so there will be plenty of issues to resolve. IMO you should get a V10 Touareg only if A) you tow 4000+ lbs on a regular basis, *and* B) your auto-repair skills are on par with professional mechanics. If you do not meet both these criteria, do NOT get a V10. If you live in the midwest plains and you don't tow much, a V6 Touareg is sufficient. I live in the Chicago suburbs and I knew within a year that having this suv was overkill. Why does one need low-range transfer case in the plains? The only reason I've kept this suv is because I like the ride. If however you live in hilly areas, or if you tow (but you're not an auto-mechanic) then you should get a V8 Touareg. The car has some features built in that automatically provide extra power when needed, and that makes towing or driving on inclines/declines a pleasure.

My .02 is for a "channel build" aka Pull all the suspension, hit the entire underside with a pneumatic needle gun to get the worst of the rust off, fix the bits and bobs that you pulled, hit the whole underside with some rust remover and then with some bed liner spray....and start the off-road conversion.

Keep up the Touareg content! Both this one and the 2015 TDI! The Touareg market is huge and we all would love to see more content about all things Touareg. Also you should definitely lift this one 👍🏻

I've had mine going on 12 years. Its been reliable and not much has gone wrong other than your average maintenance stuff. I LOVE MY TREG!!! Going to be keeping an eye out for videos on this project. Especially for that JXB center support. Best wishes to you with the Touareg! I know you'll have some fun with it.

Oh Charles I really hope you create a series on this, I adore my Touareg and a couple of my friends have some too. I know my way around them fairly well, but I can always learn more. I really hope you make more videos on it, either repairing, offroad building, etc. TFL's Tough T series was a complete success for them and seriously grew their audience. People are interested in these things, they are a gem of an SUV. They look like every other mall crawler, but they are just overbuilt to an insane degree where they can compete with a half ton pickup for towing, a buttoned down sedan for highway bombing, and a jeep for offroading. Awareness of that is spreading, and I think you could accelerate it even more. Here's hoping we get to see more!

Love it; bought an almost identical spec back in 2019, having been a long time German car enthusiast and figuring it'd be as easy to maintain as my B6 Audi. Then realized the base engineering of the platform was 90% Porsche and way more compilated. I will say that the more often it was driven, the more reliable it was. Leaving it sit would bring out the gremlins. The JXB carrier is great. Suspension overhaul after 140k of PA salt was a nightmare. Cat pipe flex sections are trash and the cheap ebay replacements are worthless (Magnaflow fits great but are $1400/set). Sunroof drains... ugh. Someone should come up with a sunroof delete panel kit for them. When it's working, man what a great platform. Smooth as glass at 90mph on the highway (and cranking out 13mpg at 3000 rpms), handles great on backroads, way more than any 5000lbs SUV has any right to.

This Reg is almost identical to the first car I bought for myself, they were pretty cheap back in 2016 too lol. Had it for a year before I gave it to my parents and it’s been in the family ever since. Last I heard it’s at 180,000 with no issues but a worn front diff. Love these cars!

Paul did a video on fixing the peeling buttons with aftermarket stickers. You could probably do something similar but take it to the next level by painting the black pieces that are really bad. As for the suspension, as you remove/replace stuff, I'd take that opportunity to de-rustify things. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it - I hope you do some videos on it!

Australian VW dealers offered a genuine inline plug to solve this issue. Worked well on both my old Touaregs.

I had a 2006 with the V6 and it was built like a tank. Great off road SUV for your purpose. It was hard on gas, tires and breaks.

Awesome! I got one a few months ago. Same spec! I put a set of Wrangler DuraTracs on it. I have the eurowise lift in a box, but it offroads sooooo well, I don’t know if I am going to bother. Also I installed that same xtrons head unit. It’s working well. After 3 stick amplifiers, I found that if you tear the CANBUS chip off the board, they work again!!! Can’t wait for more videos on this!!!

