2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 284 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 17 Tiguan model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 5 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
SteeringSep 11, 2026
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V590000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, bodyApr 6, 2022
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
Campaign 22V226000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, roof and pillarsSep 23, 2021
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan vehicles. During the repair of roof damage, an incorrect roof reinforcement assembly may have been installed.
The incorrect roof reinforcement may decrease the roof's structural integrity or impact deployment of the side curtain air bags, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Dealers will be replace the roof reinforcement, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 51H5.
Campaign 21V732000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, webbingNov 20, 2020
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan LWB vehicles. In the event of a crash, one or both of the front seat belt's webbing may tear.
A torn seat belt may not adequately restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belts and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 13, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69BH.
Campaign 20V724000 on NHTSA.gov
Other or unspecifiedSep 25, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible 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 repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
Campaign 19V679000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rear, springs, coil springsMar 6, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.
Campaign 19V188000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelNov 26, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.
Campaign 18V824000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, sun/moon roof assemblyJul 13, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles. The LED module for the panoramic sunroof ambient light bar may short circuit.
A short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the power supply for the panoramic sunroof LED module, free of charge, until a future service action can safely reactivate the feature. The recall began July 24, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall 60D1.
Campaign 18V467000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleJun 6, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.
If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69W8, and 69W9.
Campaign 18V375000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, control arm, lower ball jointDo not drive until repairedMay 16, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan and Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The nut that holds the lower ball joint of the front wheel on each side of the vehicle may be loose or improperly tightened.
A loose or improperly tightened ball joint nut can result in the separation of the lower ball joint causing steering, traction or other stability issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the nut on the lower ball joint and, as necessary, clean the thread in the ball joint, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40N4. Note: owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair has been performed.
Campaign 18V324000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rear, shock absorberApr 25, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long wheelbase (LWB) vehicles. A lower loop of a rear shock absorber may separate from its base due to an incorrect welding process
If the lower loop of the rear shock absorber detaches, there may be a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear shock absorbers, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42i7.
Campaign 18V262000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineMar 8, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The engine support bolts on these vehicles may not have been properly tightened.
If the engine support bolts were not properly tightened, an unexpected engine breakdown or loss of engine power may occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace engine support bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10F7.
Campaign 18V159000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalFeb 9, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. The front driver air bag installed on these vehicles may not be intended for use in vehicles sold in the United States. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
In the event of a crash, the incorrect air bags may not protect the driver as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel and front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69V2.
Campaign 18V102000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, tail lightsOct 18, 2017
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The back-up lights in the taillight assemblies may not be bright enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
If the back-up lights are not bright enough, other drivers may not see the vehicle reversing, or the driver may back into an obstacle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected inner taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94J9.
Campaign 17V662000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
284 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 1, 2022
While driving down the highway, my car completely shut off and shut down while going 45mph. Due to everything shutting off, there were no brake lights, hazards, blinkers, etc that I was able to use to warn other drivers of what was happening, therefore I was almost hit multiple times. It turned back on, then back off while driving, 4 more times until the final time when it would not turn back on or turn over at all, I had to pull off the road and it wouldn’t turn back on again. At this time I got the battery tested and it was bad. I bought the new battery and the new battery didn’t change anything. It still was doing the same thing, not turning on at all. Not even trying to turn over to turn on. I had my vehicle towed to the Volkswagen dealership in Ocala on college road. While at this shop, they have told me that the NEW battery is what has cause the issues, which is incorrect as the issues began BEFORE I got a new battery. They are also saying that because I got a new battery that they will not cover the repairs under my warranty. I had to get in a new battery for my safety after almost being hit on the highway due to the electronics or other issues being faulty in the car.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 5, 2022
The first time this problem occurred was in April right after a routine maintenance check. The car was idling in a parking lot when the engine started to vibrate and a warning was displayed that said "Max Engine Speed 4000 RPM". The car was turned off and then back on. The warning did show up on the display, but the "check engine" light was lit. The car was driven back home, and after that drive the check engine light was not lit anymore. To be safe the car was taken to the dealer. The dealer was not able to replicate the issue. Later, in July, the max engine speed and EPC warnings were displayed on the screen in the middle of a trip. At this time there was also a loss of acceleration power. The driver pulled over, stopped the car, and then restarted it. When the car restarted the warning lights were no longer on so the driver completed the trip. In the manual it says that the car can still be operated if the EPC warning light is on, but that it should be taken to a dealer. This led the driver to believe that it was safe to complete the trip and take the car to their home dealership after the holiday. The following day, the EPC warning light and the max engine speed warning both appeared in the middle of a drive. The driver was driving up a hill on a backroad with no possible pull off. The driver had to stop the car in the middle of a road directly after a blind turn. The driver restarted the car and was able to drive about 10 yards before the warning came on again and the engine cut out. The driver repeated turning the car off and then back on multiple times to be able to safely get the car up the hill and to an area where a pull-off was available. Luckily, no other cars were coming at the time the car was stalled. It was a very unsafe location! The car is currently in the process of being towed to the dealer to be worked on. This seems like a very serious safety concern that is affecting other Tiguan owners too.
