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2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 286 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, most often about the engine (29% of complaints, typically around 8,000 miles). It is the most complained-about Tiguan model year since 2000 and has 14 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan problems
Engine
82 complaints · 29%Half of these problems showed up before 8,000 miles.
Vehicle engages automatic braking system without any prompting...no other vehicle anywhere in sight. It has happened on a rural two lane road, with a farm on one side and woods on the other and has also happened on a 4 lane road within city limits, but no vehicle in front of me, but one to the rear passenger side in…
Engine oil will leak from intake camshaft adjustment valve. Leak was noticed first when parked. After first repair by dealer (11 july 2018), it started to leak again only after five days from repair. This represents a safety issue that may cause a fire or eventually engine to fail. Can provide repair report from…
Other or unspecified
52 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 5,000 miles.
During the backing up processs, there is no beeping or loud noise indicator, with the back up camera's, also there is not release button inside the vehicle nor on my fob, and I think it should be. Thank you
Rattling noise coming from the seatbelt column. Have brought in my car and sent recordings of the noise and the dealership said they cannot replicate the noise they now have it for the 3 mrs time and I have shared u tube links and the vw forum to show them that other customers have the issues
Transmission
49 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 8,000 miles. Parts named most often: driveline.
When I'm giving gas/ accelerating, there is a "hissing-sound" coming from outside and more clearer and louder to the passenger side person position. Can hear it even clear if I roll down the windows. Sound starts coming anywhere from 0 - max MPH no matter which roads I drive in. Don't know for sure which part of the…
Car bucks forward when coming to a stop from motion.( down shifts hard) and shifts into first gear really hard. This happens when stop/start is turned off. Its even worse when more than two people are in car. Vehicle also accelerates too fast in first gear. Turbo kicks in too early.
Electrical
46 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 12,000 miles.
The contact owned a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. While driving 50 MPH, smoke and flames were seen coming from the dashboard. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder. The fire department was contacted to extinguish the fire, but the vehicle was completely burnt and destroyed when they arrived. A police…
Leaking sunroof drain causes the computer to mulfunction and report multiple car issues, like: fault: electronic parking brake error: ABS/electronic stabilization control (ESC) error: airbag this happens every time there is a heavy rain
Fuel system
41 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 8,500 miles.
Guess I'm having the same issue a lot of others are having. Sitting at a red light and hit the gas and nothing happens. Smells like gas inside the cabin. It's been in service at the dealership for 15 days and they have no idea what the problem is and no eta on the fix. I purchased the car in december 2017.
When starting vehicle (either cold or warm), vehicle has a several seconds hesitation when pushing down accelerator. Vehicle does not move, hesitates then lurches forward as if the vehicle is not getting sufficient power to move. Vehicle has been to the Volkswagen dealer several times and they have been unable to…
Body and structure
39 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 1,000 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
The drivers side b pillar consistantly makes agressive and loud cracking noises when driving the vehicle. I have initiated a lemon law suit with Volkswagen. The vehicle has been to the dealer three times and the concern has not yet been rectified. Additionally the drivers side b piller flexes and cracks when the rear…
Purchased the 2018 Tiguan on september 16th, entered service on october 10th with two b pillar rattles, excessive wind noise from drivers door and a screen flicker with the back-up camera. Car has remained in service for 21 days and no resolution from Volkswagen.
Speed control
21 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 6,000 miles.
While driving, no object or anything in the front, the car emits a beep, red flashing collision signal, and slams on the brake. The day is clear, sunny, and daytime. This happened multiple times. Two times, it almost felt like we hit a wall. It caused whiplash and my neck was stiff for a couple of days. This needs to…
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when attempting to accelerate. The contact stated that the failure occurred every day while driving in traffic or merging onto the highway ever since the vehicle was purchased on october 18, 2018. The vehicle was taken to…
Brakes
21 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 8,000 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components.
