2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

2 recalls, 147 complaints - 880 TSBs - 4/5 safety rating

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.

Consequence

Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.

27,822 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibration... Read more

Consequence

If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.

5,658 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Complaint Statistics

147 total complaints 9 crashes 3 fires 4 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
AIR BAGS	30
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	25
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	20
ENGINE	14
STEERING	7
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE	6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	5
STRUCTURE:BODY	4
SERVICE BRAKES	4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	4

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

* Purchase Date: January 23, 2016 * Current Mileage: Approximately 71,500 miles For the past several months, my vehicle has experienced continuous engine oil loss. The oil level drops approximately one gallon every two months, and the engine oil warning light has illuminated on multiple occasions. B... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

[Symptom & Safety Hazard] While driving my 2020 GMC Acadia 3.6L V6, the Driver Information Center displayed the warning: "Steering Assist Reduced, Drive With Care" (SARDWC). Steering effort increased abruptly, the engine temperature gauge dropped to cold/zero, and the HVAC system lost air-conditioni... Read more

Incident date: Jan 6, 2026

Third-Row Noise: A popping noise is often heard when the third-row seats are folded down.

Incident date: Sep 28, 2023

Car is displaying a “Steering assist is reduced drive with caution” engine light is on and fan continues to run for 5-8 minutes after car is turned off. Was told by a mechanic it is a P0128 code, coolant thermostat. This is the third time it has happened in the last year. Other two times the c... Read more

Incident date: Sep 28, 2023

Transmission has been clunking/shifting hard and occasionally slipping out of gear. Recently it slipped out of gear while turning through a busy intersection. My truck lost acceleration momentarily which could have caused the vehicle behind me to rear-end me or crossing traffic to hit me. Apparen... Read more

Incident date: Sep 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V785000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 18, 2025

Car stopped in mid drive and warning light came on telling me to pull car over to side of road and restart.

Incident date: Jan 21, 2025

Oct 10, 2025, I received an OTA update on my Jeep Wrangler. After the installation, I left my child's school on the way to dinner. Maybe a half mile into the drive, I received numerous warnings on the display screen and quickly after that, the vehicle lost all power. Hybrid system unavailable as wel... Read more

Incident date: Jan 21, 2025

This is related to the repairs, not from an incident. Land Rover does not have a fix for the defective part, they are replacing with a new, yet old design part. Ok, but they are requiring the owners to pay for the parts and labor to replace until such a time that a newly designed part is available... Read more

Incident date: Sep 23, 2025

Hi. I’d like to point out I have not had an incident YET thankfully. However, I want to highlight that the early M340i production releases (2019 and 2020) are HIGHLY likely to experience catastrophic engine failure due to an oil pump being made of plastic on some models. Of the 20 or so complaints... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2025

Approaching sliding exit gate slowly at 2 mile per hour the Honda suddenly accelerated and crashed into sliding gate. Damaged the gate and the right side of the Honda. Honda was placed in neutral and the engine was turned off. Next day the Honda was transported to the body shop for repairs. Transpor... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 19, 2025

Crash

Incident date: Jul 19, 2025

I would like to bring your attention to an issue I recently had experienced concerning my 2018 Subaru Forester that I had purchased new in June of 2018, and to date has only 48,518 miles. A steering rattle sound/vibration had developed while driving at normal speeds on paved roadways. I made an app... Read more

Incident date: Jul 9, 2025

I was traveling on the interstate with no problems, then my vehicle lost power and I smelled smoke. I pulled into a gas station to see what the problem was. It appeared the starter had went out. I got it towed to a mechanic shop and it was determined another engine is needed. There is a recall on th... Read more

Incident date: Jan 30, 2025

My 2019 Honda Odyssey’s power liftgate control model failed due to water intrusion. My liftgate started to open and close while I was driving, would close on me while loading/unloading the trunk, and would also open while parked in parking lots nearly hitting passing vehicles. It is truly a huge s... Read more

