2022 VOLKSWAGEN TAOS Power Train Problems

2022 Volkswagen Taos SE 1.5T (DNKA engine, <60,000 miles, <5 years old) developed internal coolant leak from cylinder head gasket. On 11/03/2025 Smith Volkswagen, Wilmington, DE (RO 692953/1) performed coolant system pressure test and confirmed leak coming from cylinder head gasket area at rear of engine below turbo (exactly as shown in Figures 1 & 2 of VW TSB 15-23-01). Dealer noted possible related engine damage that may require complete engine replacement in addition to head gasket. Vehicle available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: loss of coolant can cause sudden engine overheating, power loss, or seizure while driving, creating risk of crash, stranding, or fire. Symptoms began November 2025 with “Check Coolant” warning; reservoir was below MIN. Added coolant once; warning has not returned, but pressure test proved ongoing internal leak. No visible external drips. This exact failure is a known manufacturing defect per Volkswagen Technical Service Bulletin 15-23-01 (Transaction 2071245/1, issued 08/17/2023), which states: “Original engine production head gasket design can lead to coolant leaks” and was redesigned as of engine DNKA 234 458 (July 27, 2023). Despite VW’s own bulletin documenting the defective gasket in all 2022–2023 Taos/Jetta 1.5T engines built before the fix, VW classifies the TSB as “information only” with no warranty coverage. VW Goodwill offered only 50% assistance on the $4,927 head gasket replacement and nothing toward a potential full engine replacement, leaving owner responsible for thousands of dollars in repairs on a documented factory defect in a low-mileage, young vehicle.

The vehicle has had repeated issues related to the fuel system, including strong fuel odor inside the cabin, a gurgling sound coming from the fuel tank area, and recurring check engine lights shortly after a previous recall repair was completed. The most recent diagnostic from the dealer indicated a faulty fuel tank pressure sensor (G400), but I was initially told the vehicle needed a fuel pressure release valve. There has been inconsistency in the diagnostics and explanations provided to me. The fuel smell in the cabin and apparent pressure issues in the tank created a safety concern for me and my passengers, especially while driving with windows closed or using cabin heat. I am concerned about a potential fuel leak or improper tank venting. The problem has occurred multiple times, including at least five check engine lights after the recall repair. The dealer has inspected the vehicle several times, but the issue has not been fully resolved, and additional related parts (such as the tank shutoff valve) were recommended for replacement. Warning lights included repeated check engine indicators, and the fuel odor occurred each time the issue recurred. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

2022 VW Taos Head Gasket failure at 63,000 miles. Coolant leaking. Potential for engine seizure/fire. Manufacturer is aware of defect (TSB 2071245/1) but refuses to assist.

i got a 2022 volkswagen Taos the end of may 2025, it has been 6 months. a month after getting it i reported to the dealership that i felt like i had a wobbly tire, they looked at it and said it was fine. i have felt like it has gotten worse within the past few months so i brought it into a shop, they called me back yesterday saying i have a problem with the transmission. i’m not sure how i don’t have any warranty, but i now have to come out of pocket for the transmission. no lights came on, there was no warning. i tried driving it home after and its shifting so badly it’s now not safe to drive and im scared ill be in an accident. so im forced to fix the issue now. i’m having it sent to the dealership today but wanted to make a report to have this vehicle recalled.

I've been having issues with my car since I bought it. I've taken the car in for the Power Train System, and the codes that come up are P0456 and P2421. This car has a mind of its own. I've driven it and it started lagging, and I went into limp mode just crossing a 2 way stop with ongoing traffic. I don't understand how VW doesn't address this problem when I know that if anyone were in my shoes, they wouldn't have dealt with this, going to the dealership 3,4 times a year when I should only be going in frequently for oil changes. The dealership says after my warranty is over, I have to pay out of pocket, but I don't see why, when it's been an ongoing issue and VW needs to have an extended warranty, because I know I am not the only one with issues. Reddit has thousands of complaints about VW, but it's our problem that they couldn't produce a reliable car. The dealership has been aware of this for 4 years since I bought my car in June 2021. I have had the engine light come on every 3 -5 months since June 2021, and it's always the same when they replace a whole part. I have all the paperwork and all the information on what they perform on my car. I am a regular. citizen, and I only make around 30K a year, if I were able to, I would get another car, but I've literally invested 20K in this car, and it's ridiculous how unreliable and how I constantly have to worry if the car will work. I don't have a scanner, so I uploaded how many times I've been to the dealership for one car.

