2011–2015 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid Recall: Hybrid battery tray may not drain water sufficiently
NHTSA campaign 16V035000 · Hybrid Propulsion System · filed Jan 25, 2016 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Touareg Hybrid vehicles manufactured March 20, 2010, to April 11, 2015. The hybrid battery tray may not drain water sufficiently. If water collects in the hybrid battery tray, it may cause an electrical short in the high voltage battery.
The risk
An electrical short in the high voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a fitted drain valve to allow water to drain properly, free of charge. The recall began late February 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this 53B8.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Affected vehicles
| Make | Model | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | Touareg Hybrid | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
Related recalls
More Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid recalls
Other campaigns involving Volkswagen vehicles
All Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid recalls → · All Volkswagen recalls →
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 16V035000 (manufacturer number 53B8). Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.