Power train, Jun 16, 2022
Sporadic lack of acceleration when coming from a stop. When depressing Excelerator car sometimes stalls to accelerate. I feel that when this issue occurs it makes my car unsafe to drive.
Lane departure, May 29, 2022
Blind spot assist warning shows up from time to time even when there is no vehicle near me.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 28, 2022
Car has multiple malfunctions. Has had noisy valvetrain, lack of power upon acceleration, has sputtered with a load on engine especially uphill. Car shut off completely while at 60 mph and nearly caused a catastrophic collision with my whole family in the car. Car presents substantial safety risk. Multiple codes/warnings have flashed up on the display screen(Evap,Trans,fuel inj,etc). Transmission went into "emergency mode" after being started up today, then went away after restarted. Car has been to dealership but issues were not properly addressed/ignored. VW of America is well aware of issues with these cars but ignores the consumers needs and puts consumers at great safety risk by doing so. This vehicle has both engine and transmission issues as well as odd electrical anomalies.
Electrical system, Mar 26, 2022
Micro switch in driver door module I believe is the cause. I cannot open the door even when hitting the unlock button on the keys or inside the vehicle. All other doors will unlock and open fine but not the driver door. Safety issue comes that if I were to be in an accident, unconscious, people would be unable to get my door open even if unlocking it on the passenger side. Currently, I have to go through the passenger door and pull the inside handle to open the door.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 22, 2022
At 48k miles, fuel efficiency began to significantly drop. At next start up, engine would not turn over and EPC light came on. I waited 30 minutes, unlocked the steering wheel and was able to start the vehicle and EPC light turned off. I took it into Volkswagen dealership to have it looked over and they could not duplicate the issue nor find cause for lower fuel efficiency. The issue with fuel persisted intermittently. Then at 57k, while driving long distance, I noticed what seemed like misfiring when accelerating above 65 mph. There were no noises, no warning lights, and fuel efficiency seemed about the same. I continued driving and about 6 hours into my drive, EPC light came on, RPM's shot up to 4,000 and car began violently shaking while losing significant power and dropped down to 30 mph. I was in the left lane when it occurred and had to quickly move over to the right lane. The car then could not exceed 40 mph with the pedal held to the floor. I turned on my hazards while I continued driving an additional 30 miles to the nearest Volkswagen dealership. Because of how heavy the traffic was and the high speeds of the travelers, it put myself and my passengers at risk from not being able to accelerate, along with the other drivers having to either brake hard or quickly change lanes to avoid my car. At the Volkswagen dealership, diagnosis found code p0204 cylinder 4 injector. They confirmed 4th cylinder misfiring and replaced the fuel injector harness. Since that repair, my car has been shaking at idol, when initially taking off, and if I turn of the start/stop function.
Suspension, Mar 13, 2022
Car has 50k miles on it. Around 35k miles I started hearing noises in the suspension. Took it in and my tires are wearing uneven and bubbling. Mechanic told me my shocks are bad. I know there was a recall on some 2018 tiguans for poor welding of shocks. Not sure if there is a bigger problem affecting more tiguans.
Lane departure, Mar 4, 2022
The blind spot warning of the car has again stopped working. I had a similar issue in 2020 and that was repaired by VW Dealer. This is again an issue and is a safety risk.
Lane departure, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 4, 2022
The Blind Spot warning, forward collision warning and parking collision warning suddenly stopped working even though they showed that the features were enabled in the car's dashboard settings. Fortunately, I realized this and took it to the dealer for repairs.
Power train, Engine, Feb 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the EPC warning light illuminated, causing the vehicle to go into limp mode. The vehicle decelerated to approximately 20 MPH. The contact pulled over and assessed the vehicle; however, did not physically see any issues with the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted and she proceeded to drive however, the vehicle failed to exceed 27 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.
Suspension, Jan 18, 2022
The car has had 10 safety recalls with one being the suspension. The suspension problem hasn’t been fixed as the car makes a loud clunking noise when driving it. My car has been to Volkswagen twice and they stated that the car was fine and they have no solution for the sound. This really needs to investigated. I googled the noise to see what it was and there are a lot of people that are complaining about this noise. I just bought my car and I’m literally about to trade it in because of this.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 23, 2021
The automatic emergency braking activated and slammed on the brakes, for no apparent cause. There were no cars, people, animals around. And luckily, no car was behind mine. This has happened NUMEROUS times previously, especially when going through roundabouts and downhill. This issue needs to be addressed by VW. I have mentioned it to service at a VW dealer, and they just tell you to turn off the front brake assist, but that is not a solution. Plus, you would have to turn it off EVERY time you start your car.
