Volkswagen Tiguan Complaints

584 consumer complaints on file.

#11699306November 13, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
During normal operation on a public road, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly began emitting smoke from the front of the vehicle. This occurred without any warning lights, messages, unusual smells, or symptoms beforehand. Within moments, flames became visible from under the hood. The occupants, including a child and an elderly family member, immediately exited the vehicle. The fire spread rapidly and resulted in a total loss. The fire department arrived and extinguished the flames, and both fire and police reports were created documenting the incident. The vehicle was nearly new, with approximately 7,000 miles on it, no mechanical issues, and no prior maintenance warnings. Nothing unusual occurred during the drive, and the vehicle had been used under normal, paved-road conditions. On November 5, 2025, Volkswagen conducted an inspection at the IAA facility in Puyallup, WA. Volkswagen later denied liability, stating that burned and unburned vegetation was found in the engine compartment and suggesting that external organic material may have caused the fire. This explanation appears unreasonable, as vegetation in the engine bay does not normally ignite spontaneously in a modern vehicle operating under standard conditions. The vehicle is currently with State Farm at the IAA facility in Puyallup, WA, and is available for further inspection by NHTSA if needed. This incident posed a serious safety risk to the occupants and to other motorists, and may reflect a potential safety defect requiring further investigation
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699288November 13, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY
Mechanical trunk lid emergency release will not release from the rear of the vehicle. The locking mechanism failed and lid will not open.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698781November 11, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The fuel gauge does not read properly even after it has been replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698408November 9, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Started noticing issues within first week of purchase. Cruise control will not increase nor decrease speed when set. Steering wheel controls will not advance or decrease speed. Intermittent problem. First service dealer could not replicate. Second service dealer contacted VW assist and was advised to replace steering wheel buttons. Did not fix problem. Third service VW assist advised to replace clock spring and wiring harness. Part still on back order almost a month later. Meanwhile, vehicle now rapidly decreases or advances speed on own while cruise control is set. Adaptive control function is off and not source of issue. I feel this is software related issue as I have also had malfunction of infotainment radio system. Another reason I feel software issue is due to vehicle back up safety braking activates and throws vehicle into park when nothing is behind me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698164November 7, 2025
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I purchased this vehicle on August 9th 2025 and it has been in shop 4 times . It is in the shop as I am writing this email. I have had nothing but issues with this vehicle and had to come out of pocket 308 dollars just to find out a problem that I told them that already was an issue the first week I had the car . I am a senior on a fixed income and I cant afford to pay anything more out of pocket . I filed a complaint with the BBB and a represented from the service department called me and said , his boss said they will not work on my car unless I remove my complaint to the BBB . I find this very unethical and a bad customer service representation. This car has been diagnosed unsafe to drive . And even though I have a loaner it is not my car I am paying for . Like I had stated it has been in the shop 4 times and I have not missed a payment even though I have not had my car .The front strut is completely broke , the left one is in bad shape , needs a front end alignment and the front collision warning alert does not work . It has been confirmed these issues are there. They said they were going to take care of it until they noticed I filed a complaint to the BBB.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697987November 6, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My overhead console has come lose. VW will not fix under extended warranty. It is a known issue and letters weren’t sent out about a fix for my year model but I did not get one.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697042November 2, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
I bought this car, a 2025 Tiguan 4MOTION, on 10/25/2025. On 11/26, when I used the car, I noticed that the covers of the front doors are made of leather and padded, while the rear doors are made of hard, non-flexible plastic. In the event of a side impact, the rear passengers could suffer bodily injuries from being hit by a surface. VW agreed to replace the car, but I had to cover the difference in value between one car and the other. The new car is an Atlas Cross Sport.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697011November 2, 2025
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES
I am submitting this report to express serious concerns regarding my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, currently under a lease agreement and serviced exclusively at South Motors Volkswagen in Miami, Florida. The vehicle was originally delivered as a loaner with approximately 1,000 miles and now has 24,000 miles. Since early in the lease, the car has repeatedly displayed low oil warnings, despite being serviced multiple times under 10,000 miles. During my most recent service visit in June 2025, I was charged $9.48 for a minor oil top-off. When I contacted the service advisor afterward, I was advised to purchase 1-OW20 oil myself and manually add it whenever the warning appears, until the next 10,000-mile service interval. Following that advice, I have now purchased two bottles of oil out of pocket—the first cost $12, and the second $42—just to keep the vehicle running between service visits. This additional expense reinforces my concern about excessive oil consumption in a relatively new vehicle and may indicate a mechanical defect. Additionally, the brakes emit a persistent squealing noise, even though the dealership claims the brake pads are at 50% life. The noise affects driving confidence and may signal premature wear or improper installation. Despite these ongoing issues, no repairs have ever been performed under warranty. Each time I’ve taken the vehicle to Volkswagen service, I’ve been told that everything is functioning perfectly and that there is no problem to address. This repeated dismissal of the symptoms is concerning and leaves me without a clear resolution. My lease is scheduled to end in September 2026, but due to the unresolved mechanical concerns and the lack of meaningful support from the dealership, I would like Volkswagen to consider terminating the lease early. This would allow me to obtain a vehicle that does not present these recurring issues and restore my confidence in the brand’s commitment to safety and reliability.