Complaint volume
176 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Complaints
176 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, grouped by component category.
176 Total complaints
6 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
5 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are unknown or other, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 6 crash reports, 1 fire report, 5 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 63 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 11,386 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to unknown or other, electrical system, forward collision avoidance?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints?
6 Crash
1 Fire
5 Injury
0 Fatality
5 Towed
2 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan complaint categories?
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 13
ENGINE 12
SERVICE BRAKES 10
POWER TRAIN 7
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5
SUSPENSION 5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4
176 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving and starting to go into the turn lane on the right, to make a right turn, the car would not slow down, while pressing the brake the car would not slow, I could not turn at the speed and was unable to get back into the flow of traffic either , so was left driving into a guard wire holding up a pole. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| May 2026 | SUSPENSION | There has been a safety recall for CERTAIN 2019 VW Tiguan's due to improper materials or incorrect process parameters during manufacture of the rear coil springs, which are weaker than intended (Volkswagen's recall number is 42J5). While parked in my driveway on May 17, 2026, my family members heard an exceptionally loud bang from the house and from the street. The coil spring had fractured, and caused damage to the rest of the rear suspension. This was confirmed by my independent mechanic, who has since repaired the problem, despite initial difficulty in getting the necessary parts. They had been told by the dealership that there was an "indefinite backorder" for the coil springs. When I called the dealership back to inquire further, I was informed that there were not many of these parts available, and there are no after-market parts available. A shortage of a non-electronic part is often due to an increased demand, suggesting the problem is more widespread than acknowledged by Volkswagen. I contend that the 42J4 recall should be further investigated, and likely extended to included additional vehicles, particularly those with the exact make, model, and year of manufacture as already covered under the recall, especially since this part is crucial to vechicle safety/handing and is generally expected to "often last the life of the vehicle". Had I been driving on the highway when this occurred, significant property damage, and potential bodily injury could have been a likely result. Reference: (NHTSA campaign 19V-188) for 2018–2019 models due to rear coil springs | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | The car stopped at a light on a busy street in [XXX] (in the middle lane), then the engine stopped, and my wife could not restart it. I went as fast as possible and met her. I was eventually able to get it started. This is the third time we have had problems like this. I did the same thing for me and another time for my wife. I believe it is the stop-start capability, but I can't say for sure. We have also had bad engine oil burning problems and electrical problems. All of these (I now know, but did not before) are recurring problems for 2019 Tiguans. The cylinder head was rebuilt last year, associated with a similar instance. I am now fully aware that the 2019 Tiguans are known to experience all of these problems, but when I brought my car in on previous occasions, that never got mentioned. I am told XYZ is an issue, then billed for repairs. The car was originally leased, and when I purchased it at the end of the lease, I also purchased a full premium warranty. When the issue happened in May of 2025, the policy eventually covered this, but it took over a month of justifications and records before the third-party insurance company agreed to cover the repairs. All of this said, I am no longer comfortable that this car is safe for my wife to drive, as the issues that are repeating are known issues, and yet Volkswagen seems to sweep these under the rug from both a manufacturer and dealership perspective. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | When it is really hot outside 90 and above my car does messes up. As I'm driving my car will throw the code pull over and Check starter system. Everything turns off, and then it takes minutes from my car to restart. It has happened multiple times when I'm in traffic at a stop light or driving and it throws the code as my car is moving. I have taken it to shops and still no auto shop can figure out the fix. Happened for the first time a year ago, and now its happening constantly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | The vehicle will randomly shut off while driving. A message will appear stating "Check the Starting System" Attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful. The engine will start, stall after about 2 seconds and the message "Check Starting System" will display. The first time it happened, I was turning a corner at a rather dangerous intersection and the vehicle stalled. It took about three attempts before the engine would remain running. When the engine would stall the dash would go dark and the engine would not remain running this happened about a month ago in hot weather. It occurred again on April 25th, 2026 way worse this time. The temperature in the area reached 91 Degrees Fahrenheit. My vehicle was sitting outside in the heat for at least 5 hours, same issue, The vehicle would then proceed to stall in the middle of the freeway, I was able to coast to the breakdown lane where the vehicle would remain unable to start and the message "Check Starter System" would display. Looking on NHTSA webpage before filing a complaint, it seems that this is a rather common issue. VW had a recall for other models (Campaign 28H7) for models such as the Jetta, Golf and other like models. This is a really dangerous issue and could end up getting someone seriously injured or worse killed in a collision if my vehicle stalls like this. The vehicle is scheduled for a service appointment in the near future (Local VW dealer is at least 2 weeks out before they can even look at my vehicle) After viewing this information, I can't help but believe it is possible the 28H7 recall is affecting more models than anticipated. