Volkswagen Tiguan Complaints

584 consumer complaints on file.

#11755640August 8, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Automated emergency braking triggering unsafely! Two separate occasions: 1) As I was driving about 40 MPH on a 4 lane street in Wyomissing, PA, the car slammed on the brakes. In the median to the left of the car ahead about 20-30 ft was a "your car is going XX MPH" sign. It was NOT in the road. If a car had been following me closely, this could have caused a serious accident. The road had a slight curve. The exact same thing happened the next day. I ended up avoided the road to prevent the braking issue. 2). I live on a busy city street. I have to reverse out of a tight garage and very slowly enter traffic. The chances of a car being 15 feet behind me are close to 90%. As I back slowly out, the car slams on the brakes and throws my head back, despite me going so slowly that the car behind me would be long gone by the time I actually got back that far. This happens to me DAILY. THIS IS A SAFETY issue for two reasons - 1) my head keeps getting slammed back, and 2) the car's sudden stop means in need to reset it into reverse - while cars are trying to go around me, and the backing up becomes erratic and a safety issue. I want automated reverse braking TURNED OFF. It it painful and triggers long before an actual accident would happen!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755378August 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The vehicle has experienced multiple intermittent electrical and safety-related malfunctions that have become more frequent over time. The most serious issue involves the Automatic Emergency Braking system activating unexpectedly while the vehicle is slowly reversing out of a residential driveway. The brakes suddenly apply with significant force even when there is no visible obstacle behind the vehicle. This causes the vehicle to stop abruptly, jerks all occupants forward, and creates a risk of being struck by other vehicles because the sudden stop is unexpected. The vehicle has also experienced an intermittent engine shutdown while stopped in traffic. While waiting at a stoplight or waiting for another vehicle to reverse, the engine will unexpectedly shut off and a message appears instructing the driver to place the vehicle in Park. This creates a safety hazard because the vehicle cannot continue moving until it is restarted. Additional intermittent electrical issues include the infotainment/navigation screen freezing or glitching, the air conditioning unexpectedly blowing warm or hot humid air instead of cold air, and the horn failing to operate properly. The horn will sometimes not sound at all or will be much quieter than normal, reducing the driver’s ability to warn other motorists or pedestrians in an emergency. These problems occur intermittently and without warning. There are no consistent warning lights prior to the failures other than the message instructing the driver to place the vehicle in Park when the engine shuts off. The unexpected braking, engine shutdown, and horn malfunction create significant safety concerns for the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. The cause of these issues is UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755265August 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the Collision Warning light and Auto emergency braking warning light illuminated. The messages "Front Assist not Available", and "Lane Assist System Not Available" were display on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause for the failure was not found. The contact stated that the failure codes were cleared. The manufacturer declined the repair, and the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred and an appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755246August 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
My name is [XXX], and I am writing today to express my complete frustration mentally and financially with a CPO 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan (VIN [XXX]) I purchased XXX. To date my vehicle has been in for service multiple times – countless times for an issue with the infotainment system and driver warning indicators that is still unresolved and again for months waiting on a new engine due to an oil consumption issue that was finally resolved November of 2025 (Case XXX). My recent service visit on XXX was due to a “12 v battery not charging” error message. The vehicle was immediately taken to VW of [XXX] where we were advised it would be 3 weeks before my vehicle would even be looked at (which is atrocious) and not to drive it because further damage would be caused with no alternative solution offered for transportation. I then had the vehicle towed to a repair shop where I was advised the alternator “fried a 400-amp fuse and killed the battery, which should not happen, especially on a vehicle that has less than 50,000 miles on the odometer.” I paid $1,605.37 for a new alternator, 400-amp fuse and battery. Completely appalling and disappointing considering I take excellent care of my vehicle and it is supposedly an inspected, certified pre-owned vehicle – that’s a lemon in my opinion! I am seeking reimbursement for this huge expense for a vehicle that should not have these issues! I look forward to a resolve to this urgent complaint. Regards, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755056August 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The vehicle logged code P0491 due to a clogged cylinder head internal port at 28,000 miles (26,000 at the time vehicle was inspected.) Volkswagen's official repair protocol requires a complete engine cylinder head replacement. The vehicle's onboard computer has disabled the factory-installed remote start system as a result of this engine fault.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755040August 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The infotainment MIB3 system failed. Infotainment screen is completely black and non functional. This has put my family at risk because I can’t see my backup camera and have very limited visibility through rear view mirror when backing up. I also lost safety features such as rear cross traffic warning, rear auto braking, ability to see pedestrians or vehicles when backing up, and the emergency cell call system. My car also no longer can access navigation or CarPlay which makes navigation dangerous on my small phone. Failure of MIB3 infotainment brain was confirmed by VW dealer. Car is under factory warranty but part is backordered with no ETA so I’m forced to drive an unsafe car. Was denied a loaner vehicle. This failure happened 1 day after overhead console spontaneously broke and fell down from headliner. Error lights now persist on the dashboard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754156August 1, 2026
