2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 84 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 2 involved a crash.
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
84 reports, newest first.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Feb 16, 2017, crash
DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER AND SLOW ENOUGH SPEED, THE ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION CONTROL LIGHT WENT ON, INDICATING ESC FAILURE. THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALTERNATELY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FAILED. STEPPING ON THE BRAKES PRODUCED NO RESPONSE AT ALL. CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 3, 2016
TAKATA RECALL - DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG STOPPED WORKING THE HORN STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I FOUND OUT THAT THE HORN WASN'T WORKING AS I WAS ALMOST KILLED BY SOMEONE MOVING IN TO MY LANE AND DIRECTLY TOWARD MY CAR. LUCKILY, THEY SAW ME AT THE LAST MINUTE. , ALL COMPUTER COMMUNICATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN STOPPED WORKING. LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW THAT THESE ISSUES WERE CAUSED BY A BAD CLOCK SWITCH. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE ME 800.00 TO FIX THE CLOCK SPRING.
Vehicle speed control, Aug 5, 2016
WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVE, PRESSING THE "SET/-" SWITCH IS SUPPOSED TO DECREASE THE VEHICLE SPEED IN 1 MPH INCREMENTS FOR EACH PRESS OF THE SWITCH. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DECREASE SPEED GRADUALLY FOR UPCOMING SPEED LIMIT CHANGES, OR WHEN VEHICLES PULL-IN A BIT TOO SOON AFTER PASSING, MY TIGUAN WILL OFTEN QUICKLY INCREASE THE "SET" SPEED BY BY 2-4 MPH WHEN THE "SET/-" SWITCH IS PRESSED. AN INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT OTHER VW OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PHENOMENA AND THE DEALERS TELL THEM IT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN! I DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. IT'S TRUE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CAN BE CANCELLED OR TURNED OFF IN THESE SITUATIONS. THAT'S CALLED A "WORK AROUND." IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A DEFECT, BUT AS LONG AS YOU KNOW HOW IT WILL ACT, BE PREPARED AND CANCEL RATHER THAN USE THE "DECELERATE" SWITCH. VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS, AS MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE EXPECTING THE CAR TO SLOW WHEN THIS SWITCH IS PRESSED, NOT QUICKLY ACCELERATE.
Back over prevention, Dec 2, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED INTO REVERSE, THE REAR BACK UP CAMERA WAS VERY DARK AND LIMITED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BACK UP CAMERA WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THAT A NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS LODGED THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Steering, Feb 6, 2015
I WAS DRIVING HOME ON INTERSTATE, CAR SUDDENLY DISPLAYS STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION INDICATOR AND WHEEL LOCKS. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OFF INTERSTATE AND SHUT OFF CAR. I TURNED CAR BACK ON AFTER WAITING 5 MINUTES STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO RETURN TO NORMAL, WITHIN ONE BLOCK OF EXITING INTERSTATE WHEEL LOCKED AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD, PURCHASED BRAND NEW 7/12/2014. VERY SCARY. I NOTICED SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF THIS VIA VW COMPLAINT SITE. SEEMS THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY VERY COMMON AND SOME KIND OF DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE. *JS
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 2, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V441000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE PRIOR TO THE REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE RPMS INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. UPDATED 2/25/15*CN UPDATED 9/7/2017*CN
Service brakes, Nov 19, 2014
I DRIVE MY NEW CAR ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE BRAKES, TWICE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE IS LIKE SOMETHING IS STUCK, THE CAR DIDN'T STOP, I BRAKE FOR THE THIRD TIME, THE CAR IS STOP, ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT, I PARK MY CAR IN THE WAY OF AN EMERGENCY, AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, THE BRAKE CAN BE USED, BUT AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS, I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT IS ON. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 21, 2014
ON APRIL 15, 2014, I WAS AT A GAS STATION WAITING TO PULL INTO AN AVAILABLE PUMP WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE. THE CAR'S ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND THE BATTERY LIGHT SIGNALED. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, AND RESTART THE ENGINE. AS SOON AS I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL WAS ILLUMINATED. I DROVE HOME AFTER FILLING UP ON GAS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, APRIL 16, 2014, I CALLED OPEN ROAD VOLKSWAGEN OF MANHATTAN AND SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2014. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT WEEK, UNTIL SUNDAY, THE CAR DID NOT SHUT OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I WOULD DRIVE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ILLUMINATED. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014, I WAS DRIVING ON THE RAMP TO GET ON THE FDR DRIVE FROM THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, GOING APPROXIMATELY 20-40 MPH, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, I WAS FORCED TO PLACE THE CAR IN PARK, TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, AND RESTART THE ENGINE. DURING THE COURSE OF DRIVING TO AN EMERGENCY SHOULDER, AS THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, THE CAR'S ENGINE ONCE AGAIN TURNED OFF COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER MAKING IT TO AN EMERGENCY SHOULDER AREA, I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED. TODAY, APRIL 21, 2014, I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT OPEN ROAD VOLKSWAGEN OF MANHATTAN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT ON (AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, SOMETIMES IT WAS ON FOR ME AND SOMETIMES NOT) AND THAT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN DRIVEN AROUND THE BLOCK. THEREFORE, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE IS GOING TO TAKE THE CAR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD TO SEE IF THE ISSUE REPRODUCES. OF COURSE, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. *TR
Engine, Apr 21, 2014
WHEN I GOT INTO MY 2014 TIGUAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. SINCE THE CAR IS ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD I DIDN'T GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT AND FIGURED IT WAS SOMETHING SIMPLE. ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE WHILE I WAS SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE CAR COMPLETELY TURNED OFF. I RESTARTED IT AND IT WAS FINE THE REST OF THE DRIVE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND WAS GIVEN A LOANER. I WAS TOLD THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE HARNESS. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT BACK YET SO NOT SURE IF THAT FIXED THE ISSUE. *TR