Problems · NHTSA complaints
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan problems
Owners filed 289 complaints about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan with NHTSA between Oct 2017 and Nov 2026. The most-cited component is engine (82).
Complaints
289
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine82
- Power train49
- Electrical system46
- Fuel/propulsion system41
- Structure39
- Vehicle speed control21
- Service brakes19
- Exterior lighting17
- Steering16
- Seat belts16
- Air bags15
- Forward collision avoidance12
- Suspension10
- Lane departure6
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
92
57
25
19
19
18
12
17
26
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 92 |
| 2019 | 57 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 | 26 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
82 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“Within 6 months of purchasing car CPO from dealer, car went into limp mode. Was less than 35k miles, still having same issues at 85k miles. Took to dealer, they said nothing was wrong with car. Car began to have ECU light come on frequently in the middle of driving, took back to dealer. They replaced the fuel injector harness under warranty. Began to have issues with fuel injector misfires, car stalling and lagging at stop signs, sputtering when given gas. When driven for long periods at a time, would intermittently not start. Took back to dealer within a year, spent 1800 on maybe fixes, modules and carbon filter replacement. Same issues. Took back again, spent another 1800 replacing modules. Same issues repeated. Took to a european car specialist as we were frustrated with not getting the vehicle properly fixed for years at the dealer, had the engine walnut blasted for any carbon buildup and fuel injectors cleaned, they diagnosed and said the fuel rail harness is bad. Took back to Volkswagen, they re-evaluated and said there was no issue- my husband had to explain to them that there was a repair just done so code reading would not be sufficient and they needed…”
Power train
49 reports
“The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shook and decelerated abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the vehicle should not be driven because the drive belt needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder with no ETA. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.”
Electrical system
46 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“Suspected Electrical Defect and Potential Fire Hazard – 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL I am reporting a suspected electrical safety defect involving the sunroof wiring harness in my 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL. While my vehicle was parked, an attempt was made to replace a blown F23 fuse. Smoke began coming from the sunroof area and filled the cabin. Afterward, multiple warning lights illuminated, the vehicle displayed a “turn car off” warning, the door locks repeatedly cycled, the climate control stopped working, and the infotainment/navigation screen shut off and restarted. A mechanic subsequently determined that the sunroof wiring harness had melted and required replacement. I was informed that the wiring harness (part number 5NA971648C) is unavailable and has been placed under Volkswagen’s “quality inspection” process due to suspected fire-hazard concerns. Volkswagen reportedly no longer supplies this harness separately, requiring replacement of the entire sunroof assembly, including the glass, even though the glass is not the source of the problem. The repair is estimated at $3,900 and requires extensive labor, including dashboard removal and a VIN-specific part…”
Fuel/propulsion system
41 reports
“The car went into limp mode on an Interstate Highway. It was taken to a VW dealer in Mooresville, NC after two other private garages could not diagnose the problem. Their is a current Factory Warranty Extension for 2017, 2018, 2019 VW Tiguan's. The dealer in Mooresville kept the car for two weeks. Drove it for over 100 miles. They claim They can see the code in the computer but it is not active so VW will not pay for the known problem. I feel this is a safety issue as the car will not only possibly go into limp mode at any time but when stepping on the accelerator when not in limp mode the exhibits another known fault. The engine initially sputters as if it is going to stall then accelerates very quickly.”
Structure
39 reports2 related recalls
“My 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced a failure of the airbag control module caused by water intrusion through the HVAC access area and failed seam seal tape at the cowl support. The dealership confirmed that water leaked through a factory seam, accumulated at the airbag module, and caused the module to fail. The airbag warning light is illuminated, and the system is inoperable. This failure matches the same defect pattern covered under Volkswagen’s recall campaigns for the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport (water intrusion leading to airbag control module failure), but my VIN is not included. The root cause and safety implications are identical: water entering through a body seam/HVAC area and compromising the airbag system. This is a safety‑critical issue that disables the airbags and creates a risk of injury in a crash. I am requesting NHTSA review this defect for potential recall expansion. Dealership Findings: • Water present at airbag control module • Water leaking through HVAC access hole • Failed seam seal tape at cowl support • Water accumulation damaging the airbag module • Cowl trim cracked and repaired • Recommended replacement of airbag control module…”
Vehicle speed control
21 reports
“On multiple occasions, while driving on the highway, subject vehicle displayed check engine light and EPC light at random intervals and an alarm saying exceeded 4000 came on. RPM's were not over 4000. Speed and acceleration severely limited making it dangerous to pull over on the highway in traffic. Had to pull car over and restart engine. This has happened numerous times. Also experienced shaking and skipping or missing of transmission. The car has also had the engine stall or stop when at red light or stopped forcing restart of engine.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.