The vehicle has ongoing acceleration delay and jerking under normal driving, along with repeated premature rear brake wear and a major coolant leak that required head gasket replacement. The most recent incident occurred on August 8, 2025, immediately after picking up the vehicle from a service visit for the acceleration concern. Two separate throttle delays with a sudden jerk forward occurred at approximately 5:47 PM and 5:50 PM in moderate city traffic at 79°F. These incidents put my safety and the safety of other drivers at risk, as delayed acceleration can prevent safe merging, crossing, or passing. Within the first 25,000 miles of ownership, the vehicle has also required one rear brake replacement and a second replacement was recommended due to premature wear, which could reduce braking performance and stopping distance. Additionally, a coolant leak ultimately required head gasket replacement. Suspension components, including a knuckle, have also been replaced under warranty. The acceleration problem has been reported to authorized Volkswagen dealers, but was documented as “could not reproduce” despite occurring minutes after pickup. Coolant leak and brake issues have been confirmed and repaired or recommended for repair by dealers. There were no warning lights or error messages prior to the acceleration incidents.

Took my 2022 VW Taos in for its 20,000 mile service. Upon picking up the vehicle I was told everything looks great and I'm going to want to watch my rear brakes, the pads are worn 50%. I inquired as to wear on the front, near new at 11. I had also asked if they could check on the sluggish or jack rabbit take offs. They said that had been corrected thru a computer update at a previous visit. I said it was minimally improved? and had hoped VW had figured out the cause. I dwellled on the rear brake issue overnight, discussed the situation with my BIL, and called my service advisor in the am to say we believe the sluggish/rapid acceleration isn't brake related, but rather the brakes aren't completely releasing during stop to acceleration. He said he suspected that also and discussed it with his service manager who agreed. He said they submitted an inquiry and are asking VW to look in to this and as my rearbrakes are out if warranty by my "in service date", to see if VW will waive the pad replacement for low odometer. I've complained about and filed a NTHSA report for the acceleration problem a couple years ago. This is still a serious safety issue and abuse of the paying public.VW needs to step up before someone has to die. Brakes are nothing you wanting failing doing 70 mphs on I-90 thru mountain passes. Please follow-up and seek a resolution from VW. In the meantime I saw someone posted VW has a new brake pad as if May 2025. Guess I'll be paying for the replacement. P.S. I still don't have 20,000 mile on it. Ridiculous to be replacing rear pads!

Vehicle is persistently lagging in acceleration on highways

Head Gasket Leaking Coolant, yes it's available for inspection Engine could cease to operate properly Head gasket leaking was confirmed by Volkswagen Dealer No, I had a low coolant light, manual says add fluid This is a very HIGH COST REPAIR Brake Pads were worn out at 16,000 miles, replace ourselves because out of warranty at the time

I recently started experiencing a delay in acceleration after my car has stopped at a light or stop sign. The car doesn’t immediately accelerate when the gas pedal is used but then it catches and takes off lunging forward very quickly. The has caused many close calls especially with left hand turns. I have almost been hit multiple times due to the car not going and oncoming traffic continuing. I have also almost rear ended other drivers due to the surge of acceleration when the car finally takes off. I took my car to the dealer for an oil change and brought this to their attention. They told me it was a known issue, particularly with the Volkswagen Taos. They said they had several vehicles come in for inspection citing the same problem. So I assumed they would have a solution since it is a known issue, but I was told there was nothing they could do to fix it. They told me this was why my check engine light was on when I brought my vehicle in, they tested for errors, found none, turned the light off, and sent me on my way with my vehicle still experiencing this “turbo lag”. I goggled the issue and there is a lot of information online and reports of the same experience but no solutions. Does someone need to die before car manufacturers are held accountable to fixing this? It is documented with the dealership that I had concerns about this and I will be taking legal action should an accident occur because of this issue because this isn’t right. They literally told me, “I would hate to charge you money for us to do work on your car knowing we cannot fix it.” And of course the issue didn’t show up until my car hit a certain number of miles. I bought the car brand new in 2021 and have maintained the required servicing.

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated while coming to a stop sign, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that the transmission was leaking transmission fluid. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed; however, the transmission was repaired. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The dealer referenced an unstated TSB for a head gasket failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

Mileage: 22,000

In the two years I have had this car it has gone into limp home mode stating “start/stop error” while I am drivig the vehicle. I have taken it to my dealership and they will not do anything to fix the problem. The vehicle has also cut off twice while I am driving it with no warning lights which has caused other Volkswagen models to be recalled

From the start, car regularly needed coolant topped off. Dealer said there was no issue. At 68,000 miles other mechanic noticed a major oil leak. Took it to dealer and needed cylinder head gasket replaced. Apparently there are many many people with a similar issue. I however did not discover it until I was out of warranty. They should not be getting away with this. This is a near $4,000 repair I have to come with out of pocket (plus interest) which is due to manufacturing defect and not simple wear and tear.