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | In warm weather, the car will start but immediately shut off with warning check starter system. All electrical will go off including brake lights, signal, a/c | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Car turns off while driving and says to check starter system when sitting in the sun, mechanics can not find anything wrong. Has happened twice in a two week period | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The starter system failed & yes it is available for inspection. Others & my safety was put at risk, as the car shut off while I was driving. The gauges turned off, I could not see how fast I was going and the turning and brake lights did not work either, the radio & a/c all turned off. The problem has been reproduced while the vehicle is parked on hot days and in the winter when the the heater is on for a period of time. There are online forums of other Volkswagen owners having the same issue. Volkswagen owners have had the ignition switch replaced and the issue has not happened to them again. There were not any warnings or messages prior to the failure. The message that appears says, "please check the starter system. When the vehicle is parked in the shade it turns on fine. I have an appointment scheduled at my local Volkswagen service department to have the ignition switch replaced on my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. Please contact me asap, this should be a recall and any costs associated with it should be covered by Volkswagen as this is a common safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Relates to the Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch that for some reason is only applied to Jetta's but needs to be expanded to include 2019 Tiguans . In vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch, the polyfuse can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high temperature environments. If the polyfuse fails, it can result in the engine stalling while driving and failure of the vehicle's electrical system, increasing the risk of a crash. I have had this issue happen over 5 times since the initial incident last week. Now anything above 70 degrees Fahrenheit causes the interior to "lose power" but the engine will continue to run. The A/C, infotainment system, all the ADAS, instrument cluster, headlights, and turn signals shuts off completely. No brake lights, no blinkers, no odometer reading, nothing. I can still drive (accelerate & brake) when this is happening but without all of those systems working I cannot safely operate this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When it is hot out, while i am driving the car will say "pull over, shutting down" and then it says "please check the starter system." The car will just shut off This was SOO dangerous. This happened on the highway, with my two kids in the car and nothing worked. everything black and my blinkers and lights werent working and just stopped in the middle of the street and wouldn't turn on. VERY UNSAFE I am bringing it in to the dealership but they do not think it is that. It quickly flashed and then just shut off This has happened numerous amount of time-- only when its hot out. The first occurrence was last summer but now that its hot out again, happened today 3/9/26 I see that there was a recall for this of my car and MY year but nothing on my vin | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | Experienced water leaks due to improperly routed sun roof drains. Experienced air bag electrical malfunctions, locking doors and unlocking doors, and air bag sensor/wiring harness inside passenger door. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Well driving on highway, front portion of sunroof shattered. Very loud, exploding sound. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | Parking brake would not disengage and the shop told me it was because water was in the floor pan behind the passenger seat and it’s causing shorts In the electrical system. The cause of the water was diagnosed as a leaking sunroof. This has caused me loss of vehicle, time and too much money! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that after a heavy rainstorm, approximately 4-inches of water was discovered in the rear driver’s side floor and on the rear driver’s side seat. Upon inspection, the contact discovered mold inside the vehicle due to the rainwater entering the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was due to a faulty drainage from the sunroof. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 69,000 |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | My 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly shut off on the highway with my children in the car. The vehicle lost all power, including steering, air conditioning, radio, navigation, and windows. I was barely able to coast to safety. The dealership diagnosed the issue as the ignition switch, part number 5Q1 905 865. This is the exact same part number included in Volkswagen’s current recall of nearly 50,000 Jettas for ignition switch failure. Despite this, VW has not expanded the recall to cover Tiguans. I paid over $700 for the repair, even though the part itself costs around $50. Worse, the dealership reinstalled the same recalled part number into my Tiguan, meaning the defect has not been corrected and could occur again at any time. This is a serious safety hazard. A sudden engine shutdown at highway speeds could easily result in injury or death. Volkswagen is fully aware of this defect but is refusing to extend the recall to affected Tiguan vehicles. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue immediately and require Volkswagen to expand the ignition switch recall to include Tiguans equipped with part number 5Q1 905 865. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | When it’s hot outside I get a warning about the starting system then all the electronics shut off including all dash, radio, and exterior lights | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My car has delayed acceleration issues of between 3 - 6 seconds. The last one that was 6 seconds ore more was on June 29. In addition it's happened several times. I took the vehicle in for its last service and was told the issue was my battery. Battery was replaced and issue not resolved. The service before that I was told it was a carbon build up. Continues to happen sporadically. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 68 MPH, there was a booming sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stopped to inspect the vehicle and discovered that the rear glass sunroof panel had shattered from the inside and shards of glass were ejected from the sunroof panel. The contact wrapped the roof with plastic to secure the damaged sections of the sunroof, to ensure no other glass shards fell from the vehicle while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 44,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 44,000 |