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696834October 31, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Due to a faulty PCV valve, the entire engine wiring harness needed to be replaced at 69,000 miles. The valve cover and camshafts were replaced, engine components were reassembled with mandatory bolts and gaskets. Lower timing cover was leaking on the passenger side due to the faulty PCV valve and the Caracole canister and leak detection pump. These were replaced along with the canister due to oil contamination. The EVAP lines were blown out and the N80 valve was replaced. As a result, the vehicle sustained $7,200 in repairs because of the damage to the engine due to the faulty PCV valve.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696590October 30, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Purchased new; problems began early in ownership and have recurred despite multiple dealer visits. At ~75,995 miles in July 2025, the vehicle developed a significant engine oil leak. Multiple inspections have found the engine oil level low due to leaks from cracks, and the dealer also verified excessive crankcase pressure from a faulty PCV system that forced oil past sealing surfaces. Parts replaced included the PCV/separator, upper timing cover, a related pipe, and the oil filler funnel; DTCs were cleared and the vehicle was returned as “operating to specifications.” Despite these repairs, the vehicle has an ongoing pattern of engine problems, including warning lights and loss of power/limp mode while driving. This creates a safety risk due to sudden power reduction and the possibility of engine damage from oil starvation and continued leakage. I have repair records documenting the July 2025 diagnosis and parts replaced, prior visits showing repeat engine/drivability issues, and notes reflecting low oil observed on multiple inspections. Volkswagen denied assistance and directed me to BBB AUTO LINE; I am refiling with BBB and reporting this safety concern to NHTSA. No crash or fire; safety risk is loss of power and oil leakage while in operation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695618October 25, 2025
ENGINE
PCV failure that requires replacement of Cylinder head.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695570October 25, 2025
ENGINE
My car was less than a year old, had been at the dealership for routine maintenance on September 24th, and with no warning signals from the vehicle's electronics smoke started coming out from the hood while I was ~20 minutes into my drive to work. Within a short period of time there were flames, and ultimately the car was engulfed in flames, resulting in a total loss.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694942October 22, 2025
ENGINE
I had routine oil change. I picked up my car and immediately the red warning light came on. I called garage. They said it was PVC valve for high pressure. I fixed that. This is next routine oil change. Now the accessory bracket seal and oil cooler seal need to be repaired. My car only has 68,340k on it. I see there are many complaints on line about this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694160October 17, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The entertainment screen/backup camera screen turns on and off constantly. It will not stay on and shuts off completely after so many times of it turning on and off and doesn’t turn back on unless you hold the power button down for 15 seconds but still continues the on and off. Nothing has been done to the screen for it to start doing this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693702October 15, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Back up camera malfunction. Most of the time does not work. Gives message on screen
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693323October 14, 2025
ENGINE
2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, Approximately 40,000 miles Date of failure: Oct 12th, 2025 Component(s): Engine, Powertrain, Vehicle Speed Control, Throttle body Description of the problem: My 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced a complete engine failure despite having multiple prior service visits for engine-related issues while it was still under warranty. During the warranty period, I brought the vehicle to Grand Junction Volkswagen (Grand Junction, CO) several times for problems including: * Excessive oil consumption * “Check coolant” warning light turning on * EPC (Engine Power Control) mode activating and loss of power The dealership performed an oil consumption test and told me the results were “normal,” but they did not address the coolant light or EPC issues, stating these conditions were within normal limits. The same problems continued after each visit. At approximately 40,000 miles, the engine failed completely while driving, leaving the vehicle inoperable and creating a significant safety risk. The vehicle had to be towed. Volkswagen is now denying liability, claiming the vehicle is out of warranty, even though the same engine problems were documented repeatedly while it was still under warranty. I have opened a case with Volkswagen of America Customer Care (Case #07085098), but there has been no resolution so far. Safety concern: This issue poses a serious safety hazard. The vehicle can lose power suddenly and stall while in motion, which could lead to a crash or leave occupants stranded in unsafe conditions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693230October 14, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On 10/11/2025 while driving, the vehicle caught fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692923October 12, 2025
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I was informed from the Volkswagen dealership of where I purchased the vehicle that there are malfunctions with the Lane Assist system and other driver assistance functions caused by a fault in the steering wheel. However, I was also told that Volkswagen no longer manufactures or provides a replacement steering wheel for my vehicle. This leaves me without a viable solution to restore the safety systems that are integral to the vehicle’s operation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692477October 10, 2025
ENGINE
The car puffs smoke out the tail pipes which leads to needing a new engine installed due to a mid yoke by Volkswagen. This is a common problem amongst 2022 vw that I’ve researched and found
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691755October 6, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 22 Volkswagen Tiguan could very well be apart of the class action lawsuit that is happening right now with oil consumption issues my vehicle only has 45,000 miles and is consuming 1 quart of oil every 1200 miles started noticing oil loss back in July
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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