2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 161 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 4 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 1 person was injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontalAug 4, 2015
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
Campaign 15V483000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Representative owner complaints: air bags
30 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Jan 22, 2026
My 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan was included in the Volkswagen clock spring safety recall. According to Volkswagen’s records, the recall repair was completed in 2016. The same defect has now reoccurred: the steering wheel controls, horn, and driver airbag are disabled again due to a failed clock spring. This is a reoccurring safety defect that directly affects the airbag system. The airbag warning light is on, and the driver airbag is currently non‑functional. I contacted Volkswagen corporate, and they confirmed that my VIN was included in the original recall and that the repair was performed. However, they are refusing to repair the defect again, stating that the recall is “closed” and the warranty extension has expired, even though the original recall remedy has failed and the safety defect has returned. Volkswagen also declined to provide a written denial. I am reporting this because the recall remedy appears to be inadequate, and the safety defect has not been resolved. The vehicle is unsafe to drive with the airbag disabled. The clock spring failure disables the airbag, horn, and steering‑wheel controls. The defect matches the symptoms described in the original recall. The failure occurred without any modification or damage to the steering wheel area. Volkswagen refuses to authorize a second repair despite the safety risk.
Air bags, Oct 6, 2022
This vehicle has already been recalled for faulty clock spring, which renders the airbag inoperable but the clock spring has failed again. This is a common issue VW needs to fix.
Air bags, May 10, 2022
Clock spring in steering column has snapped. Because if a previous recall, this part is covered under warranty. New clock spring is on back order without any ETA when one will be available. Car horn is disabled and airbags will not deploy if an accident does occur. State safety inspection can not/will not pass as a result of this broken part. I do not have the luxury of renting a car until this part comes in to the US. Per various forums, possibly 6000-8000 clock springs on back order
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, May 3, 2022
The clock spring is broken in my 2011 VW Tiguan at 114,000 miles. Therefore, the driver airbag on the steering wheel does not work. Therefore, there is a safety issue if one drives the car. The problem is not fixed because there are no parts to fix it. Apparently there is a chip in the clock spring and there are no chips available to manufacture replacement springs. I was told that the part has been on back order since October 2021. I was told that the part may be available in July 2022, but there are no guarantees. Until a replacement part is available, the vehicle is potentially unsafe to drive.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, Jun 24, 2020
THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR START FLASING ,WHEN YOU TURN OF THE CAR , EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD & THE STERRING WHEEL HAVE A NOISE SOUND LIKE THE CLOCK RING HAS SOME DUST IN SIDE. *TR
Exterior lighting, Air bags, Service brakes, Jun 5, 2020
THE CLOCK SPRING SOUND A LOT, WHEN YOU DO A TURN , AND IT SOUND A LOT , MOVING THE WHEEL, THE BRAKES HAVE A SOUND WHEN YOU ARE GO IN DOWN THE HILL , SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WANT TO STOP ,LIKE SOME BODY IS PUSHING THE BRAKES. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, May 30, 2020
AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING AND THE CAR STAR FLASHING. *TR
Air bags, Dec 24, 2019
VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 15V483000 ON 5/2015. HOWEVER, THE REPAIRED/REPLACED PART APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED AGAIN (CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL, AIR BAG LIGHT ON, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER IN STEERING WHEEL). AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHILE PARKED ON SIDE OF CITY STREET AND MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT LOW SPEED.
Air bags, Jun 10, 2019
MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 69L2 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 15V483 THE DEALER REFUSE COMPLETE THE RECALL
Air bags, May 10, 2019, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, WHEN APPROXIMATING A GREEN LIGHT, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT MADE A SUDDEN COMPLETE STOP CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT FOR THE CONTACT BUT THE INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE UNKNOWN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Air bags, Nov 5, 2018
THERE WAS NO CRASH OR PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, AIRBAG SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, "ERROR: AIRBAG" MESSAGE IS SHOWN UP ON DASHBOARD AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS TURNED ON. IN ADDITION TO THAT, EVEN I BUCKLED UP, WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT TURN SEAT BELT ALARM IS BEEPING AND SEAT BELT LIGHT HAS TURNED ON WHILE I AM DRIVING. I AM CONCERNING ABOUT THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I AM DRIVING MY CAR EVERYDAY WITH POTENTIAL THREAT OF ACCIDENT WITHOUT AIRBAGS BEING DEPLOYED.
Exterior lighting, Air bags, Service brakes, Sep 26, 2018, crash
WAS DRIVING AIR BAG NEVER CAME OUT THE IMPACT WAS FRONT.
Electrical system, Air bags, Sep 4, 2018
WHEN DOING A FULL TURN MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED CLICKING AND THEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I ALSO LOST ALL STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS AND HORN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT IT WAS A CLOCK SPRING. VOLKSWAGEN HAS HAD MANY MODELS AFFECTED BY THIS EVEN MY 2011 YEAR TIGUAN BUT WHEN VOLKWAGEN PULLS UP MY VIN, THEY ARE CLAIMING IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL WHICH IS VERY FRUSTRATIONG.
