2013 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 139 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 2 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 1 person was 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: service brakes
6 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Apr 16, 2021
NORMALLY VW IS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENTLY DESIGNED BUT THEIR DESIGN OF THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE MODULE LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED. THE MODULE CONSISTS OF A RECESSED ELONGATED TOGGLE SWITCH THAT ALLOWS ONE TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE AT THE FLICK OF A FINGER AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD HANDBRAKE/FOOTBRAKE PEDAL (EFFECTIVE MODEL YEAR 2013). UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS SUPER EASY TO ACTIVE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE/PARKING BRAKE BY CAUSING YOUR COFFEE CUP TO PULL UP ONE THE TOGGLE SWITCH (IF MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, THERE HAVE BEEN 8 ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATIONS WHILE ON THE FREEWAY.) MY PROBLEM DE JOUR WAS THE OPPOSITE. I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND LATE FOR WORK AND THE PARKING BRAKE WOULDN'T DISENGAGE. I TRIED EVERYTHING FROM DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY TO WIGGLING IT BACK & FORTH AND NOTHING WORKED. MY DEALER'S QUOTE WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,500.00 WHICH CAUSED ME TO FAINT. I RAN MY BLUE DRIVER OSBD II SCANNER AND IT SHOWED NO PROBLEMS? I THEN STARED HOPELESSLY AT THE SWITCH AND NOTICED IT WASN'T FLUSH WITH THE CONSOLE, MEANING IT WAS A TOP LOADER (THANK GOD). I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED IT BUT COULDN'T UNDO THE WIRE HARNESS WITHOUT TURNING IT UPSIDE DOWN & SHAKING IT. WELL, WHEN I DID THAT...AN AMERICAN D-I-M-E FELL OUT AND UNBLOCKED THE MECHANISM. IF YOU STORE LOOSE CHANGE ON TOP OF THE TWO CUBBY HOLES ABOVE THE CONSOLE---YOU WILL RISK JAMMING THE CAR IN PARK EVEN THOUGH NOTHING ELSE IS WRONG. MY SOLUTIONS: (A) MAKE IT IDIOT PROOF BY SCOTCH TAPING A BUSINESS CARD OVER THE E-BRAKE (ONE PIECE ONLY SO AS TO MAKE IT A REUSEABLE PAPER FLAP (B) BE AS STUPID & CARELESS AS YOU ALWAYS ARE/WERE AND IF YOUR PARKING BRAKE FAILS TO RETRACT, TAKE YER FINGERNAILS AND POP OPEN THE SWITCH, REMOVE THE WIRE HARNESS (PULL THE RED TONGUE OUT FIRST), TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN AND THEN BANG IT VIOLENTLY UNTIL YOUR DIME OR TORTILLA CHIP OR PAPER CLIP OR CHERRY PIT WORKS ITS SELF OUT....OR SEE SOLUTION (A). FYI, CAR WAS STATIONARY.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jun 26, 2019
PROBLEM WITH ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE: THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN PROBLEM WITH AN INEXPENSIVE FIX. THE WAY THE TIGUAN HAS BEEN DESIGNED, IT PARKING LEVEL IS FLUSH TO THE CUP HOLDER. LAST WEEK, I SPILT MY COFFEE ON MY CHARGING CLUSTER (IN FIRST CUP HOLDER) AND ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOYED THE PARK BRAKE AT 70MPH AND IT LOCKED UP THE WHEELS...ON THE FREEWAY 🛣!!! THIS DEFECT COVERS MODEL YEARS 2009-2017 1ST GEN TIGUANS. THE FIX IS CHEAP & EASY. ALTHOUGH I HAVE TAPES A BUSINESS CARD OVER IT, I PLAN TO CRAFT A ROCKER PIECE TO EASILY SECURE THE PARKING BRAKE NEEDS TO BE DEPLOYED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED.
Air bags, Service brakes, Sep 23, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A CHIME SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500. UPDATED 10/29/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN. THE CONSUMER FELT THE REPAIRS WERE TAKING TOO LONG TO BE COMPLETED. UPDATED 04/23/2015 *JS
Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 12, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V441000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,798. UPDATED 10/22/14*CN UPDATED 4/8/2015 *JS
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Sep 4, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO ENGAGE. ALSO, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN IN PARK. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
Service brakes, Mar 19, 2013
BRAKE BECAME STIFF AFTER PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL APPROX 1/3 OF THE WAY AND THE CAR DID NOT COME TO A FULL STOP. AT THIS POINT ONLY PRESSING DOWN WITH FULL STRENGTH FORCES THE PEDAL DOWN FURTHER AND STOPS THE CAR. THE USUAL OPERATION IS A SMOOTH BRAKE PEDAL WHICH CAN BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM INTERVALS, SOMETIMES ONE OR TWO TIMES A DAY, WITH OTHER TIMES GOING A FEW DAYS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS CANNOT FIND A FAULT WITH THEIR USUAL METHOD OF TESTING. *TR