What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan

Typical pattern

2.5% of complaints about the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2009 vehicle — around the middle of the 212 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (80 complaints), typically at 8.3 yr or about 88,000 miles.

Complaints
242
Median age at failure
7.1 yr
Median mileage
72,000 n=217
Crash / fire / tow
10.3% of reports
Safety recalls
3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Engine
80 reports · 88,000 mi
8.3 yr
7.5%
Electrical system
40 reports · 53,600 mi
5.2 yr
10%
Power train
19 reports · 73,000 mi
7.1 yr
0%
Exterior lighting
15 reports · 60,000 mi
5.1 yr
6.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

14V441000 2014-07-21
Fuel system

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.

13V569000 2013-11-22
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's exterior lights circuit may melt.

If the holder melts, there may be a partial loss of exterior lighting. Reduced vehicle illumination diminishes the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

08V235000 2008-05-28
Engine cooling

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 4,079 MY 2008 PASSAT AND 2,500 MY 2009 TIGUAN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0T FSI ULEV II ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) CONTAINING SOFTWARE THAT MAY NOT PROPERLY CONTROL ENGINE IDLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING TURNED ON. IN RARE CASES, THE ECM MAY UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASE ENGINE RPM.

AN ENGINE SURGE CAUSED BY AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM MAY SURPRISE THE VEHICLE OPERATOR AND CAN RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

In owners’ own words

Power train 958 mi 1 mo in service
1) DRIVING WITH LOW SPEED, ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC. 2) AWD AXLE CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, DAMAGING THE AXLE AND UNDERBODY SURROUNDINGS (HEAT SHIELDS ETC.) FORTUNATELY, DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 3) VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED, WAITING FOR PARTS. *TR
Power train 13,000 mi 1.6 yr in service
EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS, CAR FAILS TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY/CHANGE INTO HIGHER GEAR, HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE AND NOW NEEDS A THIRD, WAS TOLD IT WAS A WIRING PROBLEM. *TR
Power train 84,000 mi 4.6 yr in service
MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN SUFFERED A TIMING CHAIN MALFUNCTION APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES BELOW ITS MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT DATE. THIS INCIDENT RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL FAILURE (BENT VALVES). *TR
Electrical system 35,489 mi 4.3 yr in service
OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS: FIRST-CHECK ENGINE AND EPC LIGHTS ON AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE LOW. SECOND-FUEL RAIL/SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW. THIRD-BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE NORMAL POWER (BATTERY BRAND NEW OCT12). FOURTH-HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT MULTIPLE TIME OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD (BULBS BRAND NEW APR13). CAR IS WITH VW NOW FOR MELTED FUSE AND MELTED FUSE BOX. *TR UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DTCS. THE FUSE BURNT AT THE CONNECTION AND BOTH RELAYS DUE TO AN OVERHEATED CONDITION. *JS

Other Tiguan model years

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