Volkswagen Tiguan Complaints

584 consumer complaints on file.

#11707791December 30, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
5 complaints about oil consumption, 3 check engine lights where had to pull over due to car not running properly. Vehicle putters upon acceleration. Replaced leak detection pump, intake and exhaust system stem seals, oil separator, auxiliary bracket and seal and EVAP sensor.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707077December 26, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Engine stumbles repeatedly, stutters and dies. No warning lamps. Car inspected twice by manufacture but no solution found. Continues to show same characteristics. Have to pull off the road to avoid danger to self and other autos.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707075December 26, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Complaint Type: Vehicle Safety / Potential Defect / Dealer Negligence Description of Complaint: I am reporting a serious safety issue resulting from negligent service performed by Kocourek Wausau Imports. After the dealership performed my 2024 Tiguan’s second oil change under warranty, strong fumes and white smoke entered the cabin multiple times, causing vomiting, severe headaches, and forcing me to leave work early. The dealership initially claimed the vehicle was safe to drive. Only after my insistence did they admit a mechanical issue involving the cam/valve area, stating a plug required replacement. The part was on backorder, and I was not warned of any risk. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the engine was completely out of oil, despite recent dealer service. A vehicle of this model and age should never lose its entire oil supply immediately after a service, creating a serious risk of engine failure, fire, and exposure to toxic fumes for the driver and passengers. This incident represents: -Grossly negligent maintenance -Returning a vehicle unsafe to operate -Exposure to harmful fumes inside the cabin -Potential permanent engine damage due to oil starvation Requested Action / Resolution: -Investigation into dealership practices and potential vehicle defects -Determination of whether this constitutes a safety-related defect -Notification of corrective action to prevent recurrence -Documentation that the vehicle is safe to operate before further use I am submitting this complaint to formally document the endangerment and unsafe condition, which may affect other vehicles serviced by this dealership. Contact Information: [XXX] : [XXX] // Email: [XXX] 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
#11706676December 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My fuel system level indicator does not work properly when the tank is below 1/2 full, and the check engine light comes on. It does not correctly deplete, instead leaving me with no gas when it shows it still has gas available. This has left me stranded in various locations as my car runs out of gas, but doesn't show me that until it is completely empty. Most recently, it was on a very busy road in the middle of traffic. The gas gauge went from 1/2 full to empty while I was driving. Upon taking it to the dealer, they said to replace the 1 sensor, which is a very small, simple piece, they have to replace the entire fuel system, which is over $5000 in repairs. My car is only 4 years old and only out of warranty by 6 months. Further research shows this is a common issue with the make and model of my car. Many seem to happen under warranty, but with the age my car is now, many of these warranties will expire, leaving owners to have to pay to fix this outrageous, costly repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706466December 22, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, SEATS
The engine started smoking at 11,000 and new valve seals were replaced in the head. The engine has started to smoke again at 16,800 mile and dealer said the next step would be to replace the head. Car has been to the dealer 6-7 times for electrical and engine problems. The SOS light comes on almost every morning. Driver seat memory does not work and dealer can't figure it out after 5-6 times, they have replaced about everything on the seat and it still doesn't work.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706013December 19, 2025
ENGINE
I am experiencing severe oil consumption and leakage with my 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The low oil level light began coming on weekly, and I have had to add oil nearly every week to keep the engine from running dry. Recently, I noticed oil leaking underneath the vehicle and immediately parked it. After parking, the vehicle began leaking oil excessively. The problem appears related to PCV system failure, which has caused multiple oil seals to rupture. After researching online, I found many other Tiguan owners reporting the same issues — including PCV valve failure, cracked oil pans, damaged valve seals, and crankshaft seal failures. My vehicle is no longer under the manufacturer’s warranty, and the dealership has not provided a fix. This defect presents a major safety concern because the engine can suddenly lose oil pressure or seize while driving, leading to sudden loss of power or control, which could cause an accident and potential injury. It appears Volkswagen has been aware of similar issues in other model years, but has not issued a recall or permanent repair for this problem. There is currently a class action lawsuit for the exact same issue for 2022 - 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan but doesn't currently include the 2021 Tiguan that I have. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate these widespread PCV and oil consumption failures in 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705953December 18, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's dad who was following behind the vehicle noticed oil splashing onto the front windshield of his vehicle. The contact's dad then noticed while the contact was driving uphill, oil was splashing out of the oil pan. In addition, the contact's dad noticed smoke coming out of the exhaust. The check engine and PCV warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact's dad noticed that the oil pan was completely empty. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked oil pan. The contact was informed that the oil pan, gasket, and filter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's dad noticed the oil splashing underneath the vehicle again. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact noticed that oil was spilling out onto the road. The oil pan was empty. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic contacted the dealer. The independent mechanic was informed that this was a known failure with the vehicle. The independent mechanic was informed that the failure was that the PCV valve had either failed or was clogged. The independent mechanic was informed that the failure normally occurred between 60,000-100,000 miles. The contact was informed that the failure might recur after the repair, however there was no recall for the failure. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705247December 16, 2025