Incident date: Dec 2, 2024

This is an online complaint because the manufacturer has failed to remedy the safety recall for the Occupant Classification System (OCS) in a timely manner. The recall was announced in December 2023 and they still don’t have a remedy - this is unacceptable because in a crash, the airbag may not de... Read more

Incident date: Dec 2, 2024

Headlights produce a distracting shadow. It looks like something is crossing the road in front of you. In addition, as a driver, it focuses your attention on the shadow instead of the road. It's a common complaint online and definitely a real safety concern for motorists.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

My family has two Dodge journeys both 2017s. The catalytic converter code keeps popping on our cars. Other years of Dodge journeys and other Dodge vehicles have had recalls for those but not ours. Seems suspect to me that we would have two Dodge journeys that are popping for the same codes, and this... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

My wife and I each have a 2017 Dodge journey. Both of our vehicles have now shown codes for catalytic converter issues. Previous years of Dodge journeys have been recalled for similar issues, but not ours at least not yet. I don't think it's right that we should have to repair on two cars the exac... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Oct 14, 2024

My Tesla still has the phantom braking problem. It is repeatable and consistent. I can tell when it will occur on a route that I drive regularly. Day or night does not seem to alter the occurrence. There is no indication on the touch screen when this occurs. Traffic volume does not matter. It always... Read more

Incident date: Oct 14, 2024

Car starting giving an error that the “Front right side parking light is defective”.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED 2020 JEEP COMPASS 2 OCTOBER 2024. LOTS OF WATER IN PASSENGER SIDE REAR REVERSE LIGHT ASSEMBLY, PART NUMBER 68517558AA. IT DOES NOT EVAPORATE OR DISAPPEAR, THE WATER IS ALWAYS INSIDE THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER 68517558AA.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

Transmission is very erratic to shift, especially when cold. Sometime, when pressing the accelerator, the car hesitates before moving forward. This can be dangerous at intersections with oncoming traffic. The transmission was inspected by a Chevy dealer right after the car was purchased (09/2017) a... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

Passenger Seat Belt Malfunction indicator on stating the system has a malfunction. Passenger safety systems are reduced in the stated malfunction. It has not been inspected by the dealer or service center. There were no known issues prior to the vehicle indicator stating the system malfunctioned.

Incident date: Jul 4, 2024

We purchased our vehicle new September 2023 from a Toyota dealership. Engine oil dipstick Toyota part 15301-50140 was installed in vehicle and was verified by 50140 stamped on dipstick. I wanted an extra oil dipstick so ordered a replacement through Toyota. The original dipstick part 15301-50140... Read more

Incident date: Jan 10, 2024

Car has been sent to the shop twice for the axles / half shafts and also two times for the front drive unit

Incident date: Jan 10, 2024

The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the rear driveway, he noticed a reflection of flames, and then he noticed that the hood of the vehicle had caught on fire. The contact stated that the fire extended to the front headliner and f... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jan 1, 2022

The recall for my RAV4 was for the battery, and it may cause a fire. The safety of my family members and other families was affected by this fire. We are all displaced. My mom parked our car under our apartment, and 15 minutes later, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The battery was replaced i... Read more

Fire 1 injured

Incident date: Jan 1, 2022

Subject: Concerns Over NHTSA-Forced Changes to Tesla Model 3 Autopilot I am a Tesla Model 3 owner writing to express concerns about recent autopilot updates, seemingly implemented following NHTSA directives. These updates have significantly altered the system's operation, leading to potential safet... Read more

Incident date: Sep 29, 2023

I own a Mazda that I purchased new in 2018. I have kept up with the maintenance to a “T”. I have never abused it. About a month ago I started smelling a strange smell. Like smoke or burnt oil. A couple of weeks later, the engine oil level light came on and the engine was low on oil and that’... Read more

Incident date: Sep 29, 2023

The audio from the stereo will cut out for all services, FM, Sirius XM, Apple CarPlay , phone. It’s happened twice within two weeks. Once I reset the stereo in safe mode., it works again.

