What are the most common problems on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?

NHTSA has 275 owner complaint(s) on record for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, cited in 78 of 275 filed complaints (28%).

Problems › Volkswagen › 2018 Tiguan

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems & Owner Complaints

275 NHTSA owner complaints

5 crash 3 fire 11 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~30.6 complaints per year on the road — ranking 2 of 15 Volkswagen Tiguan years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, cited in 78 of 275 filed complaints (28%).

Power Train is next (49 complaints, 18%), followed by Electrical System (42), Structure (39), Fuel/Propulsion System (38).

Across all complaints, 5 report a crash, 3 report a fire, 11 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Electrical System: 1 crash, 2 fire, 6 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 275.

Engine 78 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“VEHICLE ENGAGES AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY PROMPTING...NO OTHER VEHICLE ANYWHERE IN SIGHT. IT HAS HAPPENED ON A RURAL TWO LANE ROAD, WITH A FARM ON ONE SIDE AND WOODS ON THE OTHER AND HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON A 4 LANE ROAD WITHIN CITY LIMITS, BUT NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT ONE TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE IN THE LANE HEADING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS IT BRINGS THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, REGARDLESS OF SPEED. I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AS WELL AS MY HUSBAND AND MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THE AMOUNT OF FORCE IS SO VIOLENT THAT I WOULD IMAGINE…”
NHTSA complaint #11217259, 2018 · 1 injury(ies)

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL, BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,600.”
NHTSA complaint #11119730, 2018 · fire

“TODAY, THE CAR STALLED WHILE I WAS STATION/STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT AND GOT DRAGGED BY THE TRUCK WHICH ALMOST RAN OVER MY CAR. MY CAR'S SENSOR SWITCHED TO EMERGENCY MODE AND WOULD NOT LET ME DRIVE. I WANTED TO DRIVE MY CAR AWAY WHEN I SAW THE DANGER. HOWEVER, L COULD NOT AND ALMOST GOT KILLED AND RAN OVER BY THE 18 WHEELS TRUCK.”
NHTSA complaint #11129437, 2018 · crash

Unknown Or Other 50 2 injury

“DRIVING 65 ON HIGHWAY, PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED FOR NO REASON.”
NHTSA complaint #11292232, 2019 · 2 injury(ies)

“A few weeks ago i noticed that a car passed me and the little blind spot alert light didn't light up. when i arrived at my destination I did some scanning through the menus and i discovered that the blind spot (side assist) was not on, but when i attempted to turn it on, the car said "function not available". After some investigation (using a odbeleven scanner) i discovered that the blind spot assist functionality has a fault with "no communication". This system, upon failure, give NO indication anywhere, plus this also means my rear back up alert ( a kid running behind my car, for example…”
NHTSA complaint #11742512, 2026

“I just bought this 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Ford, cylinder All wheel Drive in the Angel light came on and it says recalls will never fixed. I would like to know if you can help me and fix this problems. My name is [XXX] , Lodi New Jersey. My phone number is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11720678, 2026

Power Train 49

“The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shook and decelerated abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the vehicle should not be driven because the drive belt needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder with no ETA. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11718444, 2026

“On multiple occasions, while driving on the highway, subject vehicle displayed check engine light and EPC light at random intervals and an alarm saying exceeded 4000 came on. RPM's were not over 4000. Speed and acceleration severely limited making it dangerous to pull over on the highway in traffic. Had to pull car over and restart engine. This has happened numerous times. Also experienced shaking and skipping or missing of transmission. The car has also had the engine stall or stop when at red light or stopped forcing restart of engine.”
NHTSA complaint #11565620, 2023

“Received Max RPM 4,000 warning while on long drive. Happened and had to restart car several times. Lost ability to accelerate. Also, when car was on cruise, started shaking”
NHTSA complaint #11560769, 2023

Electrical System 42 1 crash 2 fire 6 injury

“Engine keeps failing and dings while driving non-stop. Causes the vehicle to think there is another vehicle near me and activates the emergency braking in the middle of the highway almost causing me to crash. I have taken the vehicle to dealer and told it is fixed about 8 times now”
NHTSA complaint #11525928, 2022 · crash · 5 injury(ies)