The LED load resistors work good for the trailer light issue, need 3 in total (left signal, right signal and running light), I’ve got all my trailers wired up with them. The T1/7L is quite a shock coming from mk4’s, especially paired with the v10.

I am so excited for this because there has been a ton of these popping up for sale near me. I will pay serious attention to it. I believe i messaged you a few times about these. So i hope to get to see this serious all the way the trough

I would like to see you address the rust with dry ice cleaning. This would make for an awesome video.

I'm a masochist... I have all porsches and VW. I've been looking at 2nd gen Touregs / Cayenes as a tow vehicle for over a year now. Keep the T reg content coming!

To fix the trailer lights I installed an enclosed box on my trailer out of an outdoor electrical box and installed regular light bulb sockets with bulbs in line as resistors and now it works perfectly as designed.

Have a 2007 V10 Diesel.. 250+K drive every day!! Love it. It has a bunch of achievement lights on the dash so I know it's well seasoned. Great video.

I would love to see the timing belt, timing chain, and intake manifold runner control repairs! Then maybe the lift kit, and go PLAY!!!

Well if you decide to off road it with a lift kit, etc then that removes much of the rust issue LOL I was looking at touaregs a few months ago, so it'd be interesting to see a deep dive into them so I could know what to look out for - optional equipment, issues with said equipment, problem areas, livability, availability of replacement parts, maintenance intervals, etc As always, keep up the awesome work Charles 👍

Love this! Can’t wait for more!🔥🔥🔥

I would definitely enjoy a build series👍

I hope this one gets more views!! i have an 04 V8 similar to this one. I LOVE taking it offroad! Mine is called "Murph" (short for murphys law, cause everything that could break in that car, broke, LOL; from chain tensioners to valve body to kessy draining the battery. it currently has 226,000 miles! so they can go forever once things get figured out!. Oh and if you still want to use the factory amp, there are 3 wires (ground, left and right) that would need to connect to the front and back of the speakers in the after market harness. Looking forward to learning more tricks from you!

We bought a 2010 Touareg TDI with the V6 It’s been a wonderful car, other than some emissions sensors going out we’ve had 0 issues. Very reliable and nice driving car

The 1st generation Touareg is the best one. I am super excited to watch your videos fixing this car. Finally, I have 2 Touaregs and I am very happy with them. The petrol one is 3.2, I changed the timing chain and the oil pump, runs like a dream, the other one is 3.0 TDI, changed all gaskets and seals in the valley, runs great. Thank you Charles for bringing the videos. Cheers mate

You can replace all the buttons with ones from an 08+. They don't peal and get nasty. Your headlight range control issue is most likely a failing headlight harness either inside the head light or just behind it. You can also swap the cluster with a fancy one if you like, its plug and play no immobilizer built into it. I tow with mine all the time and i have LED trailers, i use the LED adapter you showed. If you didn't want to use the adapter you could wire the trailer lights directly to the tail lights like aftermarket hitches do. Only the factory hitch ties into the canbus network. Fun fact, if you lock the Touareg with a factory hitch plugged into a trailer and you unplug the trailer, the alarm goes off.

I wanna see more of the tuareg. Good video Charles

Love the TReg of this era. Pls keep the videos coming.

Bought an '07 V8 steel springer in 2019 with only 67k miles and it was in great shape... Pre-frontend makeover but post-V8 update, so I have the BAR not the AHK. Soft touch button problem was apparently fixed by then. No towing package so I put in a Curt powered 3-to-2 trailer light converter. No issues with LED trailer lights and the bulb check doesn't have any say in the matter... It stays plenty busy anyway with those bunk-ass taillight assembly electronics you gotta wire brush every 3rd Wednesday. Otherwise, one of the most reliable cars I've ever had, which I realize is not necessarily the norm. I've had it across the country and back twice, off-road enough that I really need skid plates, lots of 3-wheel action, lots of open-diff-Wrangler-killer fun... This thing doesn't get stuck unless you're REAL insistent upon doing so, and I only have the center diff lock. Lots of trail WTF from onlookers. No lift and mild tires that still allow burning down interstate sections at an insane rate in perfect, smooth, quiet comfort. Love mine.

