185 Total complaints
6 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
5 Injury reports
Quick answer: The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan has 185 consumer-submitted complaints in our database. The most common complaint categories are electrical system, unknown or other, engine. Enriched records show 6 crash reports, 1 fire report, and 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.

Complaint volume

185 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.

Pattern to inspect

The most common categories are electrical system, unknown or other, engine. 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 electrical system, unknown or other, engine?
  • 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?

Enriched complaint indicators from official bulk records.

6 Crash
1 Fire
5 Injury
0 Fatality
6 Towed
2 Medical attention

Mileage at failure is available on 63 complaints ; average reported mileage is 11,386 miles.

Most common incident states: FL (3), GA (2), IL (2), AZ (1), CA (1), MA (1), NC (1), OR (1).

What are the most common 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan complaint categories?

185 total complaints on record

Latest complaints

Showing 176-185 of 185 complaints.

Date Component Summary Severity Mileage
Jul 2019 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM I BOUGHT THE TIGUAN BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH HIGH HOPES FOR OUR FAMILY SUV. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED POSITION A FEW TIMES, BUT COULDN'T BELIEVE I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM SO SOON AFTER BUYING THE CAR. WHEN I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING CAR ISSUE AND NOT USER ERROR, WE HAD ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR 3 WEEKS AND THE CAR HAD ROUGHLY 1200 MILES. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING WHEN I WAS TURNING LEFT DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH MY 12 MONTH OLD SON IN THE BACK SEAT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR. LUCKILY THE DRIVER COMING TOWARDS ME ON THE MAIN ROAD SLOWED DOWN WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO MAKE MY LEFT TURN AND COAST RIGHT INTO A NEARBY SUBDIVISION. I PRESSED MY FOOT ONTO THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR AND IT TOOK ABOUT 20 SECONDS FOR IT TO KICK INTO SPEED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE FIXED. AFTER 9 DAYS IN THE SHOP, THEY CLAIM THEY DROVE THE VEHICLE 80 MILES AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THEREFORE, THEY WANT ME TO PUT MY FAMILY BACK INTO THE CAR THAT IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY TRIED TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS THE "TURBO LAG" THAT I AM EXPERIENCING WHICH, IN THE LONG RUN, A MANAGER ADMITTED TO MY FIANCE AND I IS UNTRUE ISN'T EVEN WHAT WE ARE EXPRESSING AS THE PROBLEM. AFTER TALKING TO 3 MANAGERS, WE FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE WHO IS HEAD OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO SYMPATHIZED WITH OUR ISSUE AND IS LETTING US USE A LOANER UNTIL VOLKSWAGEN CALLS US BACK, BUT THIS IS ONLY AFTER I SHOWED THEM ALL OF THE OTHER REVIEWS ON THIS WEBSITE THAT STATE OUR EXACT ISSUE. NOW WE WAIT TO SEE IF VOLKSWAGEN WILL DO THE RIGHT THING OR IF THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AS TERRIBLE AS THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT WHEN WE WENT IN WITH A REAL AND TERRIFYING ISSUE. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WILL BE A RECALL. UNSAFE AND SCARY.
Incident: Jun 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,200
Jun 2019 ENGINE TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, THE EPC, OIL, AND SYSTEM/POWER WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CAPISTRANO VOLKSWAGEN (LOCATED AT 32922 VALLE RD, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA 92675, (949) 493-4511) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 920.
Incident: Jun 2019
Crash: No Fire: No Towed 920