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V467000 (VISIBILITY). THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT NOTICED A BLACK SPOT ON THE SUN ROOF AND SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND BROKE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AS FLAMES APPEARED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. *TR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND RELEASED TO MANUFACTUR…”
NHTSA complaint #11206099, 2019 · fire

Structure 39

“My 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced a failure of the airbag control module caused by water intrusion through the HVAC access area and failed seam seal tape at the cowl support. The dealership confirmed that water leaked through a factory seam, accumulated at the airbag module, and caused the module to fail. The airbag warning light is illuminated, and the system is inoperable. This failure matches the same defect pattern covered under Volkswagen’s recall campaigns for the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport (water intrusion leading to airbag control module failure), but my VIN is not included. The…”
NHTSA complaint #11726578, 2026

“1)My sunroof/window is leaking. This has caused internal damage. My car had 2-2.5 inches of water that has damaged by carpeting and pads the 60E5 was performed. ~72,500 miles 2018 Tiguan. 2) dealer service has advised of service:REPLACE SET OF (4) FUEL INJECTOR O-RINGS DUE TO FUEL LEAK AT FUEL RAIL-INCLUDE INTAKE MANIFOLD GAKET AND THROTTLE BODY GASKET.”
NHTSA complaint #11705198, 2025

“There is an excessive amount of water leaking into the passenger compartment and also the cargo area The result is that considerable mold growing on the carpeting of the entire car The dealer has ordered repair parts but the parts are on back order leaving me to drive the vehicle while it has mold I have been advised if I remove the molded carpeting I will invalidate the warranty Very dangerous as occupying this vehicle results in inhaling mold”
NHTSA complaint #11539153, 2023

Fuel/Propulsion System 38

“2018 VW Tiguan. The fuel injector harness failed. There is a NHTSA letter stating 2018-2019 Tiguans had this issue and there’s an extended warranty up to 120,000 miles. My Tiguan is at 91,000 miles, but VW is saying the warranty isn’t assigned to my VIN. So there’s a warranty for this exact issue and year, but my vehicle isn’t covered. This warranty obviously needs to be extended by build date as it’s a pretty costly repair.”
NHTSA complaint #11732357, 2026

“First purchased this car from a dealership in 2023, used at128,051 miles. Did not have any problems with it in the first year I would say. Then suddenly while driving down the road the epc light would come on limiting my speed to 4,000 rpm. It would come on and off also causing my check engine light to come on and off. It has now become more frequent, the epc and check engine lights will come on and off creating a major hazard while driving. Got it scanned while the check engine light was on and it ran a code for a cylinder 4 engine misfire from my fuel injector wiring rail harness. It looks t…”
NHTSA complaint #11733032, 2025

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Vehicle Speed Control 21

“The first time this problem occurred was in April right after a routine maintenance check. The car was idling in a parking lot when the engine started to vibrate and a warning was displayed that said "Max Engine Speed 4000 RPM". The car was turned off and then back on. The warning did show up on the display, but the "check engine" light was lit. The car was driven back home, and after that drive the check engine light was not lit anymore. To be safe the car was taken to the dealer. The dealer was not able to replicate the issue. Later, in July, the max engine speed and EPC warnings were displ…”
NHTSA complaint #11472324, 2022

“Car has multiple malfunctions. Has had noisy valvetrain, lack of power upon acceleration, has sputtered with a load on engine especially uphill. Car shut off completely while at 60 mph and nearly caused a catastrophic collision with my whole family in the car. Car presents substantial safety risk. Multiple codes/warnings have flashed up on the display screen(Evap,Trans,fuel inj,etc). Transmission went into "emergency mode" after being started up today, then went away after restarted. Car has been to dealership but issues were not properly addressed/ignored. VW of America is well aware of issue…”
NHTSA complaint #11466553, 2022

Service Brakes 20 1 crash 2 injury

“DRIVING ON A SATURDAY MORNING TO MY HOME. NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME, BEHIND ME OR IN THE OPPOSITE LANE (2 LANE ROAD). WITHIN 1/4 MILE FROM HOME, THE AUTOMATIC FRONT BRAKE ASSIST WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON THIS EXACT ROAD 100'S OF TIMES AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED. THE GROCERIES IN THE BACK SEAT FLEW TO THE FRONT SEAT AND I EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH. I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR! IT WAS SCARY AND COMPLETELY UNPROMPTED. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DISENGAGED THE FRONT ASSIST. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL VW OWNER FOR 25 YEARS BUT THIS IS SO UNSETTLING! THE CAR JUST H…”
NHTSA complaint #11210108, 2019 · 1 injury(ies)