2022, Volkswagen Taos VIN: [XXX] Dealer Servicing:Nailey Volkswagen, 1550 Mansell Road, Alpharetta, GA 3009 We have owned this vehicle since [XXX]/2022 and I’m starting to regret buying it. We have had a ton of random things gone wrong with this vehicle, like Fluids Leak, Faulty Cylinder Head Gasket, Coolant Leak, Check Engine Light ON doesn’t function sometimes. This Car stayed with Dealer Service Center more than in my drive way. We are completely fed up with this car., and we are totally concerned and scared as my son drives this car., with all the mechanical issues I am seeing, it’s really getting worried of his security with this car. Overall, the car was with the DEALER is 7+ Months in the last 21 Months I own this car. I’m super annoyed with this whole situation. Today I dropped it off again, after receiving the car just 5 days ago from OIL CHANGE and I see Check Engine Light ON…. Dealer don’t have LOANER CAR to support my son job and his classes during summer. Moreover, I am not comfortable taking the car back… you guys rather buy this back… or get a more stable model for my son…. We cannot accept this car anymore…. WE DON’T FEEL SAFE FOR MY SON TO DRIVE THIS CAR., Appreciate your immediate attention into this for resolution… if not I need to find other ways going legal with this issue to US Government, BBB and so on… INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Within weeks of leading car, EPC light flashing, check engine light, limp mode from 55 to about 30. I bought it to dealer said fixed. A few months later again, brought it to another dealer fixed it, said don’t use eco mode and high tier gas. It was fine for a few months did it again two days ago. I shut the engine off and turned it on was fine. VW HQ said no new car. They will keep trying to fix it. Dealer won’t change it. Dealer wants me to bring it in again….They will try something else. I explained to dealer and VWHQ this is very dangerous. Previous incident 11/2023, previous incident shortly after leasing the car. Each time told it was fixed and not.

This vehicle was purchased new 1/2022 and it has had several issues that occurred: - 2/23 driving down the highway trying to accelerate onto the highway I pressed the gas pedal and it wouldn’t accelerate for about 3-4 seconds then the check engine light came on as well as the car losing power - while driving the car the forward collision indicator has activated without at car being around and stops suddenly - if you put the car in reverse sometime the car will not go into drive so your basically waiting for the car to respond - I barely drive my car it has 19k miles I do not feel safe even driving this vehicle at this point. - when you take it to the dealership they say if it can’t be reproduced they can’t fix the issues no matter if I call and state there is a problem. I’ve been a VW owner since 2005 and this vehicle has given me more problems then any VW I’ve ever owned

The car completely shut off while driving it. This was not the first time this happened. The EPC and check engine lights are constantly on. I have brought the car several times to try to fix the problem, nothing works. I have also had to add radiator fluid twice. The car was sold to me during a stop sale that I had no idea about. I tried going through VW for a buy back that they were initially going to grant and then changed their mind once a fix for the recall was announced. Horrific company to deal with.

I purchased my vehicle new on 12/31/21. The vehicle currently has 19,200 miles. The coolant light went on so I took it to the VW dealership as it was due for an oil change and tire rotation soon. The dealer indicated that the head gasket is leaking internally. The parts are on back order and there is no eta. From what I have researched regarding other 2022 VW Taos owners experiences with head gasket issues, it could be 30-90 days before I get my vehicle back (which the dealership has indicated is true). There appears to be a host of other issues that people are having with their 2022 VW Taos including rear brakes wearing way too fast and other engine issues. I have no concerns with how the dealership is managing this issue, however, based on my research, I am surprised a recall has not yet been issued. I am concerned about the lifetime health of my vehicle and the issues I may to deal with after the warranty ends, if the engine is already requiring major repairs after only 2 years and less than 20,000 miles.

My 2022 Volkswagen Taos 4 motion around 29,000 miles November 8, 2023 overheat warning light on, call toll to dealership results of head gasket problem part wait time at least 2 months but dealership offers free loaner car, but unfortunately dealership called me on December 29th the part not available until April that I have to return my loaner car that Volkswagen not available and I have drive my own car until part come, any I purchased 5 additional bumper to bumper warranty not even qualify any free loaner car for Volkswagen bad design.

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle stalled and jerked. The contact stated that the failure was persistent and almost caused several crashes. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,500.