May 2019 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FRONT COALITION SENSON AND WARNING LIGHT GOES ON FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED DISABLELING THE SENSON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TO 6 TIMES ON VARIOUS DATES WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND I HAVE TO STOP TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON IN ORDER TO RESET THE COMPUTER BY ITSELF. SOMETIMES IT WILL TURN OFF BY ITSELF TOO!. DRIVER SIDE MIRROR LIGHT COALITION SENSON WAS ACTIVATING ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT ANY CARS AROUND. NEVER NOTICED THIS HAPPENING BEFORE, BECAUSE I LIVE IN QUEENS NY AND I USUALLY DRIVE TO THE CITY AND I HAVE LOTS OF CARS ALL THE TIME SO IT'S CONSTANTLY TURNS ON AND OFF.
Incident: May 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,116
May 2019 UNKNOWN OR OTHER BIG MANUFACTURER DEFECT ISSUE ON TIGUAN WINDSHILED. BOUGHT NEW 2016 VW TIGUAN ON 2016 APR, WINDSHIELD BROKE IN TWO WEEKS, WHILE I'M DRIVING IN A LOCAL WAY, SLIGHT TURING RIGHT, CROSSING TRAFFIC @45 MILE/H, (HWY 75 TO EAST EXCHANGE, ALLEN, TX, 75002) NO TRUCKS SEEN. BOUGHT NEW 2019 VW TIGUAN ON 2019 MAR, WINDSHIELD BROKE IN APR, WITHIN A MONTH. A QUIET HIGHWAY, NO BIG TRUCKS PASSING BY, AND SPEED @ 65MILE/H.(HWY 75 @ RENNER) ASKED DEALER TO REPORT AS QUALITY OR DESIGN ISSUE, WITH NO RESPONSE.
Incident: Apr 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 60
May 2019 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE MY BRAND NEW 2019 VW TIGUAN FWD NEXT DAY AFTER BUYING SHOWED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS THAT RELATED TO TRANSMISSION AND BREAKING AND A UNKNOWN SOURCE OF RATTLING SOUND. I NOTICED WHEN I COLD START THE TIGUAN AND LET IT IDLE FOR 3-4 MINUTES THE NORMAL ENGINE SOUND SLOWLY GOES DOWN BUT A LOUDER AND MORE NOTICEABLE RATTLING SOUND COMES UP. IT IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING ALSO. IT'S CONCERNING BUT WHAT IS MORE CONCERNING IS THE THAT THE TIGUAN HESITATES WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. I NOTICED IT HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NOT ONLY IT HESITATES TO ACCELERATE YOU'D FEEL THE CARS STRUGGLE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. EACH TIME THE GEAR IS SHIFTING YOU COULD FEEL THE CAR IS AT A CONFUSED STATE AND SO YOU FEEL IT THUMP. AT OTHER TIMES I'VE EXPERIENCED THE CAR ALMOST STALLS WHERE THE RPM GOES UP BUT TRANSMISSION SLIPS. IT DOESN'T CHANGE GEAR. THE WORST OF ALL IS THAT WHILE SLOWLY BREAKING THE CAR TRIED TO SPEED UP. THE RPM IS ALSO SEEN TO GO UP. THE VERY UNFORTUNATE NEWS IS THAT THOUGH THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN DROVE WITH ME AND SAW THE ISSUE THEY DON'T HAVE A FIX. VW CORPORATION ALSO ISN'T PROVIDING A FIX. THERE'S OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE TIGUAN HAS A KNOWN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ACCORDING TO OTHER OWNER REPORTS. IT MAY NOT BE ALL TIGUAN BUT MY CAR IS A LEMON. THE PROBLEM PROBABLY HAS TO DO WITH WHICH LOCATION THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY CONCERN. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT SUCH ERRATIC ISSUES 2ND DAY. HOW DID VW GET PAST SAFETY BOARDS. THEY NEED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE BEFORE DEVASTATING EVENTS SUCH AS DEATH OR OTHER THINGS OCCUR. NO VEHICLES SHOULD SLIP GEARS WHILE ACCELERATING NOR SPEED UP WHILE BREAKING.
Incident: May 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 26
Apr 2019 POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER UPON DRIVING MY NEW 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN THIS PAST WINTER. IT WAS A VERY COLD WINTER DAY, WHEN STARTING MY CAR IT WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE. , THEN STARTED TO GO, IN REVERSE . I PUT IT INTO D DRIVE .. I WOULD PUTT ( GO AND STOP) LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS . THERE WAS PLENTY OF GAS IN IT . IT CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THE EPC YELLOW WARNING LIGHT. THE LIGHT SIGNAL IS ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION . I HAVE NOTIFIED MY DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. THE STATE IT WILL DO THAT WHEN IT IS VERY COLD OUT. IT IS NOW SPRING TIME. IT HAS DONE IT TWICE
Incident: Feb 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1