Air bags, Aug 29, 2018
THE CLOCK SWITCH FAILED TWICE AND VW REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAULTY PART ALTHOUGH IT SHOWS THE HAD RECALLED 2011 THRU 2014 BUT THEY SAID IT DIDN'T INCLUDE MY VIN.
Steering, Air bags, May 29, 2018
AFTER DRIVING MY 2011 TIGUAN FINE A COUPLE TIMES EARLIER IN THE DAY, I CAME BACK TO MY PARKED CAR, AND TURNED IT ON. WHEN I DID THIS MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITH AN "ERROR: AIRBAG" MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I NOTICE THE HORN AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES OF THE WHEEL DIDN'T WORK. I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP, AND THEIR SAID THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS REPLACED. IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER ALL OF THIS THAT I FOUND OUT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL BEFORE. ALTHOUGH THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS REPLACED, THE VW SERVICE CENTER SAID THEY CANNOT GET THE CLOCK SPRING PART TO REPLACE IT. THEY COULDN'T TELL ME A TIME THAT THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 15, 2018
AS I WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, I HEARD A CLICKING SOUND AND THEN A SNAP. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON AND ALL ELECTRONIC CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE HORN CEASED TO WORK. I HAD THE COVER PUT ON BASED ON THE PREVIOUS RECALL, WHICH OBVIOUSLY FAILED. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER A HARD FIGHT, HAD THEM REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE ISSUE WITH THE HORN WAS RELATED TO THIS; HOWEVER, I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS INDICATING THE SAME ISSUE. CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR MY HORN.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 1, 2018
CLOCK SPRING FAILED TWICE CAUSING PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT TO FAIL AND HORN DOES NOT WORK. FIRST REPAIR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND 2ND REPAIR WAS UNDER THE RECALL. DEALER SAID I HAVE TO CALL VW TOO COVER IT AND VW CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNTIL A 2ND RECALL IS ORDERED. SO FAR VW HAS NO PLANS TO RECALL IT AGAIN ON THEIR OWN.
Steering, Air bags, Mar 7, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND AN AIR BAG WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRANDON VOLKSWAGEN (9816 E ADAMO DR, TAMPA, FL 33619, (844) 378-9574) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Air bags, Electronic stability control (ESC), Feb 6, 2018
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON IN THE CAR IT IS MY DASHBOARD I HAVE HAD IT RESET AND IT STILL KEEPS COMING ON AND IT SAYS AIRBAG ERROR WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS
Air bags, Dec 18, 2017
TAKATA RECALL, I CALLED THE VW DEALER AT GREENWOOD, IN DREYER&REINBOLD, 317-527-4845,,,AND I WAS TOLD 3 TIMES THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, YET THE AIRBAGRECALL WEB SITE CONFIRMS THAT IT IS ON RECALL AND TO CONTACT THE DEALER, HOW DO I SAFELY RESOLVE THIS ???
Electrical system, Air bags, Other or unspecified, Aug 24, 2017
VW HAS RECOGNIZED A DEFECTED PART IN THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO HAVE THE REPAIR, DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND A DUST COVER WAS PUT ON 7/20/16. WELL THE DUST COVER HAS BROKE AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND HORN IS NOT WORKING. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WASN'T COVERED BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS FIX, MIND YOU THEY SAID DUST COVER AND NOT A NEW PART. WE CALLED VW AND THEY WILL NOT HONOR THE REPAIR FOR THE DEFECTED PART. THE PART WAS NEVER REPLACED, JUST A BAND AID PUT ON THE PROBLEM. VW SAID THEY ONLY HAD TO HONOR THEIR REPAIR FOR 1 YEAR. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY NEVER REALLY REPLACED THE PART????? THE DUST COVER THEY PREVIOUSLY PUT ON SNAPPED WHEN I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT, AIRBAG LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON. THE PART COST $348.08 AND $170.00 IN LABOR.
Steering, Air bags, Aug 23, 2017
FAULTY CLOCK SPRING - CLICKING NOISE CAME FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNED THEN NONE OF THE BUTTONS WOULD WORK AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. CAME TO FIND OUT IT WAS A FAULTY CLOCK SPRING AND THE AIRBAG WOULDN'T DEPLOY IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT.
Steering, Air bags, Aug 9, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, AND HANDS FREE PHONE SERVICE FAILED, AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DARCARS VOLKSWAGEN SILVER SPRING (12511 PROSPERITY DR, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904, (301) 622-7000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY HAD A COVER ASSEMBLY PLACED OVER THE CLOCK SPRING, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.
Steering, Air bags, Dec 8, 2016
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS). SHORTLY AFTER THE DEALER'S REPAIR, THE RIBBON CABLE SNAPPED INTERNALLY AND CAUSED A FAILURE. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RIBBON CABLE AFFECTED THE FUNCTION OF THE HORN, STEERING, CRUISE CONTROL AND OTHER COMPONENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY FAILED TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL, MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, AND CRUISE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,300.
Electrical system, Air bags, Dec 1, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SCREW, CONTROL UNIT, AND CUP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.