NHTSA campaign 16V035000 · Volkswagen campaign 53B8
Volkswagen Recall 16V-035: Insufficient Drainage on Hybrid Battery Tray
NHTSA recall 16V035000 (Volkswagen campaign 53B8) was reported by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. on January 25, 2016, with 825 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid for model years 2011–2015. Owners were notified on June 6, 2016, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 16V035000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Volkswagen VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 16V035000 (also written 16V-035 or 16V035)
- Filed by
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Volkswagen campaign number
- 53B8
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 825 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Hybrid Propulsion System
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 65.61% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 16V035000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 16V035000.
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
An electrical short in the high voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
Manufacturer remedy
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.
Notes
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.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 16V035000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.