As a new VW apprentice I dread seeing a Touareg on my work order

Great Video! I hope you do more. I miss my Touareg! I had a 05 V8 in Colorado Red with air suspension. The biggest frustration I had with it was finding a shop to do the flex pipes without pulling the motor. My local VW dealer did it without pulling the motor.

Love the Treggy content…..I’m glad you mentioned about the trailering issue with the lights. I think I’ll keep looking for a T3.

Loved the Touareg Charles! I am thinking of buying one from this generation for myself for quite some time. Will watch closely this series. Just cancelled cable TV.

I tow with a 2004 V10 TDI. I love it. I just use a plug adapter for trailer LEDs. Sometimes I get a dash warning light, other times I dont. But it works.

Can’t wait to see how this one turns out

i picked up a 3.2 liter touareg for 1000 bucks. one owner fully maintained 137k miles no rust. i love it. minor cosmetics lift gate doesnt stay up and headliner sag but its been a great car handles phenomenally. had to replace the mass a/f and a set of toyo tires im only about 2k into and ive put over 10k miles on it. great deal. i missed my 2008 rabbit that was totaled so i had to have the treg. one thing im not liking is the whine that i think is coming from the front diff bearings. it goes up with speed and not engine rpm

It’s a great project, fix it. I want to start one too. Like you said it’s a $80000 suv for $3500-$5000. Most of the suspension is due for an update so fox or kings suspension would be perfect for an off road project. Great vids, lots of vw teachings. Thank u man

I was looking at touregs recently in p.a and I thought that one looked familiar lol its one I seen online for sale I'm glad someone got it I thought it'd be pretty cool to get it and fix it up

The Curt 57003 adapter worked on my 2005 touareg. Also double check settings in VCDS to make sure the trailer module is being read correctly. I assume it is but its something to check.

Have the same exact spec; own it, love it, whenever needs repair, I am on it (almost every week:D)

great video, just what I needed. I'm still considering my decision to buy one as a family car.

I used to have a 2010 Touareg TDI. The powertrain was amazing, so was the ride and handling for such a heavy SUV. It nickel and dimed me with little things in the interior that kept breaking but the powertrain was bulletproof. I also used to have a L322 Range Rover which felt like a much older car vs the Touareg even though they were both developed around the same time and sold around the same time. The Touareg felt about a generation ahead of the Range Rover in terms of driving dynamics.

My dad had one of those his front bumper was held together with ducttape i loved that car

Get about 6 cans of black fluid film and go to town on the undercarriage. Will hide all the rust and prevent it from getting any worse in the future. Pro tip, wait till you complete all the repairs because working on the car after you spray is a mess.

great video , the paint looks great ! , imy 06 has a great shape interior still except the heat air fan button its the only one peeling , i remember at uhaul giving my brother a adapter thingy for the trailer lights to work , uhaul seems to be the most updated place about hook up problems and fixes they see it all

Definitely, if you're going to leave the somewhat rusty underbody be: get the rig oil sprayed to stop what's already there. You can treat/sandblast/repaint bits and pieces of that when you do have to get to refreshing suspension bushings, especially if the role is "beater that will be the tow vehicle". Just plan those impulse must-be-towed purchases around the tow car being apart to change up parts. :D I totally get why you're grabbing one, though! Like your ol' B5 Passat, you "grew up" on these at the dealer -- repair familiarity + low base price beats out a new shiny high-dollar vehicle, or a vehicle brand you're a bit less familiar with the quirks on. Same sorta reason I've stuck with mk4 cars. I'm just insane because I live in the rust belt (so is all of Canada, basically).