ENGINE
My Tiguan leaks and burns oil like crazy. Now it has 111k miles on it, but this has been an ongoing issue for the last five years since I've had it. I now have to put a quart of oil in every 100 miles. This is not the fault of me getting an oil change, this is a persistent problem caused by the manufacturing of the car. I have had the engine nearly seize up while driving on the freeway due to low oil from this issue. Please investigate and fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753951July 31, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The overhead console suddenly dropped into the passenger compartment, making the vehicle dangerous to drive: the rear view mirror view was completely blocked and the now swinging console can hit the driver's face while driving. To avoid being hit, the driver has to hold the console up with one hand while driving with only one hand. The cause appears to be the failure of multiple plastic clips holding the overhead console in place. While this appears to be a known issue with VW, they have not recalled all of the affected vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753904July 31, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Travel Assist Not Available warning chime several times while driving. This has been back to the dealer 3 or more times, steering wheel replaced, software updates and still this along with screen blackouts, steering wheel heater coming on without prompting, audio failure, backup camera not always functioning. It is very distracting to all drivers with constant chimes and warning lights flashing across all screens.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753497July 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
This car has several issues and I could only select a few. Electrical: the infotainment system disconnects from Wireless car play at random when you drive the vehicle. It then returns a Wifi error on screen and you cannot use car play any longer on both android and iOS. Additionally, the electronic system will reboot when the car is in use. In my case, it always happens on the freeway when driving 75 MPH. The entire car dash is electronic, no buttons. So when this happens, you lose all safety features, have no idea what speed your driving, can't use the radio, navigation, air conditioning, etc. Most importantly, this is a deadly error WV knew about but sold the car anyways. The dealer and WV North America says this is a problem between the infotainment system manufacture and T-Mobile cell towers. There is no fix for it. So what are consumers to do? I paid cash for a product, the product does not work, the manufactuer cannot fix it. Normally when this happens the company either 1) fixes the problem for free or B) lets you return the product. VW says I can't do either. Backup Cam - the camera is cheap, blurry and picks up nonexistent items and slams on the breaks everytime I back down my driveway. Not a human, animal or event a tree limb blowing in the wind. However, when a car is behind you, the backup cam will let you back into the car. Again, this is a "Software" issue and the dealer cannot fix it. Forward collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assistance only work intermittently. I'd say about 30% of the time I drive the car, it just dings at me while my dashboard lights up and says all these features failed. VW has no record of it in the cars "error log" so I had to set up a camera in my car to prove them wrong. Once they saw it, they said they don't know a fix. Maybe they can swap out the infotainment system / software, but that requires several layers of approval first.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753402July 29, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Dash light came. I took VW to Dothan ,Al Dealer and service stated it was fuel sensor faulty and had to order one. Meanwhile I was driving 70 mph in heavy traffic and vehicle lost power having barely avoided sccident. Took vehicle in and had sensor replaced and when I went back to pick up VW it was dead and had to be put back in . This was 3 rd trip to dealer in 2 weeks. garage. No loaner was offered approved . This vehicle is dangerous to drive
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753051July 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electrical screen fail. Makes backup camera turn black and turns off while using. off and on repeatedly while in use. Very dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752706July 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
WHO WAS INVOLVED: Driver/owner of a 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL-R Line Turbo WHAT HAPPENED: While reversing into a parking spot, the vehicle stopped unexpectedly with no obstruction present. Driver held the brake and shifted to Drive; the vehicle stopped again, then shifted itself into Park and engaged the electronic parking brake without driver input. Driver had to shift to Drive again to get the vehicle moving. On the next attempt, reverse and forward motion worked normally and the vehicle was parked successfully. WHEN THIS OCCURRED: July 24, 2026, approximately 3:40 PM WHERE: A parking lot with mostly empty parking; empty spaces on both sides of the target spot (there was a truck two spots over but otherwise no vehicles present), clear/unobstructed view of all parking lines, no cross-traffic, pedestrians, or objects present WHY (SUSPECTED CAUSE): Unknown. No obstruction, object, or hazard was present that should have triggered automatic braking or a park/e-brake