Incident date: Sep 29, 2023

This past Sunday evening, I drove to the convenience store 4 blocks away. As I returned, I noticed a crack in the windshield starting in the middle from the left edge and was about 12 inches long. No gravel marks were found, it had cracked for no apparent reason. Sitting the next night in the garage... Read more

Incident date: May 17, 2023

Upon further inspection a bushing was needed to be replaced. The bushing that holds the shift connection component together disconnected and popped off the shifting mechanism. The problem was reproduced several times. My safety was at risk, I was pulling into a parking space, put my vehicle in park,... Read more

Incident date: Jul 16, 2023

The 2 airbags on the driver and passenger side exploded around 7 AM 7-14-23 driving South on San Andreas causing the car to drive into a Street pole and dislodge the right front wheel and cause likely irreperable damge to my 2018 Honda Accord. I was shaken up aandmy right arm has burn marks from th... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: May 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the air bag cover on the steering wheel was cracked. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the cover was replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was n... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 2023

Let's start with my vehicle was first in the shop back in February for a failed brake line. Some how it failed. Then my thermoset unit failed. Not sure why on that either. Then they noticed some other issues were fixed. I got my vehicle back. A few days later my vehicle was back in the shop because ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 10, 2022

There is a fleetwide problem with the DEF system in these vehicles that is well known to the manufacturer yet they have failed to address it. The system frequently produces a DEF error which causes the vehicle to go into a shutdown mode, which can leave the occupant stranded in a dangerous situation... Read more

Incident date: Jan 31, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving at a slower speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent me... Read more

Incident date: Nov 17, 2022

I had a coolant leak and needed to replace the water pump. My control arms were corroded out at 67k miles and needed to be replaced.

Incident date: Nov 17, 2022

I had a coolant leak and needed to replace the water pump. My control arms were corroded out at 67k miles and needed to be replaced.

Incident date: Nov 7, 2022

The clock spring part of the steering wheel has failed rendering all steering wheel controls and most importantly the air bag inoperable. This is a major safety hazard for the driver and ultimately passengers as well. This part has been a well known problem with this vehicle and has been covered un... Read more

Incident date: Nov 7, 2022

Incident date: Oct 13, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while his wife was reversing, the vehicle emitted abnormal clicking sounds with the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was d... Read more

Incident date: Sep 16, 2022

Front portion of panoramic sunroof shattered-sounded like an explosion. Had the fabric sunscreen not been in place, vehicle occupants would have been severely cut by glass shards. The vehicle has not been inspected by dealer, repair facility, law enforcement or insurance. This happened in a rural... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2022

The clockspring has failed, and all electronics in the steering column do not work, including the horn (as well as cruise control, radio volume, channel, etc). It is also believed the air bag(s) will not deploy in a crash. The clockspring failure has been verified by the local VW dealership. The p... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2022

Incident date: Jun 1, 2022

The clockspring failed at under 62,000 miles. Air bag light came on, steering controls stopped working, and horn stopped working. Lots of other VWs have had clockspring issues--wondering why this is not included yet?

Incident date: Jun 1, 2022

Incident date: Jul 15, 2022

Unknown. Airbag sign went on, Clock does not work, seems like electrical problem.

Showing 50 of 147 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

2016 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV AWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash	3 / 5 ★★★☆☆
Frontal Crash, Driver	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Passenger	3 / 5 ★★★☆☆
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	18.5%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	No
Lane Departure Warning	No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

EPA Fuel Economy, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Trim / Engine	City MPG	Highway MPG	Combined MPG	Fuel Type	Annual Fuel Cost
2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6) (Front-Wheel Drive)	21.0	26.0	23.0	Premium	$3,300

CO2 Emissions: 393.0 g/mile (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Actual fuel economy may vary based on driving conditions.