Good stuff Charles, well wear and good luck, Happy 4th of July to Ye All👍🙏😎☘

Maybe can get the frame and under carriage sand blasted to get all the rust off. Then to wipe it down clean and then primer and paint it. Then spray whatever is real good so it don't rust much or at all anymore.

2 years ago, I bought a ‘08 with 73k miles in California. It’s been ok after paying a small fortune 😅 to clean out the intake, all the drainage lines and replace some parts under the hood. It would have been a steal for a mechanic I’m sure. Eventually it will be my off-road, dogmobile. After having trucks most of my life, I do enjoy the turn radius.

My biggest pet peeve with my treg is that in heavy rain when the water puddles and you run through it, it comes up over the front end and inundates the front windshield, that is a big problem if you have the auto wipers on and they don't respond quick enough to the water covered windshield when you're at speed and completely blinded.

Nice, I'm looking forward to this series as I want to buy exactly one of those for myself. I would wanna see some hardcore dual shock and some bolt on chassis reinforcements bits, since I would want to turn mine into a semi-baja truck, but nothing crazy like I said just bolt on stuff

I have a 2008 Cayenne S and a 2016 Touareg 3.6. Love the content. On my Cayenne, one of my 7way to 4 pin adapters would not work on LED trailer but I found the Curt 57004 does allow LED trailer lights to work although I still get the one-time trailer light warning at times, the trailer lights still function. The cayenne had some rust underneath.. it’s worth using a rust converter on. I used the POR15 stop rust kit. Also, thanks for the prior video on cleaning intake valves on 2.0/1.8t EA888 engines. Eventually I’d like to do that on the VR6.

I know this isn't a TDI but it would be really interesting to see some videos on the 7p TDI. pretty sure you own one right? Common problems, tuning and modifications, etc. I just got one a few months back and the more information the better. Love it, my favorite VW I've ever owned (aside from my 78 Miami Blue rabbit Wolfsburg edition)

2:05 those cost like 200 from the dealer, the metal repair kit doesn’t replace a torn bellows or ball (worth checking) you can get them for around 70 as a Porsche brake component I believe.

Love the VW, Lots of great content can be had on this machine!

i have a Touran from 2005, with the same trailer issue, mine has a westfalia trailer control module (can bus controlled) I found a jäger controle module, also with can-bus, very easy to swap, and no coding needed, if not changing from 7pole to 13 pole as I did

Love these, oil and solvent mix, spray on rusty bits, drive down dusty dirt road, repeat once a year, no problems.

I'm in for some good Touareg content! Yes, they are EuroTrash to maintain... But also very hard to beat capability wise even against later model new cars!

Bought a 2006 3.2 VR6 Touareg 5 years ago... for $1000. Runs like a champ after refreshing the front suspension, replacing the thermostat & housing, crossover pipe and fixing various electrical gremlins.

Great video! Any thoughts on what might cause a 2004 Touareg to only output 6V from alternator? And does replacing the alternator really require pulling the engine/transmission?

Good timing, been contemplating getting a T3 TDI lol

Keep it going man. ❤

That’s because the system is looking for a resistive load. I had to get one of those seven pin harness adapters with a built-in resistor mode, since the Torregon, the Cayenne from his arrow are pretty much exactly the same. CURT 57003 this is what I got and works.

I bought one with the air suspension and rear locking diff a few years ago with 80K one owner and about 20 pounds of maintenance records for $5K in San Jose, CA. No issues since and I've made it into an off roader with Eurowise suspension upgrades and winch mount, and added an APEX 12K synthetic winch. I also added larger tires, have a full size spare that ratchets to the roof, and other modifications. I did the timing job myself and added a bunch of improvements. Zero issues, except for a mystery warning light for a bulb that is probably either, a.) going out or b.) housing has corrosion or something. It's been awesome. I am adding a second fullsize battery to where the original donut spare is soon but this is an awesome and comfortable rig for sleeping in on climbing trips and it gets me everywhere! I've put about 5K into this car when you look at the tires, the timing, all the parts I decided to replace or upgrade it with, etc, but for $10K and a car that has done 50K more miles with zero issues, I don't think you can find a more dependable, reliable, or capable vehicle. Just be sure you know what you're getting into and have no issues working on a VW/Audi/Porsche yourself! I also own a B7 Audi S4 manual that I've tuned and tuned. I love the challenge but these are complex machines that you can master and reap the rewards! Just pay attention, and be attentive, and do your homework!