Exterior Lighting 16

“Low beam on Both headlights failed without any explanation. Everything was checked. The bulbs, the fuses, the relay, and the cause of the issue is still not known.”
NHTSA complaint #11555351, 2023

“The light of the roof inside. Mainly problem of a lot of cars !”
NHTSA complaint #11483415, 2022

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE TOO SENSITIVE AND COME ON WITH SHADOWS AND ANGER DRIVER'S IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT. FOR DRIVER'S FOLLOWING THE CONTACT IT COULD APPEAR AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. (MASTRIA VOLKSWAGEN OF RAYNHAM 1619 NEW STATE HWY, RAYNHAM, MA 02767, (508) 802-9555) STATED THAT THE LIGHTS OPERATED AS DESIGNED AND COULD NOT BE CHANGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.”
NHTSA complaint #11302975, 2018

Seat Belts 16

“The panoramic sunroof continually leaks into the rear c-pillar. Each time it rains the seat belts become saturated with rain water. I am of the opinion this will cause more rapid deterioration of the seat belts than usual. Additionally, water ponds in the rear floor boards and is a mold hazard. The last rain, the rear seat also became saturated and our baby's carseat got wet. VW claims there is no defect in the sunroof.”
NHTSA complaint #11552231, 2023

“Seatbelt is not functioning adequately. The seatbelt itself that’s contained in the column near the door is not retracting or staying taught when in use. It’s very loose and something inside is rattling when ejected, and it has to be manually assisted to retract.”
NHTSA complaint #11508702, 2023

“TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V724000 (SEAT BELTS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
NHTSA complaint #11394623, 2021

Air Bags 15 2 crash 2 injury

“I was involved in a head-on collision going 35mph. The airbags failed to deploy. Due to this fact, my leg arms, and shoulder took all the force of the accident causing edema and bursitis to my left shoulder. The car was towed to one of State Farm’s Collison centers where it was inspected. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to total failure of the system.”
NHTSA complaint #11432150, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“MY NAME IS [XXX] AND I WAS A CAR ACCIDENT ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 A VEHICLE HIT ME. I WAS IN MOTION HEADING STRAIGHT AND THE OTHER CAR FAILED THE RIGHT AWAY AND HIT ME ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I'M WONDERING IF THERE WAS RECALL OR IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR”
NHTSA complaint #11389966, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Forward Collision Avoidance 12 1 crash 5 injury

“One time the car Just Lost power on the freeway and the e-card engine light came on and the cat Ran rugh and stalled and jerked hard almost causing me to cause a serious accident...I took it to vw and explained the severity and they bypassed that And installed a new water pump..2months later the same thing happened exactly to where I was very lucky and very upset...and took it to them once again and explained more issues where I'm urging . As to the front warning light and motion has came into play a few times witch was shocking...also the car would be on slow mo mode....and constant wa…”
NHTSA complaint #11704422, 2025

“On September 19th 2025, while driving on the highway at normal speed, the instrument cluster fuel gauge misread the fuel level and indicated that the tank still had fuel. Without any warning light or low-fuel alert, the vehicle suddenly lost power because it was actually out of gas. I was traveling with my boyfriend and our three dogs. We became stranded on the shoulder of a busy highway as vehicles passed at 70–80 mph. The outside temperature was about 85-90 at the time. This created a serious safety hazard: The cluster’s inaccurate fuel reading prevented me from knowing we were nearly emp…”
NHTSA complaint #11689357, 2025

Steering 12 1 crash

“- Power steering pump PN#5QN-423-055-A, not sure if dealer kept. - Risk to both as lost all power steering in winter weather. - Yes, confirmed defective by dealer - I do not know if they did additional inspection or send to Manufacturer. - On [XXX] a yellow power steering light illuminated while driving and steering became more difficult. I took vehicle home and reached out to Volkswagen and then to local service center where I purchased. I was given a date of 2 weeks out at the Countryside, IL location and then was told the Orland Park, IL location could accept my vehicle on [XXX] which…”
NHTSA complaint #11573411, 2024