Technical Service Bulletins, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

880 manufacturer communications from 510 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
350000 EQUIPMENT	118
355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL	110
060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	77
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	62
060000 ENGINE (PWS)	46
118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE	39
353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL	33
356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	30

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VW Engine oil quality standards

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

VW Engine oil quality standards

060000 ENGINE (PWS)

VW Engine oil quality standards

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VW Engine oil quality standards

138410 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:COMPRESSOR:CLUTCH

A/C Compressor leak diagnosis

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

A/C Compressor leak diagnosis

118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Addressing Cybersecurity or Vehicle Hack concerns

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

VW Engine oil quality standards

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VW Engine oil quality standards

138000 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

Reporting procedure for A/C compressor replacement regardless of the reason for failure. Update to model year applicability and new warranty GFF labor operation number

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

3G Sunset Update

060000 ENGINE (PWS)

VW Engine oil quality standards

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

VW Engine oil quality standards

353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Battery Testing and Charging Using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000VAS Charger. Update Tool terminology

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Safety Related Inquiry and Reporting

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Helpline & Parts Dept. contact information.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Diagnostic assistance for excessive static current draw

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

111000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Battery Testing and Charging using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000 Vas Charger

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery Testing and Charging using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000 Vas Charger

118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Software Version Management (SVM) instruction.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Correct engine oil level during Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI)

103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Automatic Transmission Fluid Requirements

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards, updated to include model year 2024.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards, updated to include model year 2024.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Engine Oil Consumption Measurement Instruction and Work sheet.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Consumption Measurement Instruction and Work sheet.

061100 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

Gasoline quality information in regards to gasoline engine performance.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Gasoline quality information in regards to gasoline engine performance.

070000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Gasoline fuel additive

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Diagnostic Aid for engine misfire.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Noise Diagnostic for Manual Transmission vehicles.

102000 POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Noise Diagnostic for Manual Transmission vehicles.

118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

This communication is a notice for software changes with the ODIS program for specific cars

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This communication is a notice for software changes with the ODIS program for specific cars

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

062000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Introduce new engine coolant compatible with all models and all model years.

355100 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Battery adaptation procedure when battery label is missing.

111000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Battery adaptation procedure when battery label is missing.

010000 STEERING

This Document was revised. The model year chat was removed for VWP-18-11 for the Steering Wheel Clock Spring Limited Warranty Extension

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Volkswagen Engine Oil Quality Standards

112000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

Generator Replacement

160000 STRUCTURE

Strut or Shock leak assessment.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This Document informs dealers on VWP-23-01

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments (excludes Routan & ID.4).

150000 SEAT BELTS

VW contact when reporting a Airbag or Pyrotechnic safety belt deployment. Update to model year applicability.

140000 AIR BAGS

VW contact when reporting a Airbag or Pyrotechnic safety belt deployment. Update to model year applicability.

353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Radio knob replacement instead of radio replacement w/ knob part number.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments (excludes Routan & ID.4).

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments (excludes Routan & ID.4).

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Update model year applicability to include 2023.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability.

263000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

ACC Calibration Process

357100 EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

A/C requirements, update to model year applicability.

138000 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

A/C requirements, update to model year applicability.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Instruction for set-up of SD creator to obtain Software updates. Bulletin updated to include additional certificate information.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments (excludes Routan & ID.4).

280100 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Instruction for set-up of SD creator to obtain Software updates. Bulletin updated to include additional model year applicability.

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil ) excluding Routan & ID.4attachments. (excludes Routan & ID.4)

353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Battery adaptation when battery labels are missing. Update to model year applicability.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Update warranty table labor operation numbers due to recent Saga updates.

160000 STRUCTURE

update to required vehicle wash shampoo.

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments. (excludes Routan & ID.4)

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Update warranty table labor operation numbers due to recent Saga updates.