| Aug 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing safety concern regarding my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, with VIN [XXX] . Despite reaching out to Volkswagen of America on August 18th, 2025, and visiting my local dealership multiple times, the issue remains unresolved. The problem is with the gas pedal, which fails to accelerate properly when starting from a standstill, such as when reversing or driving from a traffic light or stop sign. This issue also occurs when attempting to merge onto a highway or freeway. The dealership has been unable to identify the cause, and the problem is becoming more frequent. I am extremely concerned for the safety of my family and other road users. I have attached a video recording of the issue, taken by my daughter on [XXX]. I urge Volkswagen to take immediate responsibility for providing a safe and reliable vehicle. I request that they provide a loaner car while my vehicle is under inspection. However, when I requested a loaner car from the dealership, they informed me that none were available and suggested that I rent a car instead. Unfortunately, I am unable to afford the cost of renting a car, especially for an indefinite period. I would appreciate your assistance in resolving this matter. Please find below the details of my previous correspondence with Volkswagen: - Initial complaint to Volkswagen of America: August 18th, 2025 - Visit to local dealership: August 14th, 2025 - Scheduled appointment: August 29th, 2025 Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a prompt response. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When trying to accelerate from a full stop the car is not accelerating when pressing the gas pedal. It happened at a stop light, I pressed the gas, the car went nowhere, pressed the gas harder until gas pedal was floored and then the car accelerates forward very quickly. Also happened when i was making a left turn crossing 2 lanes of traffic. Stepped off the gas to make a left turn, car begins to roll forward but when i press the gas nothing happens, I am now in both lanes of traffic flooring my gas pedal, nothing happens for about 5 seconds and the car lurches forward quickly. There are no lights illuminated on the dashboard. Brought car to VW delearship, they say they went over the entire car and found nothing wrong. When investigating online it seems others are also having the same issue and getting the same response from VW. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When the car is at a complete stop such as at a light or pulling onto a street, when you press the gas there will be a delay before it lurches forward. This becomes a very real safety risk trying to pull onto busy roads or even at lights. This car has been taken into multiple shops without it being fixed, the last one kept saying they had no idea why since there are no warning lights. They said they contacted VW who is saying a 5 second delay is within what they consider normal. It's not normal and is a very real risk and has almost caused us to get into numerous accidents. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ENGINE | Water pump leak/failure | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ENGINE | High oil consumption | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | On three (3) separate occasions, my 2019 VW Tiguan has produced an error stating "Check Starter System" on the console and shut down electrical systems such as instrument panel, brake lights, headlights, taillights, back up camera, and other electrical systems while driving. All three (3) situations followed the same series of events whereas the car was out in the sunlight on warmer days (70+ degrees) and occurred within 5 or so minutes of starting. After shutting the vehicle off and attempting to restart, the ignition will not always work and the car will not turn over. When it does, the key will need to be turned farther than a normal ignition start and most likely produce an immediate error and electrical system shut down. In the most recent occurrence, I found a parking garage and left the car for around an hour and did not experience the issue for the rest of the trip. It appears that there was a recall for a similar issues with the Jetta models made in the same year (2019). Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch / NHTSA campaign number: 23V604 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving in extremely hot weather, the fault code message stating that the ignition was switched off, check the starter system, and to please pull over to the side of the road was displayed, while emitting a beeping sound to alarm the driver. The electrical systems, excluding the engine, became disabled. The contact stated that the headlights, taillights, instrument panel, and several other electrical functions were inoperable. The driver coasted to the side of the road and waited until the engine had cooled off before continuing to drive. The failure occurred consistently, in approximately 2 to 3 minutes, causing the driver to repeat the actions for the vehicle to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The code starter fault error message was displayed; however, the dealer did not believe the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V60400 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the Part Number: 521905865; for the ignition switch, was the same and believed that the failure was related to the recall. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure because the temperature was not 90 degrees or higher. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,103. | Crash: No Fire: No | 74,103 |