2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 274 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 13 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
274
Complaints
13
Recalls
5
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
11
Injuries
46.0
Severity index
Severity index 46.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 121 2018 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan ranks 64 of 121 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 47% of its model-year peers. See the full 2018 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 77 | 28.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 50 | 18.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 49 | 17.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 42 | 15.3% |
| STRUCTURE | 39 | 14.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 38 | 13.9% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 21 | 7.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 20 | 7.3% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 77 of 274 complaints (28.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 92 |
| 2019 | 57 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 11 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V724000 | 20/11/2020 | SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan LWB vehicles. In the event of a crash, one or both of the front seat belt's webbing may tear. |
| 21V732000 | 23/09/2021 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan vehicles. During the repair of roof damage, an incorrect roof reinforcement assembly may have been installed. |
| 18V324000 | 16/05/2018 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan and Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The nut that holds the lower ball joint of the front wheel on each side of the vehicle may be loose or improperly tightened. |
| 19V679000 | 25/09/2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and B |
| 18V262000 | 25/04/2018 | SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long wheelbase (LWB) vehicles. A lower loop of a rear shock absorber may separate from its base due to an incorrect welding process |
| 18V375000 | 06/06/2018 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment. |
| 18V467000 | 13/07/2018 | VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles. The LED module for the panoramic sunroof ambient light bar may short circuit. |
| 18V824000 | 26/11/2018 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in |
| 19V188000 | 06/03/2019 | SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture. |
| 18V102000 | 09/02/2018 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. The front driver air bag installed on these vehicles may not be intended for use in vehicles sold in the United States. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the require |
| 18V159000 | 08/03/2018 | ENGINE | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The engine support bolts on these vehicles may not have been properly tightened. |
| 17V662000 | 18/10/2017 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The back-up lights in the taillight assemblies may not be bright enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehi |
| 22V226000 | 06/04/2022 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.