102000 POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Manual transmission noise diagnostic assistance

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Minimum battery charger requirements during software updates

138000 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

Additional instruction before replacing A/C compressor. Updated to include additional model and model year applicability.

350000 EQUIPMENT

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments. (excludes Routan & ID.4)

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include the latest Engine Oil attachments. (excludes Routan & ID.4)

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine Oil Quality Standards updated to include model year 2023 and the latest Engine Oil attachments. (excludes Routan & ID.4)

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine oil consumption measurement.

061100 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

Gasoline quality check. Update to model and model year applicability.

070000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Gasoline quality check. Update to model and model year applicability.

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Gasoline quality check. Update to model and model year applicability.

030000 BRAKES (PWS)

Brake Rotor, Vibration / Pulsation. Addition of mandatory brake form and reference to Volkswagen Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual.

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Software Version Management (SVM) instruction. Update to require 70amp minimum battery charger during procedure.

119111 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE

Software Version Management (SVM) instruction. Update to require 70amp minimum battery charger during procedure.

350000 EQUIPMENT

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06. Revised to reflect the Vehicle Eligibility

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06. Revised to reflect the Vehicle Eligibility

350000 EQUIPMENT

This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine misfire diagnostic aid.

070000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Gasoline quality.

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VW engine oil specifications. Update to model year applicability.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

VW engine oil specifications. Update to model year applicability.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Recommended fuel additive to avoid engine misfires.

100000 POWER TRAIN

Auto Trans fluid requirements.

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Checking engine oil during PDI.

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Checking engine oil during PDI.

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06

350000 EQUIPMENT

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06

350000 EQUIPMENT

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This Document informs dealers on VWP-22-06

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Refrigerant leak diagnosis using Nitrogen. Updated to include ID.4

119100 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Battery Testing and Charging using VAS6161 and or GRX3000VAS

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Battery Testing and Charging using VAS6161 and or GRX3000VAS

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VW engine oil specifications. Update to attachments.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

VW engine oil specifications. Update to attachments.

Showing 100 of 880 bulletins.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2018

Seat Belt Webbing Failure

In December 2017, NHTSA conducted two (2) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests on the Model Year (MY) 2018 Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan. Both tests were 35mph full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-... belted in the right front passenger position. The tests were conducted on December 8, 2017, at MGA Research Corp. (MGA) in Wisconsin and December 13, 2017, at the Transportation Research Center (TRC) of Ohio.During both crash tests, the driver seat belt webbing completely separated at the point where the webbing loops through the Crash Locking Tongue (CLT). In both NCAP tests, the dummy injury criteria requirements, as set forth in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208, were met with one exception. The chest deceleration G force requirement was exceeded in the test conducted at TRC. The FMVSS 208 injury criteria requirement for the chest deceleration is 60 Gs and it was measured at 67 Gs in the test conducted at TRC. It should be noted, FMVSS 208 does not include a requirement that the seat belt webbing remain intact during a frontal collision to comply with the standard. Compliance with the standard is based on the dummy injury criteria.Further, the Agency has conducted NCAP testing with no substantial protocol changes for over forty (40) years. This includes tests conducted prior and subsequent to the subject NCAP tests. During that time there has not been a similar failure of the seat belt webbing in any other NCAP tested vehicle manufactured by VW or another manufacturer.In November 2020, VW filed a defect notice (20V-724/69BH) that recalled seat belt systems, both driver, and front passenger, that were manufactured with webbing from the same lot as the two NCAP tested MY2018 Tiguan vehicles. VW has tested and inspected several of the returned seat belt systems and found no anomalies in either the webbing or the CLT that would substantially affect system performance in a frontal collision.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) estimates that between 2000 and 3500 frontal collisions involving MY2018 VW Tiguan vehicles have occurred in the field during the time these vehicles have been in service. This estimate is based on vehicle population and an estimated yearly rate of severe frontal collisions.A severe frontal collision is defined, in this instance, as being of sufficient severity to warrant a commanded deployment of the frontal air bags. These collisions would place a significant load on the seat belt system similar to loads experienced during the NCAP tests. To date, neither ODI nor VW is aware of any frontal collision in the field that resulted in separation of the seat belt webbing. ODI believes that had any field collisions involved separation of the seat belt webbing, the Agency would have been notified.In view of the recall being conducted by VW, and lack of field data demonstrating a system defect, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis (EA). The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2018

