2010 Volkswagen TIGUAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Volkswagen TIGUAN has 158 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: tl*the contact owns a 2010 volkswagen tiguan. in july 2010, the electronic power control light illuminated. the dealer replaced the accelerator pedal at that time. in october 2010, while the contact was driving approximately 40 mph and attempting to turn, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the contact wa. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 5 crash reports 1 injury

158

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

55 complaints

35%

• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. IN JULY 2010, THE ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THAT TIME. IN OCTOBER 2010, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WA
• (CYLINDER FAILING/INJECTORS LEAKING) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD GAS IN MY TANK TO LET THE GAS RUN OUT AND TO FILL UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. CAR DIDN'T HAVE MUCH POWER AND IDLING WASN'T SMOOTH. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF I KEEP GETTING BAD GAS THAT IT WILL DAMAGE THE CATALYST CONVERTE
• 2010 VW LE TIGUAN PURCHASED NEW AND IMMEDIATELY THE BACK-UP CAMERA COMES ON WHILE DRIVING STATING THAT YOU CAN'T USE THE BACK-UP CAMERA WHILE DRIVING. WHILE SERVICE TRIED TO FIX SEVERAL TIMES, IT CONTINUES TO DATE. WATER PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING, TRUNK HATCH MECHANISM FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. IN JULY 2010, THE ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THAT TIME. IN OCTOBER 2010, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

31 complaints

20%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLING UNIT AIR RE-CIRCULATOR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. THE OWNER'S MANUAL ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE OPERATED WITH THE RE-CIRCULATOR CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING. THE D
• THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN READS 3% SLOWER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE BASED ON COMPARISONS WITH MULTIPLE GPS UNITS. VOLKSWAGEN IS UNWILLING TO DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT THE DEFECT. THE PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY TIME THAT I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *TR
• 2010 VW LE TIGUAN PURCHASED NEW AND IMMEDIATELY THE BACK-UP CAMERA COMES ON WHILE DRIVING STATING THAT YOU CAN'T USE THE BACK-UP CAMERA WHILE DRIVING. WHILE SERVICE TRIED TO FIX SEVERAL TIMES, IT CONTINUES TO DATE. WATER PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING, TRUNK HATCH MECHANISM FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLING UNIT AIR RE-CIRCULATOR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. THE OWNER'S MANUAL ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE OPERATED WITH THE RE-CIRCULATOR CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING. THE D”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

19 complaints

12%

• I STARTED UP THE CAR AND MULTIPLE DASH WARNINGS THEN WENT OFF. THE EPC LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE HEAD LAMPS WARNINGS ALL TURNED ON. I THEN POPPED THE HOOD AND OPENED UP THE FUSE BOX TO MAKE SURE THE FUSES WERE SEATED CORRECTLY. UPON CHECKING THE FUSES I NOTICED THE BOX ITSELF WAS MELTED AND
• INTERMITTENT ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF SEVERAL LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS, BLINKING, REAR BRAKE LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT). DANGEROUS FOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. AFTER INVESTIGATION TURNED OUT TO BE A PARTIALLY MELTED 30 A FUSE IN THE FUSEBOX (30A FUSE AT THE BACK OF THE BOX). THIS EXACT PROBLEM HAS BEEN RE
• DEFECTIVE FUSE BOX THAT MELTED/BURNT. HEADLIGHTS INOPERABLE THIS WAS NOT A RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS A BASIC DESIGN FLAW BY VOLKSWAGEN. *JS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I STARTED UP THE CAR AND MULTIPLE DASH WARNINGS THEN WENT OFF. THE EPC LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE HEAD LAMPS WARNINGS ALL TURNED ON. I THEN POPPED THE HOOD AND OPENED UP THE FUSE BOX TO MAKE SURE THE FUSES WERE SEATED CORRECTLY. UPON CHECKING THE FUSES I NOTICED THE BOX ITSELF WAS MELTED AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

