Problems · by component
2011 Volkswagen Tiguan exterior lighting problems
39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan cite exterior lighting, 24% of all 162 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
39
24% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the exterior lighting
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR START FLASING ,WHEN YOU TURN OF THE CAR , EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD & THE STERRING WHEEL HAVE A NOISE SOUND LIKE THE CLOCK RING HAS SOME DUST IN SIDE. *TR”
“THE CLOCK SPRING SOUND A LOT, WHEN YOU DO A TURN , AND IT SOUND A LOT , MOVING THE WHEEL, THE BRAKES HAVE A SOUND WHEN YOU ARE GO IN DOWN THE HILL , SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WANT TO STOP ,LIKE SOME BODY IS PUSHING THE BRAKES. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V569000(EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEITH VOLKSWAGEN OF CARY (2300 AUTOPARK BLVD, CARY, NC 27511, (919) 297-1640) FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED AND TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER THE LIGHTING FAILURE, SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED IN THE INITIAL RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED PER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. *LN*JB”
“ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS LOST POWER WHILE IN DRIVE ON CITY STREETS. FIRST OCCASION APRIL 23 2014 THE COOLANT/WATER PUMP FAILED AS DID FUSE. MAY 23 FUEL PUMP FAILED AND FUEL PUMP PANEL. JULY 28 CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. YESTERDAY AUG 15 2016 CAR AGAIN LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND HAD TO BE TOWED (FOURTH TIME WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES) TO DEALER. I AM AWAITING DIAGNOSIS BUT NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE. TWICE I WAS FORTUNATE THAT POLICE OFFICERS SHOWED UP AND WERE ABLE TO PUSH MY CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC AND TO SAFETY BUT AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE VW SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO REPLACE THE CAR AS IT HAS CLEARLY PROVEN A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, [XXX] . *TR”
“DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I REALIZED BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT. IT WAS LIGHT WHEN I LEFT MY HOUSE SO I DIDN'T NOTICE, I HAD TO DRIVE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. JUST A LITTLE STRANGE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. SO I CALLED TO ASK TO BRING MY CAR IN AND THE GIRL TOLD ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS. I SEE RECALL 97Z9 FOR EXTERIOR LIGHTING. SHE TELLS ME I'LL HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT AND IF THERE IS A RECALL IN THE FUTURE I CAN GET A REFUND. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.”
“HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON A CAR WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON CAR. HAD TO REPLACE RIGHT HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE BULB WITH BALLAST AT A COST OF $305.36!!! I HAVE HEARD THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING HEADLIGHTS FAILING IN 2011 VW TIGUANS. WANTED TO ADD MY NAME TO THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS. *TR”
Showing 6 of 39 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.