2016 Volkswagen Tiguan problems and recalls

Owners have filed 97 complaints on the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, and NHTSA has issued 2 recalls. The most cited component is the Air Bags (37 complaints).

97
Complaints
2
Recalls
4
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
3
Injuries
57.3
Severity index

Severity index 57.3 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 57.3p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 87 of 142 by severity index among 2016 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 39% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2016 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 37 complaints (38.1%)37 38%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 27 complaints (27.8%)27 28%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 23 complaints (23.7%)23 24%SteeringSteering: 13 complaints (13.4%)13 13%EngineEngine: 10 complaints (10.3%)10 10%StructureStructure: 6 complaints (6.2%)6 6%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 4 complaints (4.1%)4 4%Power TrainPower Train: 3 complaints (3.1%)3 3%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS3738.1%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2727.8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2323.7%
STEERING1313.4%
ENGINE1010.3%
STRUCTURE66.2%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM44.1%
POWER TRAIN33.1%

Complaints filed per year

014282016: 52017: 32018: 52019: 172020: 62021: 92022: 282023: 82024: 42025: 92026: 3 (partial year)161718192021222823242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20165
20173
20185
201917
20206
20219
202228
20238
20244
20259
2026 (year to date)3
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.5x those in 2020 to 2022 (21 against 43).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V53500017/07/2019AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
16V46400024/06/2016LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January

Other Volkswagen Tiguan model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 15 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-10-21. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.