2011 Volkswagen TIGUAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Volkswagen TIGUAN has 238 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: this car does not feel safe. several times the car has just stopped. stopped at a traffic light and started to go and car just died. no lights, no warning. i start up the car, move forward and get ready to pull out into traffic and car just dies. vw said they need to have warning lights or some. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 4 crash reports 1 injury

238

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

62 complaints

26%

• THIS CAR DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR HAS JUST STOPPED. STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND STARTED TO GO AND CAR JUST DIED. NO LIGHTS, NO WARNING. I START UP THE CAR, MOVE FORWARD AND GET READY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND CAR JUST DIES. VW SAID THEY NEED TO HAVE WARNING LIGHTS OR SOME
• THE ENGINES REAR MAIN OIL SEAL STARTED LEAKING. BROUGHT IT TO VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT AND STATED THAT THERE WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN OIL LEAK AND WHILE THE OIL CHANGE WAS DONE IF THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. NOW AT 65000 MILES AND 5000 OVER THE FACTORY WARRA
• VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECELERATED FROM 50 MILES PER HOUR TO APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR. CHECK ENGINE AND EPC WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND ACCELERATION ABOVE 35 MILES PER HOUR WAS NOT POSSIBLE. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL FOUR IGNITION COILS. VOLKSWAGEN LATER AGREED TO R

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

“THIS CAR DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR HAS JUST STOPPED. STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND STARTED TO GO AND CAR JUST DIED. NO LIGHTS, NO WARNING. I START UP THE CAR, MOVE FORWARD AND GET READY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND CAR JUST DIES. VW SAID THEY NEED TO HAVE WARNING LIGHTS OR SOME”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

47 complaints

20%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEF
• ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. TURNING ON HEADLAMPS AND TURNING ON BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULD OFTEN FIX THE PROBLEM - HEADLIGHTS, BLINKERS AND FOG LAMPS WOULD WORK AGAIN. WHEN THIS WOULD NOT WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT TURNING THE CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN WOULD RESOLVE THE IS
• INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF RIGHT HEADLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL. VW DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AS MELTED FUSE BOX. FUSE BOX REPLACED AND ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

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

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

39 complaints

16%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEF
• ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. TURNING ON HEADLAMPS AND TURNING ON BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULD OFTEN FIX THE PROBLEM - HEADLIGHTS, BLINKERS AND FOG LAMPS WOULD WORK AGAIN. WHEN THIS WOULD NOT WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT TURNING THE CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN WOULD RESOLVE THE IS
• I STARTED RECEIVING WARNING LIGHTS THAT THERE WERE BURNED OUT BULBS AROUND THE CAR. IT STARTED WITH THE RIGHT FRONT HIGH BEAM, THEN LOW BEAM. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SAME DAY AS THERE WAS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH AN OUT HEADLIGHT. ON MY WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THE WA

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

30 complaints

13%

• VEHICLE JUST UNDER 45K AND WAS TOLD THE CLOCKSPRING SHORTED WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE VEHICLE LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THE FAILURE FROM WHAT I CAN VISUALLY TELL IS THAT I HAVE NO HORN, THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE DOES NOT FUNCTION AND ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL D
• VEHICLE JUST OVER 45K AND WAS TOLD THE CLOCK SPRING SHORTED WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE VEHICLE LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THE FAILURE FROM WHAT I CAN VISUALLY TELL IS THAT I HAVE NO HORN, THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE DOES NOT FUNCTION AND ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL DO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“VEHICLE JUST UNDER 45K AND WAS TOLD THE CLOCKSPRING SHORTED WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE VEHICLE LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THE FAILURE FROM WHAT I CAN VISUALLY TELL IS THAT I HAVE NO HORN, THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE DOES NOT FUNCTION AND ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL D”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

14 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHIN THE LIMITED SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SUDDENLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THE CAR MOVED LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT. I HIT THE BRAKE AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY HIT THE GUARDRAIL AFTER TURNING 180 DEGREE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WAS ON BUT
• THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS -10F TODAY. I STARTED THE CAR AND ALLOWED IT TO WARM UP FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING IT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES ON AN ERRAND. I PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I RETURNED AND STARTED THE CAR, THE STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST FOR STEERING
• VEHICLE JUST OVER 45K AND WAS TOLD THE CLOCK SPRING SHORTED WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE VEHICLE LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THE FAILURE FROM WHAT I CAN VISUALLY TELL IS THAT I HAVE NO HORN, THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE DOES NOT FUNCTION AND ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL DO

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

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHIN THE LIMITED SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SUDDENLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THE CAR MOVED LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT. I HIT THE BRAKE AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY HIT THE GUARDRAIL AFTER TURNING 180 DEGREE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WAS ON BUT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 238 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: THIS CAR DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR HAS JUST STOPPED. STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND STARTED TO GO AND CAR JUST DIED. NO LIGHTS, NO WARNING. I START UP THE CAR, MOVE FORWARD AND GET READY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND CAR JUST DIES. VW SAID THEY NEED TO HAVE WARNING LIGHTS OR SOME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: VEHICLE JUST UNDER 45K AND WAS TOLD THE CLOCKSPRING SHORTED WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE VEHICLE LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THE FAILURE FROM WHAT I CAN VISUALLY TELL IS THAT I HAVE NO HORN, THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE DOES NOT FUNCTION AND ALL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL D
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)