13 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN MY 2 MONTH OLD 2010 TIGUAN WHEN A CAR IN THE LEFT LANE CAME OVER INTO MY LANE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND WHEN I DID THE TIGUAN STARTED JERKING BACK AND FORTH (LEFT TO RIGHT AND BACK) SO HARD THAT IT JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS
• WE HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING CUT OUT MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, THE RED POWER STEERING LIGHT SEEMS TO BE ON WHEN WE START IT THE SECOND TIME FOR THE DAY AND DOESN'T ALWAYS RESET WHEN RESTARTING THE CAR. WE HAVE YET TO BRING IT TO GET FIXED AS THE NEAREST DE
• 2010 VW TIGUAN, WITH REPEATED ENGINE FAILURES ASSOCIATED WITH POWER STEERING MODULE, BOOST SOLENOID / ENGINE COILS, WIRING HARNESS, FUSE RE-CALL, LOSS OF POWER / THRUST / ELECTRICAL PANEL INSTABILITY, BEGINNING IN JULY 2013 UPON THE LIMITED WOLFSBURG PLATFORM. SERVICE WAS PROVIDED BY A VW DEALERSH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN MY 2 MONTH OLD 2010 TIGUAN WHEN A CAR IN THE LEFT LANE CAME OVER INTO MY LANE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND WHEN I DID THE TIGUAN STARTED JERKING BACK AND FORTH (LEFT TO RIGHT AND BACK) SO HARD THAT IT JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

8 complaints

• (CYLINDER FAILING/INJECTORS LEAKING) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD GAS IN MY TANK TO LET THE GAS RUN OUT AND TO FILL UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. CAR DIDN'T HAVE MUCH POWER AND IDLING WASN'T SMOOTH. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF I KEEP GETTING BAD GAS THAT IT WILL DAMAGE THE CATALYST CONVERTE
• 2010 VW LE TIGUAN PURCHASED NEW AND IMMEDIATELY THE BACK-UP CAMERA COMES ON WHILE DRIVING STATING THAT YOU CAN'T USE THE BACK-UP CAMERA WHILE DRIVING. WHILE SERVICE TRIED TO FIX SEVERAL TIMES, IT CONTINUES TO DATE. WATER PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING, TRUNK HATCH MECHANISM FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACE
• VEHICLE WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC MOVING APPROX. 5MPH AND STALLED. WAS ABLE TO STOP AND ATTEMPT TO RESTART A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ENGINE WOULD ATTEMPT TO START, BUT WOULD QUICKLY SHUT OFF AS IF ENGINE WAS NOT RECEIVING ANY FUEL. PUSHED VEHICLE TO NEARBY PARKING LOT AND SAME THING, VEHICLE WOULD CRANK MAK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“(CYLINDER FAILING/INJECTORS LEAKING) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD GAS IN MY TANK TO LET THE GAS RUN OUT AND TO FILL UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. CAR DIDN'T HAVE MUCH POWER AND IDLING WASN'T SMOOTH. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF I KEEP GETTING BAD GAS THAT IT WILL DAMAGE THE CATALYST CONVERTE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 158 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. IN JULY 2010, THE ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THAT TIME. IN OCTOBER 2010, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLING UNIT AIR RE-CIRCULATOR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. THE OWNER'S MANUAL ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE OPERATED WITH THE RE-CIRCULATOR CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING. THE D
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: I STARTED UP THE CAR AND MULTIPLE DASH WARNINGS THEN WENT OFF. THE EPC LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE HEAD LAMPS WARNINGS ALL TURNED ON. I THEN POPPED THE HOOD AND OPENED UP THE FUSE BOX TO MAKE SURE THE FUSES WERE SEATED CORRECTLY. UPON CHECKING THE FUSES I NOTICED THE BOX ITSELF WAS MELTED AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN MY 2 MONTH OLD 2010 TIGUAN WHEN A CAR IN THE LEFT LANE CAME OVER INTO MY LANE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND WHEN I DID THE TIGUAN STARTED JERKING BACK AND FORTH (LEFT TO RIGHT AND BACK) SO HARD THAT IT JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)