engagement. Suspected false positive from Park Assist / parking sensors or a parking-brake logic fault, consistent with reports from other VW owners of similar phantom-stop and self-shift-to-Park incidents. All sensors were free of any debris. HOW RESOLVED: Condition cleared on its own after shifting to Drive a second time; vehicle was then able to be reversed and parked normally with no further incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752371July 23, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My vehicle is experiencing a severe safety hazard where the emergency braking system suddenly slams on the brakes while driving in traffic, pulling into traffic, or backing up. When this happens, the car unexpectedly shuts off, and no warning lights or error messages appear on the dashboard. This has almost caused an accident multiple times, making the vehicle incredibly dangerous to drive. I previously took it to the dealership, but they told me they could not find an issue and advised me to continue driving it while documenting the dates and times it happens on paper. However, I refuse to continue driving this vehicle and put my children's lives at risk just to collect data.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752172July 22, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
[XXX], XXX Volkswagen America Volkswagen Customer CARE 3800 Hamlin Road Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2829 Reference: VW Tiguan 2026. Dashboard reflection on both lateral mirrors creates a Hazardous Visual Obstruction. Dear all, I’m a loyal client with my second lease with Volkswagen. Few weeks ago, me and my wife leased two Tiguan SE R Line Black 2026, the vehicles are great, however there is manufacture or design issue that I would like to share with you, since this issue could end in a fatal accident. The silver or chrome dashboard is reflected to the side mirrors (pictures attached), creating an obstruction to see the vehicles behind by the time to turn left or right. Dashboard reflections often caused by sunlight or bright streetlights can blind drivers, can create a hazardous visual illusion or hazy obstruction significantly increasing the risk of an accident. We do not feel safe at all with this condition, and it bothers a lot since the reflects not only blind sight when trying to see vehicles behind, but definitely this is something Volkswagen should solve, not only for us but all drivers using this vehicle, just to prevent an accident. (see the pictures below). Please let us know what options we have here. Thks and best regards INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751371July 19, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
We have had the steering wheel replaced twice in this vehicle since purchasing it brand new. This is not the 3rd steering wheel in the truck. From what we can tell this is extremely common with this VW. There is an issue with the wheel ring that causes the circuitry to "freak" out and cause the lane assist system/warning to come on/off repeatedly on the dash. It happens when you turn the wheel and flashes on the screen/auditable alerts multiple times. It is unsafe to drive as the warning happens for no rhyme or reason. Causing malfunction to the lane assist feature and is extremely distracting for the driver. Yes, the dealer has been able to replicate the issue. They have successfully replaced the steering wheel twice no (under warranty) There were no warnings prior to the issue happening. At which point the waring lights and audible alerts starting happening. This is clearly a recall issue for VW. Our concern is we are now on the 3rd steering wheel in a vehicle we bought brand new and it is now out of warranty. After the first wheel replacement there were no issues for approx. 1 year, then it happened again. There is a part that is degrading within the wheel and causing this to happen.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750999July 17, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stopped. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The message “Service Now” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with fuel pressure sensor and fuel system sensor failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and a grievance was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 7,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750870July 16, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My car has 842 miles on it. There have been multiple occasions where it breaks on its own. When I am backing out of my driveway, there is a neighbors tree that is close to the driveway and a small branch causes. The emergency brake to go on in your head to slam into the back of the seat. When making a left hand turn on a 4 lane road with nothing in the road it has break causing you to fly forward. I’ve only had the car for a few months and multiple times it has done this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750842July 16, 2026
ENGINE
XXX my Tiguan was serviced at Byers VW and received the recommended 80k maintenance. During this recommended service my vehicle passed the multi-point inspection except tires and brakes. On XXX I contacted your service department because as I was driving to [XXX] my check oil level came on. An appointment was scheduled for Tuesday. After the inspection was completed Tuesday it was determined that the value seal needed to be replaced which was already completed 25k miles prior therefore a request to replace the cylinder head would be sent to my warranty company which is through VW Drive Easy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750506July 15, 2026
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption. Check Oil Level light comes on repeatedly between oil changes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealer has now looked at the issue 2x. Potential safety issue should the engine be affected while driving. The problem has not been reproduced by the dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer 2x. 1st issue appeared at approx. 33k miles and again at about 35k miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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