“My 2018 Tiguan won’t turn on. The dash says, “Steering Lock Fault. Stop!” I towed it to the dealership and they replaced the steering column. Four days later it happened again while I was in the middle of the city at night and couldn’t go anywhere. This is a safety hazard because it could mean even after a repair, it can continue to lock up and not turn on out of no where. Both times there was never any warning given anywhere by the vehicle that this could happen. Just out of the blue it decides not to turn on and gives me that message.”
NHTSA complaint #11565902, 2023

Suspension 9

“Front coil spring fractured at 84,554 miles. I am the original owner with full dealer-maintained service history. VW issued Safety Recall 42J5 for premature rear coil spring fracture on 2018–2019 Tiguans due to material specification and manufacturing process defects at the spring supplier. The front springs on this vehicle came from the same supply chain and production window. VW dealer in [XXX] noted that spring failures are common in this area on these vehicles. VW Customer CARE declined goodwill assistance. Requesting investigation into expanding Recall 42J5 to include front axle coil spr…”
NHTSA complaint #11728835, 2026

“This vehicle experienced a rear shock spring failure identical to the symptoms noted in VW recall 42i7. We paid out of pocket for the springs to be repaired, and VW corporate along with the dealer reported this VIN does not qualify for the recall. They are unable to tell me why our particular VIN does not, other than it simply wasn't on the list. It seems unlikely the exact year/model/failure occurred on our vehicle as what was stated in the recall but somehow it didn't qualify I would expect VW to cover the spring replacement and required alignment”
NHTSA complaint #11715520, 2026

“I originally started out at World Kia in Matteson, where I was approved for a newer vehicle. But then they suddenly changed their minds and tried to put me in an older car instead. That rubbed me the wrong way, so I went to their Joliet location hoping for better service. Boy, was I wrong. Even though they had already run my credit in Matteson, they reran it again in Joliet, which made no sense and damaged my credit even more. I really needed a car at the time, so I felt pressured and couldn’t walk away. After I bought the car, it broke down shortly after, and I was never given any paperwor…”
NHTSA complaint #11666160, 2025

Lane Departure 6

“Persistent and Dangerous Malfunction of Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Traffic Assist The safety features of Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Traffic Assist, designed to enhance driving safety, have unfortunately been plagued by a persistent and alarming malfunction. Despite the dealership's diligent efforts to troubleshoot the issue, the sudden and unannounced shutdown of these critical systems continues to pose a significant hazard during driving. The erratic and unanticipated shutdowns of the Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Traffic Assist systems create an extremely hazardous situation. Thes…”
NHTSA complaint #11577953, 2024

Back Over Prevention 4

“The Blind Spot warning, forward collision warning and parking collision warning suddenly stopped working even though they showed that the features were enabled in the car's dashboard settings. Fortunately, I realized this and took it to the dealer for repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11455226, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 4

“VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN SUNSHADE SNAPPED BACK MAKING LOUD POPPING NOISE RESULTING IN BROKEN SUNSHADE WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION.”
NHTSA complaint #11208486, 2019

“THE WINDSHIELD OF THIS VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE LIGHTER WEIGHT TO INCREASE FUEL SAVINGS. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO BE MORE FRAGILE. ROCK CHIPS IMMEDIATELY CAUSE CRACKS IN THE GLASS, AND LARGER OBJECT PENETRATE TO THE POLYMER SUB-LAYER EASILY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN STATES LIKE COLORADO THAT STILL USE GRAVEL FOR TRACTION ON ICE.”
NHTSA complaint #11120361, 2018

“1) LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAVE A VERY SHORT RANGE, PERHAPS AS LITTLE AS 100 FEET WITH A VERY SHARP CUT-OFF. ALMOST HIT A DEER BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH, I COULD BARELY SEE THE DEER AS IT CROSSED THE ROAD. THIS WAS EVIDENT ON A STRAIGHT COUNTRY ROAD WITH NO STREET LIGHTS WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION DRIVING STRAIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON LOW LIT OR UNLIT ROADS AT NIGHT. THE FIX WOULD BE A REDESIGNED HEADLAMPS (BOTH SIDES) OR A BRIGHTER BULBS. NHTSA SAFETY RATING SITE SHOWS THE PROBLEM CLEARLY. IT'S DANGEROUS. 2) WINDSHIELD WIPERS C…”
NHTSA complaint #11065547, 2018

