2021 Volkswagen Tiguan: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 128 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
128
Complaints
5
Recalls
2
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
18.8
Severity index
Severity index 18.8 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan ranks 88 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 2% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 43 | 33.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 28 | 21.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 21 | 16.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 11 | 8.6% |
| STRUCTURE | 11 | 8.6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 7.8% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 10 | 7.8% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 8 | 6.2% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 43 of 128 complaints (33.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 29 |
| 2025 | 41 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 23 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 3.6x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V038000 | 01/02/2021 | SEATS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta vehicles. Bolts may be missing from the front seat tracks. |
| 20V716000 | 18/11/2020 | BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system |
| 22V176000 | 23/03/2022 | SUSPENSION | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan, Taos, and 2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. The left or right rear suspension knuckles may corrode, crack, and break. |
| 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. |
| 22V514000 | 20/07/2022 | BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainm |
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.