ENGINE
The 2021 Tiguan, R-Line that I own now requires a new engine after roughly 70,000. The engine is no longer under warranty, According to the VW Dealership, this is what is wrong with the engine - Based on our observations and diagnostic review, we have determined that damage to the rotating assembly was caused by the presence of one or more metal objects entering the engine. This type of foreign-object intrusion can lead to significant internal impact, which is consistent with the damage we found during our assessment. Also, if you do a search on Reddit and other public forums, there are a lot of 2021 VW Tiguan's with similar issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704870December 13, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was at a complete stop at the red light, vehicle began shaking and shut down. Gears would not work therefore I was not able to put it in neutral to at least push out of the road. The vehicle then began cranking on and off on its own, without me pushing start/stop engine. This was completely unexpected as the truck is one week old, had a full tank of gas and it was especially dangerous to have shut down on a busy highway. Also when reversing the vehicle makes a weird click noise.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704851December 13, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
On [XXX], my 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line AWD (VIN: [XXX] ) was damaged in a deer collision, requiring replacement of the right headlight assembly (P/N 5NL941114D/E, adaptive IQ.Light matrix with turning signal). The part was ordered June 9, 2025, via New Motors VW (Erie, PA) but remains on national backorder with no ETA (dealer confirms not even "top 25" priority). The vehicle has been undrivable and unreleasable from Betts Brothers Collision (Titusville, PA) for 194 days (as of Dec 13, 2025). The shop refuses to release it without the OEM headlight for safety reasons—operating with one functional headlight + inoperable turning signal violates FMVSS 108 (S9.1: paired headlamps required for visibility; turning signals per S5.1.1). This creates an unreasonable crash risk (impaired night driving, rural area with no transit). VW Care (Case #[XXX]) refuses ETA, loaner (via Customer Mobility Program), or lease/insurance relief despite $10k+ hardship (6 months payments/insurance + lost use). PA BCP mediation (forwarded Nov 3) and CFPB #[XXX] pending—no resolution. Similar backorders reported nationwide (e.g., 4-6 month waits on forums/X). VW's systemic parts shortage effectively renders the vehicle a safety defect—demanding NHTSA investigation for trends/recall/service campaign. No crashes/injuries yet, but prolonged hold endangers if forced release. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704806December 12, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Went to work, drove home, went to take my daughter to her friends and noticed my windshield on the passenger side was cracked big time. Just from sitting in my driveway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703825December 8, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The wireless phone charger in my 2023 VW Tiguan does not function as intended and consistently fails to charge any phone, regardless of placement, brand, or case. The charging pad repeatedly disconnects, overheats the phone, or never initiates charging at all, making the feature completely unusable. This is a safety concern because it encourages drivers to handle their phones while driving after assuming the vehicle would keep the device charged.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703255December 5, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
“Brand-new 2026 VW Tiguan experienced sudden violent shaking, loss of power, and multiple warning lights within 24 hours of purchase. Dealer confirmed cylinder 1 misfire but could not identify root cause. VW insists vehicle is safe to operate despite no explanation for failure. Vehicle is being returned without root-cause diagnosis.”
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703224December 5, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
Driving long the interstate in South Carolina, all of a sudden there was a loud explosive sound and a crackling sound accompanied by the loud explosion. It startled me!! I gathered myself and put on hazard lights and got over on the far right lane to pull onto the shoulder of the highway. I thought that a tire or two had blown but was not the case. I got back into the car and started visually looking around to see where the crackling noise was still coming from. I looked up towards my Sunroof and discovered that a large hole in my Sunroof. Fortunately, my sunshade was closed and shield the debris/glass from spraying my face and body. I took the car to the V.W. dealership and explained the infraction to them. They diagnosed the problem and contacted me later that day to let me know that they were sending the request to V.W. corporate to get authorization to repair under warranty. The dealership did not detect any signs of rocks or debris causing the explosion. Corporate denied the dealerships request to repair under warranty. I filed the damaged Sunroof under my auto insurance. Im currently awaiting for the adjuster to inspect the damaged Sunroof that is at the dealership. I feel that Corporate dud not even consider the fact that this could have been an exploding Sunroof...and im sure that they have encountered this defect before. There are articles on-line of others who encountered this problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702136November 30, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