Seat Belt Webbing Failure

In December 2017, NHTSA conducted two New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests on the 2018 MY Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan. Both tests were 35 mph, full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-belted in the r... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2009

Partial Loss of Exterior Lights

Volkswagen Group of America (VW) is conducting a safety recall of approximately 62,155 model year (MY) 2009-2011 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles to address a partial loss of the exterior lighting (see NHTSA recall 13V-569 for more information).These vehicles' exterior lighting system is protected by two ... separate fuses contained in a fuse box located in the engine compartment.According to VW, high thermal cycling and soft-coated fuse coating material used at the F16 (also referred to as SB16) location causes movement between the fuse blade and socket, resulting in abrasions on the fuse coating material.This increases resistance and results in overheating of the fuse and disruption of electrical current flow to roughly half of the vehicle's exterior lighting circuits. Examples include loss of one of each of the following: low beam headlight, high beam headlight, brake light, and turn signal light involving the front and rear of the vehicle.VW has stated that the subject F16 fuse in the Tiguan model was used in several other Volkswagen models.According to VW, the temperature of the vehicle's engine and the fuse box varies by vehicle model.ODI found that the complaint and warranty rates for the MY 2009-2010 Tiguan are more than four times greater than that of MY 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta sedans.ODI is aware of VW's plan to take a service action of some, but not all, of the other vehicle models.The action will cover MY 2009-2010 Jetta sedan and MY 2009 GTI vehicles.ODI will monitor complaints to NHTSA on all other Volkswagen models equipped with the same subject fuse and take further action if warranted.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10362206, 10471503, 10490408, 10501271, 10504495, 10508638, 10512642, 10520573, 10521147, 10522909, 10523748, 10526032, 10534679, 10538004, 10538410, 10543629, 10544805, 10545540, 10547334, 10547530, 10547775, 10549584, 10550140, 10550903, 10551486, 10551503, 10551538, 10551776, 10551816, 10551848, 10551853, 10552153, 10552322, 10552740, 10552811, 10552866, 10553122, 10553299, 10554352, 10554441, 10554443, 10554730, 10554890, 10555047, 10555080, 10555527, 10555540, 10555988, 10556475, 10558014, 10559441, 10559447, 10561642, 10562693.Read more

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN across all model years (2009, 2025).

63 Total Recalls

3,454 Total Complaints

3 Investigations

135 Reported Crashes

39 Reported Fires

2 Reported Deaths

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	0	48	View
2025	2	80	View
2024	2	91	View
2023	1	89	View
2022	5	450	View
2021	5	183	View
2020	3	209	View
2019	5	288	View
2018	13	448	View
2017	4	101	View
2016 (current)	2	147
2015	4	106	View
2014	3	130	View
2013	3	227	View
2012	3	214	View
2011	3	238	View
2010	2	158	View
2009	3	247	View

Other VOLKSWAGEN Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
JETTA	249	14,075	View
GOLF	190	2,084	View
PASSAT	185	10,492	View
BEETLE	157	3,629	View
GTI	116	1,926	View
ID.4	115	1,606	View
ATLAS	101	2,700	View
ATLAS CROSS SPORT	73	701	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Safety Technology

EPA Fuel Economy, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Technical Service Bulletins, 2016 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Most Affected Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations, VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN - All Years Overview

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN - Year by Year

Other VOLKSWAGEN Models