Vehicle engages automatic braking system without any prompting...no other vehicle anywhere in sight. It has happened on a rural two lane road, with a farm on one side and woods on the other and has also happened on a 4 lane road within city limits, but no vehicle in front of me, but one to the rear passenger side in…
My wife and I were driving in our Tiguan with our 7 month old and 3 year old in the back. We were driving approximately 35-40mph on a residential street during the day with good visibility. As we approached a metal plate over the road (for a road construction project) the Tiguan's "front assist" system caused the car…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls
Steering
Risk: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed november 10, 2026. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48lg and 48vt. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on september 16, 2026.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 tiguan, 2018-2019 atlas, and 2019-2021 audi q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
Body and structure: body
Risk: An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed june 3, 2022. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66n5.
Full defect summary
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.
Body and structure: roof and pillars
Risk: The incorrect roof reinforcement may decrease the roof's structural integrity or impact deployment of the side curtain air bags, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will be replace the roof reinforcement, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed november 19, 2021. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 51h5.
Full defect summary
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.
Seat belts: webbing
Risk: A torn seat belt may not adequately restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belts and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began april 13, 2021. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69bh.
Full defect summary
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.
Other: unknown or other
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began november 6, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01d7. Note: this recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18v-329.
Full defect summary
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 beetle convertible, 2008-2010 beetle, and beetle convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Suspension: coil springs
Risk: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began april 12, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42j5.
Full defect summary
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.
Electrical: instrument cluster/panel
Risk: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began december 13, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90l3 and 90l4.
Full defect summary
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 the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 114, "theft protection."
Visibility and wipers: sun/moon roof assembly
Risk: A short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the power supply for the panoramic sunroof LED module, free of charge, until a future service action can safely reactivate the feature. The recall began july 24, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall 60d1.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began july 19, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69w8, and 69w9.
Full defect summary
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.
Suspension: lower ball joint
Risk: A loose or improperly tightened ball joint nut can result in the separation of the lower ball joint causing steering, traction or other stability issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the nut on the lower ball joint and, as necessary, clean the thread in the ball joint, free of charge. The recall began may 30, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40n4. Note: owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair has been performed.
Full defect summary
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.
Suspension: shock absorber
Risk: If the lower loop of the rear shock absorber detaches, there may be a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear shock absorbers, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began may 30, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42i7.
Full defect summary
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
Engine
Risk: If the engine support bolts were not properly tightened, an unexpected engine breakdown or loss of engine power may occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace engine support bolts, free of charge. The recall began march 26, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10f7.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: frontal
Risk: In the event of a crash, the incorrect air bags may not protect the driver as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel and front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began may 30, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69v2.
Full defect summary
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 requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 208, "occupant crash protection."
Lights: tail lights
Risk: If the back-up lights are not bright enough, other drivers may not see the vehicle reversing, or the driver may back into an obstacle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected inner taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began december 15, 2017. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94j9.
Full defect summary
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 vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Seat belt webbing failure
Summary
In december 2017, NHTSA conducted two (2) new car assessment program (ncap) tests on the model year (my) 2018 volkswagen (vw) tiguan. Both tests were 35mph full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-belted in the right front passenger position. The tests were conducted on december 8, 2017, at mga research corp. (mga) in wisconsin and december 13, 2017, at the transportation research center (trc) of ohio.during both crash tests, the driver seat belt webbing completely separated at the point where the webbing loops through the crash locking tongue (clt). In both ncap tests, the dummy injury cri
Seat belt webbing failure
Summary
In december 2017, NHTSA conducted two new car assessment program (ncap) tests on the 2018 my volkswagen (vw) tiguan. Both tests were 35 MPH, full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-belted in the right front-passenger position. The tests were conducted on december 8, 2017 at mga research corp. In wisconsin (mga) and december 13, 2017 at the transportation research center of ohio (trc).during both crash tests, the driver seat belt webbing completely separated in tension where it looped through the seat belt latch tongue (see attached photos). Based on its analysis of the ncap test results, v
Questions about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (82 complaints, typically around 8,000 miles); other or unspecified (52 complaints, typically around 5,000 miles); transmission (49 complaints, typically around 8,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have?
- 14 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 11, 2026 (steering). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Volkswagen Tiguan?
- It is the most complained-about Tiguan model year since 2000, with 286 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.