Mileage: 2,500

Volkswagen has a leaking head gasket and has been at the dealer for 3 months and Volkswagen and dealer do not have information on when part for the vehicle will arrive so the car is safe to drive

On two occasions our Taos, when put in drive rolled backwards on a slight grade when the brake was released. The dealership says they cannot replicate the problem and suggests waiting 1.5 to 3 seconds after shifting to drive before releasing the brake. I don't think this is standard procedure, at least in any car I've ever driven and I've never heard of such a procedure in any car. In addition, the airbag light on the dash is currently on. The dealership diagnosed the problem as a damaged wire under the passenger seat. I inspected the wire and found a light gauge wire extending from the floorboard to the bottom of the passender seat, which is damaged, for reasons unknown, however is glaringly unprotected and vulnerable.

2022 vw Taos had leaking coolant, notified by coolant warning light. Coolant replaced 3 times, but always low within a few weeks. Took to dealer and Taos diagnosed with a blown head gasket. Told car was unsafe to drive and dealer confirmed the problem. Have been waiting on the parts to fix for over 3 weeks. Also told the entire engine must be rebuilt to fix. Very concerning.

My daughter was backing out of a parking place at a drive in restaurant. After backing up and shifting in to drive, the car would still only go backward. She put the car in park and she turned the car off and back on, shifted into drive and it still went in reverse. After turning off and on the car a second time, it was finally able to go forward.

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle failed to stop immediately while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure but indicated that an intermittent failure of the electronic transmission control module was possible. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 2,000.

Mileage: 2,000

TAOS 2022 S model. Coolant level keeps dropping every 1K miles on average. Dealer admitted it is a head gasket issue. However, they do not have the parts to properly fix the issue. It has been over two months now since the dealer diagnosed head gasket issue with no ETA to repair due to lack of parts.

This is for a 2022 VW Taos SEL. Vehicle is mildly driven commuter vehicle. Purchased NEW from VW in February 2022. It is end of July 2023, vehicle has now 10,300 miles. Issue presented as engine coolant low warning (red symbol) in October 2022, approx 8,000 miles on car. Vehicle has not shown any evidence on enclosed garage of dripping/leaking coolant. Contacted local VW dealership, upon inspection said they observed coolant below minimum and topped it off. Coolant light cam on again in early 2023 not 1000 miles later since first coolant warning. Contacted same VW dealership, upon inspection said same thing, observed coolant below minimum and topped it off. They stated that was likely a technician maybe didn't close the coolant cap fully, as well as "weather" affecting level. 1-2 month later, engine coolant light again. Contacted same VW dealership, upon inspection said they performed an engine pressure check and no issue found, but topped off low coolant. They stated as long as coolant level is maintained car is fine to drive, likely just burning a little coolant, and that inspections haven't revealed any leaks around engine. June 2023, near 10,000 miles, upon first start of day, a little white smoke emitting from exhaust, smells like burnt sugar somewhat, engine coolant shows just below minimum again. White smoke emitted every time start the car next day with same burnt sugar smell. Contacted same VW dealership to schedule appointment and when asked about what can/will be done, they stated there's no recall and that just another pressure check and visible inspection. Vehicle is used now just to drive to grocery, doctor appts... during drive there's noticeable loss of power when pressing on pedal for a car that in first 6 months had tremendous pep. It turns out the dealership only logged/recorded my visits TWICE, and has stated that they need to build more of a history for VW/dealership to escalate action to repair. Issue is head gasket leak.

At approximately 17K miles, the vehicle indicated a low coolant condition via dashboard indicator. Reservoir levels had dropped by about 17oz. Vehicle now requires regular coolant top-up once every 1-2 months to maintain minimum levels.

The car is a 2022 and every few months I noticed I have to top-up the cooling/antifreeze. Finally I took it to the dealer on 7/6/23. They determined that the head gasket will need to be replaced. It is three weeks later and they still do not have even an ETA as to when the parts will arrive to perform the head gasket. I am still driving around with the possibility of the losing coolant will cause long term damage to the car. The manufacturer do not seem to care enough and the dealer is not answering my emails or calls.

The coolant level keeps going low. I have to top off the coolant antifreeze on a weekly basis. I can find any leaks and no spots under the car when parked over night. This is a wide issue with TAOS 2022 owners and VW does not seem to acknowledge this issue. Please help us!!

The engine lag is extremely dangerous. It takes 2-3 full seconds for the ending to engage at full throttle. The risk of an accident is severe due to the total lack of responsiveness.

