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Buying a used 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan? Check these 13 recalls first
This year carries the heaviest recall load of any Tiguan here — ten, spanning suspension, airbags, seat belts, engine mounts and a sunroof light module that can short and cause a fire. The loose front suspension nut is the one with a stop-driving warning. Owners filed 282 unverified complaints with NHTSA, including 5 crashes, 3 fires and 11 injuries. Engine dominates those reports at 80, with power train at 49 and electrical at 43.
Before you buy
- Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
- Confirm the front suspension nut recall is closed before any test drive — it's stop-driving.
- Ask whether the correct driver airbag was fitted and the passenger airbag recall performed.
- Get full service records for engine and power train work, the top complaint areas.
- Open recalls are repaired free at any Volkswagen dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.
Recalls covering the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
| Recall | Area | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Tiguan front suspension nut may be loose · do not drive | Suspension | critical |
| Volkswagen Tiguan sunroof light module can short circuit, risking fire | Visibility | critical |
| Volkswagen Tiguan may have wrong driver airbag installed | AIR Bags | high |
| Volkswagen Tiguan engine mounting bolts may be loose | Engine | high |
| Volkswagen Tiguan Rear Shock Absorber Can Break Loose | Suspension | high |
| Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan passenger airbag may tear | AIR Bags | high |
| Volkswagen Golf, Jetta and Tiguan rear springs may break | Suspension | high |
| Volkswagen Jetta, Tiguan and others bought back over compliance | Unknown OR Other | high |
| Volkswagen Tiguan front seat belts may tear in crash | Seat Belts | high |
| Volkswagen Tiguan may have wrong roof part after repair | Structure | medium |
| Volkswagen Tiguan rear spoiler can come off while driving | Structure | medium |
| Volkswagen Tiguan backup lights may be too dim | Exterior Lighting | low |
| Volkswagen Atlas, Tiguan, Jetta: missing key-in-ignition warning chime | Electrical System | low |
What owners have reported to NHTSA
282 complaints filed for this model year, including 5 mentioning a crash, 3 a fire and 11 injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.
| Problem area | Complaints | Recall in this area? |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 80 | Yes |
| Power Train | 49 | None found |
| Electrical System | 43 | Yes |
| Fuel System | 40 | None found |
| Structure | 39 | Yes |
| Speed Control | 21 | None found |