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

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan

Typical pattern

2.9% of complaints about the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (50 complaints), typically at 5.7 yr or about 50,000 miles.

Complaints
210
Median age at failure
6.3 yr
Median mileage
50,000 n=165
Crash / fire / tow
8.6% of reports
Safety recalls
3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Engine
50 reports · 50,000 mi
5.7 yr
8%
Air bags
34 reports · 56,928 mi
6.7 yr
20.6%
Electrical system
23 reports · 52,000 mi
6.8 yr
13%
Steering
20 reports · 76,800 mi
7.9 yr
0%
Other
20 reports · 54,885 mi
6.8 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

18V329000 2018-05-16
Other

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.

15V483000 2015-08-04
Air bags:frontal

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.

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.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 4,000 mi 2 mo in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEELS SEIZED ABNORMALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ELECTRONIC EMERGENCY WARNING LIGHT AND CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,300.
Electrical system 27,000 mi 2.1 yr in service
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN A MERGING LANE, CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY FURTHER. CARS WERE SPEEDING BY AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. EPC LIGHT CAME ON. HAD TO GET OFF HIGHWAY AND HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *TR
Electrical system 20,000 mi 1.6 yr in service
WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. I TRIED TO RE-START THE ENGINE AND IT DID NOT START. THE VEHICLE CAME TO FULL STOP. IT TOOK A WHILE TO RE-START THE ENGINE. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS REPAIRED BY A VW DEALER, BUT I NEVER GOT A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENED. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED LAST SUNDAY ON A HIGH TRAFFIC LOCAL ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND AGAIN CAME TO A FULL STOP. IT WILL NOT RE-START.
Engine 17,000 mi 1.3 yr in service
2012 TIGUAN (~18,000 MILES) HAS STALLED AT LOW MPH FOUR TIMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONE OCCASION BUT NOT THE OTHERS. AT EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. TOOK IT IN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, TOLD ME TO MAKE NOTE OF TEMP, MILEAGE, GAS LEVEL IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THANKFULLY THIS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN OTHER CARS WERE NOT NEAR ENOUGH TO CAUSE HARM. *TR

Other Tiguan model years

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