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: steering
27 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, May 7, 2026
When driving down the highway, my power steering went out with zero warning or indicators leading up to it going out. Upon researching, this is a problem that many people have experienced with this make and model of vehicle.
Steering, Oct 29, 2024
Steering of the vehicle, gets stiff and looses the ability to drive smoothly, this happened after driving the car a couple of minutes, this put other people at risk because it happens when you start the vehicle and makes the steering hard to steer, also when the steering light goes off the steering wheel feels very loose. it appeared on my dashboard about 2 months ago and took it to the shop and the mechanic told me that he couldnt find anything on it. re calibrate the steering and got the car back but the problem still continues, upon investigating this a very common problem among VW's and to fix it, it cost thousands of dollars
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Jul 14, 2023
A few days prior to this incident, I noticed a crunching noise as I would turn the steering wheel every now and then. As I was turning right to pull into my driveway, I heard the clock spring crunch and finally give up. Airbag light on. Airbag error when I start the car. Steering wheel buttons and horn unresponsive.
Steering, Jun 20, 2023
The power steering won’t kick in and has left me stranded several times. This happens all the time and is a safety issue for sure.
Steering, Aug 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving approximately at 70 MPH, the power steering failed. The contact had to use arm strength to pull the vehicle safely off the road. The contact stated she noticed a red warning light illuminated on the left side of the instrument panel. The contact was able to return the power steering function after waiting for about 20 minutes with the engine off. The contact stated that the power steering failure had also occurred at street speeds of approximately 30 MPH. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that the failure was due to the vehicle battery and replaced the battery. The contact stated that the failure occurred again. The vehicle was not returned to the dealer and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Steering, May 23, 2022
While driving on the freeway the red power steering warning light along with a loud warning signal came on and I could not steer the car anymore. The whole steering system broke down without prior warning or accident. Talking to Volkswagen the customer service told me while regrettable things like that could happen but I think this is a serious safety hazard that could have cost lives.
Steering, Air bags, Other or unspecified, May 1, 2022
The clock-spring in our VW Tiguan broke/snapped disabling the electronics on the steering wheel - including the vehicles horn and airbag which are both safety features. There are numerous other people having a similar experience on Twitter. We are being told by VW that the vehicle is still safe to drive which is frankly, insulting. The VW dealership/Indigo Auto Group in San Rafael, CA has verified this as an issue and there is a clock-spring shortage with no ETA on resolution.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Sep 8, 2020
VOLKSWAGEN-TIGUAN, 2013 - CLOCK SPRING IS OUT. BY THE LOOK OF THE THE COMPLAINTS, THIS A COMMON PROBLEM. COST - $650 FOR REPLACEMENT - BUT, REPLACING CAN CAUSE A FURTHER PROBLEM ACCORDING TO LOCAL VK DEALER, WHERE THE WHOLE STEER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL HAVE ISSUES WHICH WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER $1500. DONT HAVE A CHOICE THAN TO FIX. A COST VK SHOULD BE PAYING FOR ON RECALL. OH WAIT MINE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL..PREVIOUSLY ALLOWED. OTHERS CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES.
