2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 153 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 10 involved a crash. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Other or unspecifiedMay 16, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Campaign 18V329000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Representative owner complaints: power train
7 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jan 15, 2020
I HAVE VW TIGUAN, 2012 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, ESPECIALLY DURING COLD WEATHER, THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR IS INCONSISTENT. TOOK TO DEALER TO TAKE A LOOK BUT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO AFFECT MULTIPLE OWNERS AND MULTIPLE TIGUAN MODELS, AS SEEN HERE IN THIS FORUM DISCUSSION: HTTPS://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?9237567-VERY-DELAYED-ACCELERATION-NO-FIX
Power train, Jan 12, 2018
IN JAN 2018 WITH LESS THEN 58K MILES ON IT MY 2012 TIGUAN STARTED LOSING COOLANT. I WAS DRIVING AND THE THERMOSTAT SENSOR WENT OFF, I PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS VERY LOW. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LEAKING WATER PUMP WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT THE SAME TIME THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED VW AND THEY SAID BECAUSE MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY BOUGHT IN 2011 THAT THE 5 YEAR / 60K POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH WOULD HAVE COVERED THIS NO LONGER APPLIED (E.G. BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER 5 YEARS FROM SALE) AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO FOR ME (E.G. I WAS ON MY OWN TO FIX IT). THE REPAIR WAS ~$1300 WHICH IS VERY FRUSTRATING ON A CAR WITH LOW MILES THAT IS DRIVEN CAREFULLY AND WELL CARED FOR. THE MORE FRUSTRATING THING IS THAT VW HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THEIR GTI MODELS FROM THESE EXACT SAME YEARS AND ISSUED A RECALL ON THESE WATER PUMPS ( SEE: HTTPS://HUMBLEMECHANIC.COM/WATER-PUMP-RECALL-MK6-GTI-PODCAST-EPISODE-88/ ) BUT WERE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME WHEN I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TIGUAN.
Power train, Jul 7, 2015
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY! AS IT TURNS OUT, THE TIMING CHAIN HAD FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THE PARTS THAT FAILED WERE NOT DUE FOR MAINTENANCE UNTIL 200,000 MILES- MY CAR ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES. ALTHOUGH THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD IN ALL VOLKSWAGEN MODELS, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL FOR THE PARTS, AND THE ISSUE IT IS NOT COVERED BEYOND THE STANDARD 5 YEAR, 60,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MYSELF AND MY CHILD BEING REAR ENDED AND KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME RAPID DECELERATION HAS OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE- IT HAPPENED 3 PREVIOUS TIMES LAST YEAR DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD/FUEL INJECTORS. A RECALL WAS EVENTUALLY ISSUED FOR THOSE PARTS. THE 2012 TIGUAN IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE- THERE ARE MANY FAILURES AND SAFETY-RELATED TSBS BUT VERY FEW RECALLS. IN FACT, THE TSB FOR MY CURRENT ISSUE WAS RELEASED 3 YEARS AGO FOR ALL VW MODELS, YET NO RECALLS EXIST FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS (TB 15-12-01)! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND WISH I HAD NEVER EVER BOUGHT IT. I FEEL THAT EVERY YEAR OF THIS MODEL SHOULD BE REEVALUATED AND RECALLED IF NECESSARY. UPDATED 9/25/15 *LN UPDATED 3/23/2016 *JS UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 1, 2014, crash
ENGINE STALLED APPROACHING STOP-SIGN REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH A STALLING ISSUE NOT ACCIDENT, SEEMS TO BE AT LOWER (UNDER 30MPH) SPEED OFTEN AS YOU START TO SLOW FOR A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. IT NOW HAS HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY EXITING AN AUTOMATED CAR WASH. HAVE TAKEN IT TO VOLKSWAGEN THREE TIMES, ONCE THEY CHANGED THE ELECTRONIC (BRAIN) BOX THEY SAID BUT NO FAILURES OR CODES WERE RECORDED, SO THEY WERE JUST TRYING SOMETHING, AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE SOME ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMPS/ FUEL PRESSURE TO ME. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN VOLKSWAGEN ONCE WE HAD AN ACCIDENT THEY NO LONGER WANTED TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE ISSUES. I WILL NOT PURCHASE A VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN. WE HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH A 2009 FORD ESCAPE WITH A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE THAT TURNED INTO FORD EXTENDING AND REPLACING THE PART AT NO CHARGE, FORD WAS VERY PROACTIVE/HELPFUL UN LIKE VOLKSWAGEN. *TR
Power train, Jul 22, 2013, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS POWERED OFF BUT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE AND HAD NOT BEEN SECURED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT HAVE A REMEDY AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE TURNED OFF WHILE STILL IN DRIVE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 6,000. *TR
Power train, Wheels, Jun 8, 2012
ON 5/3/12 @ 12,000 MILES, I WAS SLOWING @ A YIELD (10MPH) AND MY TRANSFER CASE FELL ON MY DRIVE SHAFT BREAKING IT AND THE HEAT SHIELD. VW FIXED IT AND SAID IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT FACTORY BECAUSE A PIECE WAS MISSING THAT CAUSED THE TRANSFER BOLTS TO BACK OUT OF THE CASE. I COMPLAINED I WANTED A NEW CAR AND JILL, THE REGIONAL CASE MGR FOR VW CUSTOMER RELATIONS WOULDN'T APPROVE OF IT. ONCE THAT WAS FIXED, 5/30/12 MY TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW. WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND THE PIECE TO TAKE THE HUBCAP OFF WASN'T IN THE CAR. VW REPLACED THE TIRE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE OF ALL THE TROUBLE I'VE HAD WITH IT. JILL SAID THEY WEREN'T GOING TO REPLACE THE CAR. ON 6/7/12 MY TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE CAME ON AGAIN AND I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE. 38 ON BOTH RIGHT TIRES, 37 ON FRONT LEFT AND 36 ON REAR LEFT. I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS CAR ANY LONGER. I PAID CASH FOR THIS CAR AND NOW I AM LEFT DRIVING SOMETHING I FEAR. *JS
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Service brakes, May 18, 2012
WHILE SLOWLY ROLLING TO A STOP THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND DID NOT ENGAGE. I HAD TO APPLY SEVERE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I APPLIED THE FORCE THE BRAKE PEDAL RESISTED AND POPPED BACK TWICE BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAVE REPORTED TO VW AND TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE SHAKING. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE TWO MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED. *TR