• March 26, 2025 – Backup Camera & Sensor Failure: While reversing my Tiguan in a parking lot on a rainy day, both the rearview camera and parking sensors failed simultaneously. The screen did not display the rear view, and the sensors did not activate. Although I checked my mirrors, the low-lying wall on the left was not visible, resulting in damage to the left side of the vehicle. • July 9, 2025 – Dealership Inspection: The vehicle was inspected at Volkswagen Bayside Service, where I was told no issues were found and that the camera and sensors were functioning properly. This assessment was conducted in controlled, non-real-world conditions, which I do not believe accurately replicate the environment in which the failure occurred. • Lack of Support from VW Customer Care: Reasons Volkswagen Should Cover the Repair Costs • Safety Feature Failure: The backup camera and parking sensors are critical safety systems required under FMVSS No. 111. These features are designed to work together as part of Volkswagen’s integrated Park Assist/Park Distance Control system. • Direct Causation: • Manufacturer Liability / Recall Acknowledgment: In April 2025, I received a notification from Volkswagen Customer Protection regarding “Compliance Recall 91NY – Camera Control Unit.” Warranty and Recall Coverage: I purchased the vehicle on July 26, 2023, and it remains under the 4-year/50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701990November 29, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In July, Chicagoland was very hot and my car stays in the garage. The piece that holds the sun roof control panel on the ceiling melted and came partially off. It’s been hanging since then since I was told it wasn’t ready to be fixed yet since there is no recall. I’ve been waiting but now my SOS feature is inoperable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699659November 16, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I’ve had my Volkswagen Tiguen since 2021 fresh off the lot. I have been the only owner of the car at about 30,000 miles my head gasket blew, causing the engine to go into default after weeks in the dealer. They replaced the head gasket and stitched it up, the head gasket blew again at this point I was still under warranty so they agreed to replace the engine. It drove fine after the engine was replaced this year 2025. I started to have a whole host of problems. It began to jerk and hesitate at acceleration. My engine light came on with continuous jerking upon acceleration for weeks until I started to lose power in my engine. I couldn’t go over 50 60 mph. I would always pull the car over power it off and power it back on just to see if it would change and it didn’t do much I had a local mechanic add oil to each tire also drain the engine, which had shards of metal in it. And basically stitch the car back together until we can figure out the bigger issues. It’s only been a day since the oil was added to each tire. I had a very violent jerk of the engine, which made it feel and sound like I blew a tire I got out to look at the tire and it was just fine. It was the backfire of the engine going into the exhaust that caused such the violent jerk. Happy that no one was on the road. If somebody was behind me it would’ve easily been an accident. Most of these dealerships know exactly what’s going on and have been avoiding the big conversation of what to do next they rather just replace and Band-Aid these things into the consumer just gives up. I have two small children and this is the only means of transportation. I’m fearful that I’ll be stuck with a car note for a car. I can’t drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699440November 14, 2025
ENGINE
Check engine light came on with excessive oil leaking from engine. Dealer inspected and diagnosed the PCV/Oil separator had failed, multiple valve stem seals had failed, and valve stem guides were worn causing excessive crankcase pressure. Dealer recommended cylinder head replacement. Vehicle has been at the dealer a month with the cylinder head on backorder and no timeline for resolution. Dealer indicated thousands of cylinder heads in the queue, with tens of units being distributed per month.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699413November 14, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The defect has occurred since the day the vehicle was leased. The entire multimedia and safety interface shuts down randomly while driving (screen goes black, GPS stops, rear camera and driver-assistance functions stop working). This happens in multiple areas across the city, not in a single location. The dealership initially blamed my internet or phone, delaying proper diagnosis. The first available service appointment was more than a month later, and the vehicle was first taken in on January 27, 2025. Since then, the vehicle has been in the shop more than five times across multiple dealerships, including over a month during the most recent repair attempt. I have also been required to visit the dealership more than 30 times for the same issue. Dealership technicians and the service manager stated that the vehicle is defective, that nothing else can be done, and that all repair attempts have failed. The manufacturer claims it is an “environmental connectivity issue” in one spot, which is not accurate. Multiple videos requested and submitted show the failure happening in different areas of the city. At the dealership’s request, I drove with a technician who recorded the failure again. Customer Care instructed me to return the loaner vehicle immediately and take back the defective vehicle, even though it is unsafe to operate. The Customer Care manager refused to speak with me and required an appointment several days later, but they still demanded that I return the loaner and pick up the unsafe vehicle now. When I requested written documentation acknowledging that the vehicle is unsafe, they refused to provide it. This is an unresolved, repeated safety defect that puts me at risk while driving. Please, I'll appreciate any help. Thank you in advance.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699394November 14, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The infotainment center freezes and spontaneously disconnects. At first, I though it was my phone and switched carriers. It was not. It also does not recognize my key is present and I have to pshycially lock and unlock it. Sometimes the doors won't open and it happens several times. It is unsafe when I am driving and the gps goes out and I have been distracted, missed turns and put myself and others in danger. Also, you can only get gas if the doors are unlocked. This is not safe becasuse someone could take your purse or child while you are pumping gas. The vehicle has been updated, keys replaced but nothing has helped the issue. There were no warning lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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