I earned a VW Tech badge last summer while fixing my Sisters Boyfriend first Gen 2004 V6 Touareg 😂. He took it to multiple shops and none of them could fix the issues and just gave up on this beast. It had multiple check engine codes and overheating, but mainly it couldn't pass smog. Anyhow I worked each problem out and used your channel amongst others for fixes. The Vacuum lines on these vehicle's tend to split at every joint and without proper smoke testing good luck finding them. I had to replace pretty much all the main Vacuum lines which does require you to remove the cowl to get too. It had a "New PCV" that was Chinese junk installed by one of the shops that was a bust from the jump. There was oil in the sparkplug holes causing misfires so replaced the valve cover gasket. Replaced all the fluids including a complete trans flush. The electrical issues were solved by replacing a bad alternatator and getting a new battery since these suckers are sensitive when it comes to the proper amount of pixie juice. Lastly one of the ghetto shops he took it too spliced wired a replacement main radiator fan with a used AUDI fan from a car something her Boyfriend didn't tell me SMH so when I was trying to find the part with the part number off the fan I was going in circles 🤬 Anyhow once I replaced it with the correct Heavy Duty fan for towing she runs like a 🏆. One thing is for sure these things are overbuilt rugged tanks especially the suspension great for off roading. If you maintain them with quality parts they should last you a long time👍🏻

Yeah these are definitley challenging to work on. I have a 2010 tdi and the driver's side exhaust compensator/up pipe is broken which requires the engine/subframe being dropped

I have a 2004 v8 w air suspension. Love it. Happy to see you w videos on the t-reg. I just put 265-65-18 BF Goodrich all terrain tires.

I love the two-rags, fix it up and have some fun with it.

oh man this truck is a complete love hate relationship I have a 08 v8 as a toy. where do I start, kessy module drains battery when the resistors go caput, engine out to replace starter, chugs gas, eats tires and goes through brakes. But when its running right I LOVE IT! also for you folks with 04-07 tregs with peeling buttons go find a junked 08-10 and take all the climate controls, all the buttons ect since VW switched to plastic vs rubber in 08

I've always wanted one of these but probably couldn't afford to maintain it the way I would like to. Haha. Great video.

We got a 2010 VR6 and love it, looks slick with aggressive meats. We have had great luck with Goodyear Duratracs on several different rigs and they certainly don’t disappoint on the Touareg. Things a beast in the snow and sand:) hoping to get a few more years out of it

Please more toareg videos!! I want one so bad but still expensive here in Norway....

Traler fix: make an adapter harness with resistors in-line. Look up led flash resistors. Use a male on one end, female on the other, and you can remove it when not needed, and use it on other cars. You're welcome.

I like it already, good thing your an experienced VW tech.

OMG I can't believe that this is an old crusty oldskool car. I remember when they were new and expensive status symbols. Time flies by...

My new to me 05 Cayenne S looks the same underneath, subbing to see how much I can do based on these two sharing platforms.

I saw that you worked with "Engineering Explained" working on a Miata. Very cool!

Inline load resistors work really well for the bulb issues.

We have a 2010 tdi and towing with LED lights have not been an issue! Love the rig!