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 3 1 crash

“VEHICHLES AUTO ON OFF POWER SYSTEM ENABLES WHILE TURNING, STOPPED, OR PARKED IF SEATBELT IS BUCKLED. TURNS MADE COMPLICATED IF ENGINES AUTO STOP COMES ON. VEHICHLE UNABLE TO MAKE COMPLETE TURN WITH EASE AT A COAST WHILE AUTO STOP KICKS ON. TURNING INTO PARKING SPOT AUTO ENGINE SYSTEM KICKED TO OFF. CAR DID NOT TURN WELL CAUSING CAR TO NOT TURN EAISLY LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER OR POWER STEERING. CAR BUMPED INTO CAR NEXT TO IT WHICH WAS PARKED. CAUSING FRONT PASSANGER DAMAGE.”
NHTSA complaint #11111985, 2018 · crash

“I BOUGHT A CAR FROM VW SOUTH ORLANDO 7 MONTH AGO AND SINCE THAN I HAD A LOT OF ISSUE WITH THE CAR ENGINE LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF I BEEN THEIR LIKE 5 TIMES NOW AND JUST PISSING ME OFF I WANT A REPLACEMENT CAR”
NHTSA complaint #11307251, 2020

“THE SAFETY ALERT THAT STOPS YOUR CAR IN CASE OF A COLLISION STOPS MY CAR WITH NONE OR THING IN FRONT OR ON THE SIDE OF IT. MY BACKUP CAMERA STAYS ON CONSISTENTLY WHEN DRIVING FORWARD. THE ELECTRONIC MIDDLE CONSOLE CONSTANTLY FREEZES UP AND WON'T ALLOW ME TO DO ANYTHING OR GOES COMPLETELY BLACK. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT IN THIS COMPLAINT. THE ENGINE ALSO JERKS FORWARD AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TRYING TO PULL OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET. WHEN I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THE CAR NEED TO LEARN HOW I DRIVE. IT HAS 6600 MILES ON IT?”
NHTSA complaint #11081934, 2018

Visibility 3

“The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, a loud explosion was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the sunroof glass had exploded. There was no impact to the sunroof that could have caused the sunroof glass to explode. The contact safely removed her child from the vehicle. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not received. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…”
NHTSA complaint #11545358, 2023

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V467000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PACIFIC VOLKSWAGEN (14900 HINDRY AVE, HAWTHORNE, CA 90250, (310) 803-9609) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILUR…”
NHTSA complaint #11120507, 2018

Wheels 2

“THE CAR HAS HAD A DISTINCT NOISE WHEN DRIVING. I COMPLAINED EVERY TIME WE WERE IN AND FINALLY JUNE OF 2019 I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT AFTER I HAD REPEATEDLY TOLD THEM IT WAS THE WHEEL BEARINGS. AFTER PAYING FOR A NEW ALIGNMENT I WAS TOLD THAT YES THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND THAT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ISSUES MY TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I HAD THAT DONE, A MONTH LATER I WENT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED ANOTHER ALIGNMENT! I TOLD THEM IT WAS JUST DONE! THEY ASSURED ME THAT I WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. IF IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE, I WILL NEVER KNOW. EVEN…”
NHTSA complaint #11325030, 2020

Interior Lighting 1

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR FLASHED AND A CHIME WAS HEARD EVEN WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS SECURED. FLOW VOLKSWAGEN OF CHARLOTTESVILLE (1313 RICHMOND RD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911, (434) 296-4147) WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER BEING DIAGNOSED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A DELAY IN PROVIDING THE PART CONCERNING AN UNKNOWN RECALL FOR THE AMBIENT LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBERS: EA18005 (SEAT BELTS) AND PE18001 (SEAT BELTS…”
NHTSA complaint #11205195, 2018

Parking Brake 1

“While slow8ng to a stop the emergency brake is activating. Auto start stop malfunction warning appears on dash. Takes a minute to get the emergency brake to release. Happened several times in 2 days.”
NHTSA complaint #11572522, 2024

Seats 1

“THE THIRD ROW OF THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS TALLER THAN 5'3' ACCORDING TO A WARNING ON PG.95 OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE IN ANY OF THE OTHER LITERATURE ABOUT THE VEHICLE.”
NHTSA complaint #11055637, 2017

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan draws about 30.6 complaints per year on the road, ranking 2 of 15 among the Volkswagen Tiguan model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.