2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 167 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 4 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 3 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasolineJul 21, 2014
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.
A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.
Campaign 14V441000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiring, fuses and circuit breakersNov 22, 2013
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's exterior lights circuit may melt.
If the holder melts, there may be a partial loss of exterior lighting. Reduced vehicle illumination diminishes the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall number is 97Z9/2V.
Campaign 13V569000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine coolingMay 28, 2008
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 4,079 MY 2008 PASSAT AND 2,500 MY 2009 TIGUAN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0T FSI ULEV II ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) CONTAINING SOFTWARE THAT MAY NOT PROPERLY CONTROL ENGINE IDLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING TURNED ON. IN RARE CASES, THE ECM MAY UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASE ENGINE RPM.
AN ENGINE SURGE CAUSED BY AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM MAY SURPRISE THE VEHICLE OPERATOR AND CAN RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND UPDATE THE ECM SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 30, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-893-5298.
Campaign 08V235000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
88 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Jan 24, 2014
I HAD JUST STARTED GOING UP THE HILL I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR. IT STARTED SHAKING AND DID NOT WANT TO GO ANY FASTER. IN THE MEAN WHILE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING. AFTER THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AS LONG I DID NOT ACCELERATED IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT ONE OF THE COIL WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND CAUSING LACK OF POWER. I HAD JUST PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER 5 DAYS AGO BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY RECALL ABOUT THE FUSE AND THE FUSE PANEL. THEY CHANGED THE FUSE AND THE FUSE PANEL AND GAVE ME A PAPER WORK SAYING THAT MY CAR CHECKED OUT GOOD. AND THIS HAPPENS! I GOT DONE THE 60K CHECK UP 5 MONTHS AGO AND 3 WEEKS AFTER THAT THE AUXILIARY FAN GOT BROKEN. I BOUGHT THE CAR 9 MONTHS AGO AND I HAVE ALREADY SPENT OVER A THOUSAND DOLLAR ON IT. I AM REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH VW TIGUAN! *TR
Engine, Dec 17, 2013
TODAY IS THE 17TH OF DECEMBER AND FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 4 MONTHS THE COOLANT LIGHT HAS GONE OFF IN THE CAR. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS TOWARDS THE END OF AUGUST (I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A FEW WEEKS EARLIER). WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE PROBLEM WAS THE WATER PUMP WENT BAD. AFTER THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS STILL COVER UNDER WARRANTY THEY REPLACED IT. TODAY THE COOLANT LIGHT WENT OFF AGAIN, SAME ISSUE HAS BEFORE. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR FAX THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, THIS IS THE 5TH WATER PUMP REPLACED IN THE CAR IN 2 YEARS. TODAY CALLING THE DEALERSHIP, THE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THERE ARE QUITE FEW TIGUANS THAT HAVE COME IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE THE LAST FEW WEEKS. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEMATIC ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY VOLKSWAGEN. THE WARRANTY FOR THE PART ONLY COVERS A YEAR AND 12000 MILES. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 8, 2013
DRIVING ON THE HWY ,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND EPC LIGHT ,ENGINE STARTS TO RUN VERY ROUGH,TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ,THEY SAID IT IS A COIL,REPLACED IT,A WEEK LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE HWY DOING 70 WITH FAMILY ,TOOK IT TO THE DEALER,THEY SAID ALL THE OTHER 3 COILS WENT BAD AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!! I AM REALLY AFRAID TO TAKE THIS CAR FOR A LONG TRIP ,THE OTHER ISSUE : THE FUSE MELTED CAUSING THE LICENSE BRAKE LIGHT HARNESS AND TRUNK OPENING TO FAIL TWICE . *TR
Engine, Jul 11, 2013
TAKING OFF AFTER GETTING FUEL CAR START TO IDLE ROUGH WHEN SLOWING DOWN. DROVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP LESS THAN A MILE WHERE THE CAR BARELY MADE IT INTO THE SERVICE AREA AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND BLEW ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN PERFECTLY MAINTAINED BY DEALER. IT APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM BASED ON INTERNET RESEARCH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AS NORMAL AT THAT TIME OF DAY. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Apr 18, 2013
OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS: FIRST-CHECK ENGINE AND EPC LIGHTS ON AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE LOW. SECOND-FUEL RAIL/SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW. THIRD-BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE NORMAL POWER (BATTERY BRAND NEW OCT12). FOURTH-HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT MULTIPLE TIME OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD (BULBS BRAND NEW APR13). CAR IS WITH VW NOW FOR MELTED FUSE AND MELTED FUSE BOX. *TR UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DTCS. THE FUSE BURNT AT THE CONNECTION AND BOTH RELAYS DUE TO AN OVERHEATED CONDITION. *JS
Engine, Sep 13, 2012, crash
VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE, AND THE ENGINE FAILED AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. WHILE ON THE PHONE IT WAS CLEAR THAT I WAS NOT IN A SAFE POSITION, SO MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER EXITED THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE WAS A BREAK IN TRAFFIC. WE WERE ABLE TO GET ACROSS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, BEHIND A GUARDRAIL. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH 911 SOMEONE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, AND NO OTHER CARS WERE AFFECTED. BOTH VEHICLES WERE INOPERABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE SCENE. I WAS TOLD BY THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP THAT AN ENGINE COIL BROKE OFF, AND BACKFED INTO THE HARNESS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. IN ADDITION, I HAD JUST BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE THAT MORNING, AND HAD DRIVEN 8 MILES WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP, AND THAT ENGINE PARTS FAILED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THIS PART, AS I HAVE VERY LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THIS INCIDENT PUT ME IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION, AND I WANT TO REPORT THIS IN ORDER TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PIECE, SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 1, 2012, fire
I WENT TO TAKE MY CHILD TO GYMNASTICS IN THE MORNING. WHEN I TURNED ON TO THE STREET THAT THE GYM IS OFF OF, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. LESS THEN 10TH OF A MILE LATER I PARKED. WE WERE EARLY SO I CALLED THE LOCAL VW DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS CHECKED OUT AND GET IN A LITTLE EARLY FOR MY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. WE THEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND ENTERED THE GYM. WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF BEING INSIDE THE GYM, A MAN CAME IN THE BUILDING AND STARTED ASKING WHO'S SUV WAS OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT SMOKING. I RAN OUT SIDE TO SEE MY VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. ITS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Oct 10, 2011, fire
I OWN A 2009 VW TIGUAN. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES THIS MORNING AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHILE MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR THIS MORNING. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY VW AND HAD ROUGHLY 22,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM EVANSTON AUTOBARN VW IN 2010 AND SERVICED IT AT FLETCHER JONES VW OF CHICAGO. I FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM THIS MORNING AND CONTACTED BOTH VW DEALERSHIPS AND YOUR 24 HOUR HELP LINE. VW HAS BEEN ZERO HELP TO US. EVERYONE SAID TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS IS NOT AN INSURANCE ISSUE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. THIS CAR SIMPLY BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE BEING DRIVEN. CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED AND THE REPORT # IS HT535806. *KB
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 16, 2011
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2009 VW TIGUAN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS I AM COASTING DOWNHILL THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATES EVEN THOUGH I AM CONTINUOUSLY PRESSING THE BRAKES. AS I AM, PRESSING THE BRAKE THAT CAR BEGINS TO IDLE UP INSTEAD OF DOWN AND THE ENGINE GRINDS. *LN
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 17, 2010
I HAVE A 2009 TIGUAN I BOUGHT IN APRIL 2009. I ALSO FIRST NOTICED A REALLY BAD SMELL COMING OUT OF THE VENTS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN IT'S VERY HUMID. I DIDN'T TAKE IT UNTIL THE FALL OF 2009 TO THE DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED MATTER. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY PERFORMING A FILTER CHANGE AND APPARENTLY SANITIZING THE CHAMBER. IT SEEMED TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN WARM THIS SUMMER IN THE NORTHEAST AND I'VE HAD THE A/C ON MOST OF THE TIME SINCE JUNE. I'VE NOTICED THE SMELL RETURNING SLIGHTLY, THOUGH NOT AS BAD AS LAST YEAR. I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE IF THE PROBLEM DEVELOPS FULL BLOWN WHEN I WILL NEED TO RETURN IT FOR ANOTHER SANITIZING TREATMENT. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Other, Jul 10, 2010
CAR JUST TURNED A YEAR OLD WITH 10,477 GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY 65MILES PER HOUR WHEN I THOUGHT MY TIRE WAS GOING FLAT BECAUSE I FELT A JERK IN THE ACCELERATION I PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE TIRES I SAW ALL BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I GO TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO NOTICED A PROBLEM.NO SIGN OF ENGINE LIGHT OR CODES CAME ON UNTIL I WAS IN PARK CHECKING MY TIRES. THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED,BROKEN FUEL LINES...AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER THEY INFORMED ME I WAS PRETTY DARN LUCKY DUE TO THE FACT THE ENGINE COULD HAVE IGNITED... *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 6, 2010
ECM FAILURE WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO TRAVEL A MAXIMUM OF 15MPH. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND WILL NOT RESTART FOR A MINUTE AFTER YOU TURN OFF IGNITION. DASH BOARD LIGHTS COME ON, AND INFORMATION CENTER INDICATES "ENGINE FAULT - WORKSHOP". *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 23, 2010
MY MOTHER HAS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN AND THE CAR BURNS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL EVERY 5,000 MILES. VW REQUIRES THE CAR TO BE SERVICED FOR AN OIL CHANGE BY 10,000 MILES BUT AT THE 8000 MILE MARK MY MOM'S VW TIGUAN HAD LOST ALMOST 2 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL. FOR A NEW CAR THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH OIL TO BE BURNED. THIS IS UNSAFE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR A BRAND NEW CAR I HAVE A FEELING THESE CARS WILL NOT LAST LONG. I HAD TO FILL MY MOMS CAR WITH ONE QUART OF OIL AFTER THE DIP STICK WAS SHOWING NO OIL AT ALL AFTER 8,000 MILES AND THE DIP STICK BARELY STARTED SHOWING SOME OIL ON LOW. IF I WERE TO LEAVE IT FOR THE REST 2,000 MILES LIKE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS RECOMMEND MY MOTOR WOULD SEIZE UP. *TR