Engine coolant sign was on. Checked levels of coolant, it was very low. Took the car to the dealer, they diagnosed it with faulty head gasket/leak. Dealer ordered parts to fix the engine. Safety concern: engine can get overheated if issue is not discovered in time. Also car has been underperforming, issue with acceleration, turbo lag, power delivered by engine. Could be related to the head gasket issue or a different issue. Waiting to hear more from the dealer and I will send more updates

The vehicle suddenly loses power without warning/notice for a few seconds when attempting to accelerate from a stop; the car will move at speeds between 1-3 mph. The condition occurs multiple times during a drive cycle, especially when cold but also when at operating temperature, and has happened in wet and dry conditions causing numerous near-miss accidents due to the lack of poor response. This is a rental vehicle from National.

Purchased vehicle new from dealer on 5/25/22. Auto Start/Stop feature was enabled while driving on 6/8/22. Stopped at light and vehicle shut off as it should have with feature enabled but then would not start again. Had to put car in park and restart while sitting in the middle lane of a busy road. Had error message advising to restart manually come up on dashboard. Reported problem to dealer where purchased. Auto Start/Stop feature was enabled while driving on 10/27/22. Stopped at light and vehicle shut off as it should have with feature enabled but then would not start again. Had to put car in park and try restarting. This time I had to try to restart approximately 4 times before car was running again. This happened while sitting stuck in the middle lane of a very busy road again. This time I was very concerned about getting hit so I did not even notice if the error message about starting manually came up on the dashboard. I was busy putting on hazard lights and looking for cars that may hit me and trying to re-start car. Since incident first time in June - about 85-95% of driving time I disable Auto Start/Stop feature for fear of this happening again. Therefore it could have likely happened many more times between June and October if the feature had been enabled while driving. This vehicle does not have AWD. I will report to dealer but I see many others seem to have same or similar problem with this 2022 Taos so I wanted to report here as well. Thank you.

While driving down the road at a speed of 45mph my vehicle decelerated to a speed of 20mph. Vehicle would not let me accelerate to get out of the road to safety. Check engine light started flashing, EPC light came on, tracks control light came on, and caution symbol under oil gage came on. VW of Macon erased 7 stored codes after doing a diagnostic. The technician was unable to find the issue or repair. I was told by the dealership that they have had several other vehicles like mine to do the same thing after I voiced safety concerns and life threatening concerns if traveling on the interstate. I was informed that this issue happened to someone going on the interstate at a speed of 85mph. This is an extreme safety issue and It should be addressed immediately.

I bought the car new on May 31, 2022. It had 266 miles on the odometer. With approx 200 miles driven it shut down while driving at 35 MPH. The dealer, East Coast VW, had it towed. After 10 days they said it was a faulty fuel sending unit and I was out of fuel, even though the fuel gauge read 3/8 of a tank. So again it happened. Saturday 8-27-2022. With 450 miles I've driven. Fuel gauge read 5/8 of a tank. This time it happened at 60 MPH in traffic.

While driving, there is a significant lag in acceleration after pressure is put on the gas pedal. There have been multiple instances where I have been making a left turn across traffic and the lag in acceleration has caused me to almost get into an accident. Downshifting and attempting to accelerate immediately after also produces a significant delay, which prohibits the driver from avoiding accidents if needed.

After a complete stop, acceleration is jerky. In that there is a 2-4 second delay than a burst of acceleration that causes the car to shoot forward. The car ran perfectly fine when we first bought it, since then a computer update was performed about 6 months ago. Since having the update the car is slow to respond while accelerating, we've been back to the dealership for this and were told that there is an issue but no codes are being thrown. The service manager stated that all of the 2022 Taos that have been sold have this problem, they are waiting for a computer fix from Volkswagen, but Volkswagen customer care says they are unaware of this issue. Not sure where to go except to possibly trade out of this potential deathtrap.

experienced a stall while making a complete stop on freeway and as you step on the gas the car doesn’t move which could cause an accident in busy traffic? It happened twice today for me.

2022 VOLKSWAGEN TAOS SEL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWERTRAIN ISSUES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER TRAIN HAD A VIOLENT JERK. THE JERK CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS HEAD TO SLAM AGAINST THE HEADRESTS. WHILE DRIVING THE DASHBOARD'S WILL INDEPENDLY SWITCH BETWEEN SCEENS. THE DRIVER WOULD BE UNABLE TO USE THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, THE SOFTWARE WIPED OUT THE 1/4 OF THE DASHBOARD'S CRITICAL DRVING DATA, THE DISPLAY WOULD FREEZE OR REBOOT WHILE DRIVING. THE DISPLAY SHOWS DISTRACTING MESSAGES. ALSO, THE WIRELESS CHARGING PAD CAN CAUSE DEVICES TO BECOME EXTREMELY HOT. THE REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT AND ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WERE UNPREDICTABLE AND UNSAFE. THE LANE WATCH AND AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BAKING SYSTEM TRIGGERED UNNECESSARILY.