1. The button peeling only affects the pre-2006 models. Later models have revisioned coating, that will not peel and will actually look perfect even after 15+ years. 2. The LED trailer needs an adapter with extra resistors - or you can add the resistors or extra (hidden) bulbs yourself to the trailer lines to work properly. 3. Check the bulk head drain holes at the top of the front wheel well behind the liner, because that likes to clog up, then water pools in the plenum chamber area and overflows into the cabin, and can cause a lot of issues. Similary the A/C drain tube also tends to clog up, so, check also that in the passenger footwell area.

I've had 3 Touaregs now. 04 V8 pretty much identical to this one, 2012 Hybrid, and now a 2016 TDI. I love the TDI the most, but miss my v8. It sounded so good. I would do an exhaust, maybe a small lift with some slightly bigger tires, and call it a day on this one. Eventually that rust will start causing you to replace things so thats when you should start the upgrades. That's my methodology on my Golf R and Touareg. If I have to replace something, its getting an upgrade if it exists.

I say flip it and get a non-crusty example and some 33’s on it, do some light off-roading and camping or make it a chase truck for a rally car build

Definitely not that cheap where i live, lol. Keep up these nice videoes xD

Off-road build for sure! Not just overlanding, either. I wanna see this thing rock crawl!

@HumbleMechanic thank you very much for your informative video. I have a 2006 VW Touareg V6 3.2L. What is your brand recommendation for coil over springs and shock absorbers? I want it to be an offroad beast!

Yes to touareg content!❤

As always, I loved the video. The last VW I had was a Mk VI GTI (a VR6), which I absolutely loved. I sold it well before its expiration date, so I never ran into the many issues you run into. I was shocked when a friend of mine, 7 years later, bought a Mk VI Jetta and I saw how poorly the interior held up. I remember one of the things about my Mk VI GTI I loved is how solidly built it FELT. Watching your videos and seeing more than a couple older VWs in your care with wonky headliners... I have to ask...what is going on? I mean, none of the cars I've had (except a few from the 70s) had headliners sagging the way the VWs seem to have. Is it sunroof leaks that's causing that? Maybe because all of my cars didn't have sunroofs?

FULL RESTORATION

I think you would have done much better buying a Cayenne for $4500. I see plenty of clean examples here in Texas for very cheap. Keep up the great work.

I almost bought one of these as a first vehicle, now there's another one for sale near me and it's so tempting, relatively low mileage and in really nice shape for Wisconsin but it does have an oil leak and who knows how well it was maintained...but man I fell in love with them when I test drove the one 3 years ago

I hope you do an episode on doing the blend doors in the HVAC system. I have the 2 zone and I hear getting to them is a nightmare. Also it may be possible to clean or rebuild them for $10 vs buying new ones for $250 each. Also adding the tom module and getting it coded RIGHT. Lastly I did the TPMS module replacement and coded it and got it to work again. Have fun.

I love it!!! ❤ i'm looking for a 2013 or 2015 Touareg right now. Greetings from Chile!

Got 2 Touaregs: a 07 3.6 and a 08 4.2 FSI. We tow with both (TT) and my daily is the 3.6…We run BFG KO2s on both (longer wear). They do require $$ now and then but actually seem better than other vehicles we have owned. We LOVE them. Had the 3.6 now for over 14 years… On adapters for towing we purchased one from UHaul that was wired wrong…might test to see if it is working right (the adapter)?

Looking fwd to seeing what You do with it.

If it’s anything like my 2010 Q7, you will need some resistors installed inline with your trailer plug wiring that goes to your bulbs. You can Google what ohm to get.

Thanks I just bought a 2006 Volkswagen tourag and I'm learning. I also need to replace the Carrier Bearing. Are you going to have a video of how to replace that?

I would love to see the timing belt/water pump replacement. I also just bought 2006 VW Touareg V8 with the air suspension and already dropped a bit of money in to it. Mine is also a PA car but I live in Pennsylvania, I only paid $2400 for mine but with 111,000 miles on it, has fully loaded interior. Those brake vacuum booster lines are not cheap and good luck finding the right ones. I would like to fix the cruise control on mine any ideas where to start?