Steering, Jul 12, 2020
I PARKED TO GO SHOPPING AND WHEN I GOT BACK AND TURNED ON THE CAR, THE STEERING WARMING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE POWER-STEERING WAS DISENGAGED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT AS THE WHEEL WAS TOO HEAVY. THE STEERING CORRECTED AFTER WAITING FOR AN HOUR TO START THE CAR. MY WIFE HAD THE SAME ISSUE THE NEXT DAY AFTER DROPPING OFF OUR DAUGHTER AT SCHOOL AND HAD TO WAIT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. WE TOOK THE CAR THE HONOLULU VW THE NEXT MORNING ON 7/7/2020, AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND AN ERROR ON THE CAR DIAGNOSTIC AND THEREFORE COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THEY RECOMMENDED WE HAVE THE STEERING RACK REPLACED FOR ROUGHLY 3K. WE CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE ON JULY 9,2020 AND ASKED FOR HELP AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING LEGAL ADVISE AS WE HAVE FOUND ROUGHLY 30 OTHER CAR OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM, WITH THIS MAKE, MODE AND YEAR WITH ROUGHLY THE SAME MILEAGE, AND THIS SEEMED TO BE A FACTORY FLAW (A VERY DANGEROUS ONE), THEY SAID WE SHOULD HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION REACH OUT TO THEM.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Jun 26, 2020
I WAS DRIVING MY VOLKSWAGEN 2013 TIGUAN DOWN I-95 WITH MY TODDLER DAUGHTER N THE CAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED VERY HARD ALMOST CRASHING US INTO ANOTHER CAR. WHEN I PULLED OVER TO SAFETY THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WAS ON THE DASH LIGHTING UP ALONG WITH A LIGHT THAT SAYS EPC. I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SO I CALLED A TOW TO COME PICK US UP. ABOUT A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS TOLD MY VOLKSWAGEN THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THE PROBLEM AFTER COMING THERE MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVING TO PAY THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE EACH TIME THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUE BECAUSE THE LIGHT WILL GO ON AND OFF. I TOLD IT TO ANOTHER SHOP WHERE I PAID 1,200 TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED ANOTHER PROBLEM JUST POPS UP OUT OF THE BLUE WHICH IS THE AIRBAG LIGHT. MY HORN NO LONGER IS WORKING NOR IS MY CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS DANGEROUS. SO I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR WITH MY CHILDREN INSIDE BECAUSE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE. *TR
Steering, Mar 3, 2020
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IS UNRESPONSIVE/INOPERABLE WITH CORRESPONDING CHIME AND A RED STEERING WHEEL WARNING IS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. SECONDS TO MINUTES LATER THE POWER STEERING WILL BECOME RESPONSIVE AND RED STEERING WHEEL INDICATION IS CLEARED OR AT TIMES A YELLOW STEERING WHEEL WILL REMAIN. AFTER REGAINING POWER STEERING THERE IS A SUDDEN 'JERK' AND IT IS EXTREMELY LOOSE AT ALL SPEEDS. THIS IS REMEDIED WITH EITHER RECYCLING POWER MULTIPLE TIMES OR PERIODICALLY WHEN AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME PASSES . THIS DISCREPANCY HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AND HAS BEEN CONTINUED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. IT IS SUSPECTED TO STEERING ASSIST CONTROL MODULE OR RACK AND PINION.
Steering, Nov 25, 2019
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN A MAJOR LOCAL ROADWAY (APPROX 40 MILES PER HOUR), THE STEERING RACK FAILED DISABLING THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO STEER. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING, AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE STEERED AGAIN UNTIL IT WAS SHUT OFF. DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM (VERSUS A STANDARD STEERING PUMP) THE VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM LOCKED ENTIRELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK.
Steering, Air bags, Oct 9, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A CRUNCHING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND ALL THE CONTROL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT CALLED MOSSY VOLKSWAGEN AT (760) 745-7551 (LOCATED AT 1695 AUTO PARK WAY S, ESCONDIDO, CA 92029) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS) REGARDING THE CLOCKSPRING. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO CITY VOLKSWAGEN (LOCATED AT 2205 MORENA BLVD, SAN DIEGO, CA 92110, (833) 207-1264), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Sep 25, 2018
ALL BUTTON OF STEERING WHEEL IS DEAD, AIRBAG INDICATOR IS ON ALL THE TIME, HORN IS DEAD, CENTER FRONT UPPER LEFT SWITCH OF DIM LIGHT IS OUT OF ORDER. IT DID NOT START AT ONCE. ABOVE PHENOMENA OCCURRED ONE BY ONE. IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH CLOCK SPRING WHICH VW HAD RECALL IN 2015.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Aug 2, 2018
CLOCKSPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED CAUSING AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON AND ON ONE INSTANCE THE BLINKERS DID NOT WORK. A MINOR CRACKING FIRST WAS HEARD IN VEHICLE DURING TURNING. EVENTUALLY A TURN WAS MADE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND NO CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WORKED.