Mar 2019 AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE THE FIRST DAY I DROVE MY NEW 2019 TIGUAN SEL HOME, I OPENED THE PASSENGER DRIVER-SIDE DOOR AND THE HANDLE GOT STUCK AND WOULD NOT GO BACK IN...MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 2-DAYS LATER TO GET THIS FIXED. DURING THE 2-DAY WAITING PERIOD, I WAS STOPPED IN A TURNING LANE ON A FOUR-LANE, LIGHTED ROAD TO MAKE A U-TURN. WHEN I HIT THE GAS PEDDLE TO GO THE CAR JERKED FORWARD, AND WENT TO A STANDSTILL FOR ABOUT 5-SECONDS WHILE MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY PRESSING THE GAS PEDDLE. THIS CAUSED THE TWO ONCOMING VEHICLES TO HAVE TO SCREECH TO A STOP; AND THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE LANE HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME AND SPIN OUT. WHEN THE TIGUAN STARTED MOVING FORWARD, I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE I WAS SHAKING. THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY, BUT NO ONCOMING CARS WERE IN SIGHT. WENT IN FOR THE DOOR APPOINTMENT, I TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT ENGINE AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER. AN ASSISTANT MANAGER CAME OUT, I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE ENGINE, AND HE RESPOND THAT'S A VW AND GAVE ME A HUG AND TWO FREE T-SHIRTS. NEW DOOR HANDLE HAD TO BE ORDERED DUE TO CORROSION, HAD TO COME BACK 3-DAYS LATER TO HAVE IT FIXED. DURING THOSE 3-DAYS, THE PASSENGER SEAT SEAT BELT WARNING SOUND STARTED RANDOMLY GOING OFF, ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING ABOVE THE HAZARD LIGHT WHEN MY HANDBAG WAS ON THE SEAT. REPORTED THAT AND THE ENGINE ISSUE AGAIN AT NEXT APPOINTMENT. HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS...AT PICK-UP WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS TESTED FINE, BUT VW DID NOT BOTHER TO TEST THE SEAT SENSOR. WAS INSTRUCTED TO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, AS STATED IN THE CAR'S MANUAL. REQUESTED A NEW VEHICLE, OR LET ME OUT OF MY LEASE DUE TO FEELING TOTALLY UNSAFE...WAS DENIED BY BOTH CORPORATE AND DEALER. MONEY SHOULD NEVER COME BEFORE SAFETY, SO I PAID $3000 TO BREAK MY LEASE TODAY AS VW CORP & DEALER TOLD ME TO GET BACK IN THAT CAR. THIS IS A DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE.
Incident: Feb 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 230
Feb 2019 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60MPH. ALL KINDS OF EMERGENCY LIGHTS CAME UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON, AND THE CAR BLOCKED. THE GEAR WAS LOCKED AND WOULDN'T RESPOND TO RESTARTING THE CAR. THE CAR HAD TO THE TOWED, AND AFTER GETTING IT IN THE TRUCK I REALIZED THAT ONE SIDE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WEREN'T WORKING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 1700 MILES. A SIMILAR BUT LESS SEVERE EVENT HAPPEED THREES DAYS BEFORE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR.
Incident: Feb 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,776
Dec 2018 EXTERIOR LIGHTING BOTH HEADLIGHT HAVE EXTENSIVE CONDENSATION WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING. INCIDENT OCCURRED OVERNIGHT WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, IN A CLOSED PARKING LOT. CAR WAS DRIVEN FROM THE DEALER LOT TO THE CUSTOMER'S PARKING LOT A NIGHT BEFORE DURING RAINY WEATHER. THE CONDENSATION COVERS THE LED MODULES OF THE TURN SIGNAL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SAME HOUSING, AND DEPENDING ON THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AND HOW LONG THE CAR WAS OPERATING, THE CONDENSATION MOVES UPWARDS TO THE FRONT OF THE LOW BEAMS. VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES THIS INCIDENT IS NORMAL. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON TWO DOCUMENTED SERVICE VISITS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN CAR WAS ONE DAY OLD. CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES ON THE ODOMETER.
Incident: Dec 2018
Crash: No Fire: No 15
Dec 2018 EXTERIOR LIGHTING NEW CAR WITH 9 MILES SAT IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT. IN THE MORNING,THERE WAS SPOTTING CONDENSATION INSIDE ONE OF THE LIGHTS(DRIVER SIDE). DROVE IT TO THE DEALER AND BY THAT TIME CONDENSATION HAS OCCURRED INSIDE BOTH OF THE LIGHTS.
Incident: Dec 2018
Crash: No Fire: No 9

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