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 12, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while the cruise control was activated with a vehicle in the lane directly next to the vehicle or two lanes over, the Collision Avoidance System would determine that the vehicles were too close and the Crash Imminent Braking System would activate and stop the vehicle. The issue most recently occurred while driving 70 MPH causing the contact to aggressively depress the accelerator pedal. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who informed him that there was no malfunction detected. The contact spoke to the manufacturer who informed him that the issue was known however, there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 27, 2021
This vehicle has significant, but intermittent issues with acceleration; it seems mostly when the AC is on or it is cold out (below 40). Vehicle will hesitate, or entirely not respond, to the gas pedal. When this occurs, acceleration is even less predictable (and slower) than a diesel truck. When it does not occur, the acceleration was zippy and fast. Unfortunately, this erratic lag is extremely dangerous - especially when attempting to merge on the highway. I can step on the gas repeatedly and nothing happens, but then the car will accelerate in a manner which feels out of control. Driving in "sport" mode seems to prevent this, so I am inclined to think there is an issue with how the vehicle has been programmed - versus a mechanical issue with the engine. I know some "Eco" modes tend to make cars less responsive to acceleration (in order to save fuel) but this is extreme.
Service brakes, Oct 27, 2021
The vehicle has had multiple issues with uneven and premature wearing of the brakes. Brake shop determined it was possibly the result of defective calipers. The inside and outside pads wore completely differently on every axle. Brakes wore out prematurely at 35k. I am suspicious that this also may have been caused by the forward collision warning system's proclivity to errantly activate, thus forcefully slamming on the brakes.
Forward collision avoidance, Oct 27, 2021
This vehicle's forward collision warning system is inaccurate and dangerous. It is very prone to errant activation. At least once a month, the vehicle's collision system would detect objects that were not there (often, when there was no traffic and also no roadway barriers like guardrails). These activations would result in the vehicle slamming on it's breaks, which culminated in warped brakes and premature wear on the vehicle. It was also hazardous to any vehicles driving behind me, as well as occupants of the vehicle - due to sudden jarring. My local VW dealer acknowledged this is a common problem with no solution, and not worth doing diagnostics on.
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 27, 2021
My VW Tiguan was out of alignment, as happens to every car. Unfortunately, the VW Dealership informed me that I cannot get a simple alignment for $100 because VW requires calibration of the Adaptive Cruise Control any time an alignment is done. I could not find this anywhere in the Owner's Manual, nor are there any other warnings on the car or in any paperwork I signed. The VW dealership wanted an additional $400.00 (for a total exceeding $500) to provide both services. I am concerned about this 1) because VW does not communicate that this is a limitation of the ACC system, and 2) while an alignment should be the customer's responsibility to pay for, calibrating the ACC system should not. Anyone could go get an alignment done at a tire or brake shop for about $100 - what happens if they try to use their ACC afterwards and an accident happens? VW should cover ACC calibration as part of the limited warranty, and clearly warn customers not to perform one service without the other.
Engine, Oct 27, 2021
During the life of a 48 month lease, the EPC and emissions control module failed four times, placing the vehicle out of service for at least 40-days total. When these components failed, a message popped up stating there was a 4000 RPM max. The ability to accelerate was immediately lost, and actually the vehicle not let me exceed 2000 RPMs. I had to pull over and restart the engine in order to continue my journey. This was extremely hazardous.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 12, 2021
Like many other people who have complained, the same EPC engine light turning on after the engine stalls while driving. This has happened multiple times while driving on the highway while going 65mph+. The max speed 4000 rpm message comes on the dashboard. The car does not accelerate and pulling over is necessary in order to shut off the car and restart the engine. This is incredibly dangerous and the car’s speed cannot be controlled.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 6, 2021
Epc light came on and engine started to stall
Air bags, Sep 8, 2021, crash
I was involved in a head-on collision going 35mph. The airbags failed to deploy. Due to this fact, my leg arms, and shoulder took all the force of the accident causing edema and bursitis to my left shoulder. The car was towed to one of State Farm’s Collison centers where it was inspected. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to total failure of the system.
Structure, Aug 2, 2021
Driving down the Highway with my kids in the car and the sunroof shattered. No was around driving near me, nothing was hit, no other damage on my vehicle. the sunroof just exploded with my 4 children in the car. Now Im 1,000 miles away from home.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 20, 2021
Like many other complaints, for the second time now an error appeared having to do with 40000 RPM. Acceleration is impossible and the car shakes. We had this replaced for the first time in 2019 on our model year 2018 Tiguan and now need it replaced again. The car is undriveable, unsafe for its passengers and others on the roadway when it suddenly decelerates and won't resume speed. Both times this happened on the highway. There was no advance warning lamp or messages prior to the failure.
Steering, May 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while reversing out of the driveway, the rack and pinion fractured while steering the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the local dealer. The contact was informed that the bolt had fractured inside the rack and pinion. The contact called the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The vehicle was not yet repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.