Steering, Air bags, May 14, 2018
THE CLOCK SPRING (DIAGNOSED BY PUGI VOLKSWAGEN IN DOWNERS GROVE, IL HAS MALFUNCTIONED IN THIS VEHICLE. SO ALL THE AIRBAGS AND ALL STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS DO NOT WORK IN THIS VEHICLE, SO IF I'M ABOUT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, I CANNOT USE MY HORN, NOR WILL MY AIRBAG DEPLOY. THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THIS PART IN OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE, BUT FOR SOME REASON MY VIN IS NOT FALLING INTO THAT RANGE? THIS IS RIDICULOUS, THE RECALL ON THIS PART IS RECALL # 69L2, NHTSA # 15V483. THERE WAS AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION IN NOVEMBER 2017 STATING THAT THIS MAY NOT HAVE COVERED A WIDE ENOUGH RANGE OF VEHICLES COVERED UNDER THE RECALL (HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/INV/2017/INOA-RQ17009-5206.PDF) & (HTTPS://WWW.FORBES.COM/SITES/JENSEN/2017/11/17/FEDS-INVESTIGATE-VOLKSWAGENS-RELUCTANT-RECALL/#6D0848D53B77). SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!
Steering, Electrical system, Mar 27, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE, THEN THE HORN FAILED, THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTION BUTTONS FAILED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Mar 14, 2018
CLOCK SPRING ISSUE. MY 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN CLOCK SPRING HAS FAILED AND MY AIRBAG/STEERING COMPONENTS NO LONGER FUNCTION. VOLKSWAGEN IS CLAIMING MY CAR IS NOT AFFECTED ALTHOUGH MY MODEL MAKE AND YEAR FALLS WITHIN THOSE FAILING. MY CLOCK SPRING PART NUMBER ALSO MATCHES THOSE THAT ARE FAILING. I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE AIRBAG NO LONGER WORKED. THERE WAS NO THREAT OR DANGER. HOWEVER I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING AIRBAG.
Steering, Air bags, Jan 2, 2018
VEHICLE'S CLOCK SPRING WAS FOUND TO BE DYSFUNCTIONAL AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND THEN AN AIRBAG ERROR CAME UP. I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A WRECK, OR DEPLOY FOR NO REASON DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. DOING SOME RESEARCH IT APPEARS THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE THAT INCLUDES MY YEAR AND MODEL - BUT VOLKSWAGEN IS SAYING IT'S NOT INCLUDED BASED ON MY VIN. I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED SINCE THE CLOCK SPRING IS MALFUNCTIONING IN A 3.5 YEAR OLD CAR.
Steering, Air bags, Dec 29, 2017
MY AIRBAG LIGHT COME UP AND MY HORN IS NOT WORKING.
Steering, Air bags, Other or unspecified, Nov 7, 2017
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD IS LIT UP. AT FIRST STEERING WHEEL FELT HARDER TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT AND THEN IT SOUNDED LIKE A SPRING WAS MOVING BACK AND FORTH ON PLASTIC. I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED TURNING LEFT.
Steering, Air bags, Jun 27, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL. AFTERWARDS, WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEITH BMW (5609 CAPITAL BLVD, RALEIGH NC 27616 (844) 261-4301) 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 FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND THAT THE CONTACT WAS OVER THE WARRANTY MILEAGE. NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
Steering, Air bags, Jun 20, 2017
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING LOST POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (PALMETTO 57 VOLKSWAGEN IN OPA LOCKA, FLORIDA) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Steering, Air bags, Mar 20, 2017
MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. SHORTLY AFTER THAT HAPPENED, I TURNED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND I FELT A SLIGHT TENSION AT THE WHEEL AND THEN A POP AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE AIR BACK CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I SEARCHED THE NHTSA SITE, I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN'S FOR THIS SPECIFIC ITEM BUT THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES LISTED IN THE RECALL. SO NOW I'M FACING AN $800.00 REPAIR BILL FOR AN ITEM THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR A RECALL, BUT MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH.
Steering, Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 8, 2016, crash
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IT WILL GET UP TO 40 SPEED AND NOT ABOVE AND STALL OUT TO 0 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE AND STALL FOR DURATION OF TIME, THEN IT WILL DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED UNDER 10-20MPH. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, I MADE IT KNOWN TO THE BRANDON VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP, FIDELITY BANK AND VOLKSWAGEN AMERICA. I HAD TWO WARRANTIES AND THE PROBLEM WERE TOLD ME IN 2012 AND 2013, BY BRANDON VOLKSWAGEN THE PROBLEM WERE RESOLVED. IN JULY 2015 THROUGH AUGUST 2015 THE BRANDON VOLKSWAGEN INFORMED THAT A PART DOES NOT EXISTED TO CORRECT MY PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NON-OPERABLE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY 301HWY.