In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.

The drains inside the doors block up, and the water leaves not outwards but through the sill into the footwell. It goes unnoticed for a long time, because it collects in the foam under the carpet. By the time it gives off a smell, the connectors running in the floor are already corroding. Most of the electronics are under the third row, so look at the carpet there.

In Tourans built between 2015 and 2018 with a panoramic roof, a short circuit can develop in the LED lighting module of the roof. The maker issued a recall for it. Carrying out the recall is tied to the VIN and free of charge: if the previous owner did not take it in, it can still be done afterwards.