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26 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Some 2024 Volkswagen Tiguans that were already repaired under an earlier recall still have a problem. When you start the vehicle, the control unit for the backup camera can glitch, so the camera picture may not appear on the screen. Without that view, it is harder to see people or objects behind you when backing up. Dealers will reload the camera software at no charge. Letters to owners were mailed in June 2026.
Your Tiguan has a system in the front passenger seat that senses whether someone is sitting there. A wiring problem can make that system read the seat as empty, so the front passenger airbag is switched off even when a person is in the seat. If you crash, that airbag would not inflate to protect them. Volkswagen is telling owners to keep the front passenger seat empty until the wiring is repaired.
On the rear axle of these new Tiguans, a bolt that holds a steering link — called a tie rod — may be loose. A tie rod is a link that helps hold a wheel in its proper position. If that bolt is loose, you can lose control of the vehicle while driving. The repair is quick: the dealer replaces the affected bolt. Volkswagen mailed owner letters in September 2025, and there is no charge for the work.
When you start these vehicles, the computer that runs the backup camera can glitch and the camera picture may not appear on the screen. Without that picture you cannot see what is directly behind you when you back up, which is how federal rules say the camera has to work. A dealer will reload the camera computer's software for free. Volkswagen owners were told parts may not be ready yet and will get a second letter when the fix is available.
The tire pressure warning system may be slow to catch a problem in one situation: when all four tires are losing air at the same time. The system compares the tires to each other, so if they all go down together it may not warn you quickly enough. Driving on badly underinflated tires raises the chance of a crash. Dealers will update the system's software for free.
A memory chip inside your Volkswagen's infotainment screen was made incorrectly, and because of that the backup camera picture may not come up when you shift into reverse. Instead of seeing what's behind you, the screen can stay blank. Federal safety rules require a working rear view, so these vehicles don't meet the standard. A dealer can fix it by updating the infotainment software — no new parts needed, and it doesn't cost you anything.
The add-on spoiler above the rear hatch window was fitted using instructions that were wrong, so it may not be attached firmly enough. Over time it can work loose and separate from the vehicle while you are driving. A piece that size landing on the road is a hazard for the cars behind you and can cause a crash. A dealer will replace the spoiler at no cost to you.
On certain 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan and Taos vehicles, and 2021 long-wheelbase Tiguans, a metal part that holds a rear wheel to the suspension can rust, crack and finally break. If it breaks while you are driving, the vehicle can suddenly become unstable and hard to control, which can cause a crash. Dealers will inspect the left and right rear parts and replace one or both if needed. Volkswagen is sending a second letter when repair parts are available.
On certain 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles, a nut that holds the brake pipe in place near the right front wheel well may not be tight enough. Brake fluid travels through that pipe to push the brakes. If the nut is loose, fluid can leak out, and without enough fluid the brakes do not work as well — it can take a longer distance to bring the vehicle to a stop. Dealers will check the nut and tighten it if needed, at no cost to you.
These Tiguans had roof damage repaired at some point, and the wrong reinforcement piece may have been fitted inside the roof. That part helps hold the roof structure up and sits near the side curtain airbags that drop down from above the windows in a crash. With the wrong piece installed, the roof may be weaker than designed and those airbags may not deploy properly, so people inside could be less protected in a crash or rollover. Dealers replace it free.
Some Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta cars left the factory with bolts missing from the tracks that hold the front seats to the floor. Those tracks are what let the seat slide forward and back and then lock in place. Without the bolts, a front seat can slide freely instead of staying put. In a crash, a seat that moves does not hold the person in it the way it should. A dealer will look at the seat tracks and put in any missing bolts.
The webbing — the fabric strap of the front seat belt — can tear if you are in a crash. One or both of the front belts may be affected. Nothing looks or feels wrong from the driver's seat, and the belt still buckles and pulls normally, so you cannot spot this problem yourself. Volkswagen dealers will look at both front seat belts and put in new ones if needed, at no cost to you.
When you start one of these Volkswagens, the backup camera may not work right. The screen can go black, or the whole infotainment display can freeze, so you see nothing behind you when you shift into reverse. Federal rules require a working rear view image, and these vehicles do not meet them. The fix is a software update for the infotainment system, and the dealer does it at no cost.
The bolts that anchor the third-row seat belts to the body of the vehicle may not have been tightened correctly. If they are loose, those belts may not hold a person the way they are designed to in a crash, and someone sitting back there could be hurt. Volkswagen is not repairing these vehicles — the company is buying them back from owners. Volkswagen also tells owners that no one should sit in the third row in the meantime.
Welds holding part of the front seat frame and the backrest adjuster together may not have been done correctly at the factory. During normal driving you would not notice anything different about the seat. But if another vehicle hits you from behind, the bad weld could break and the seat back could give way, so the seat would not hold the person in it as well as it should. Dealers inspect the front seats and replace the seat back frames if necessary.
Volkswagen used these cars in an internal evaluation program and made changes to them during that time. Because of those changes, the vehicles may no longer meet all the government safety rules they are required to meet. Volkswagen has not described one specific broken part; it says the cars could carry a higher risk of a crash, fire, or injury. Rather than repair them, Volkswagen is buying the affected vehicles back from their owners.
Volkswagen found that some 2019 Tiguan long-wheelbase models left the factory with an incorrect tire information sticker. That label, usually on the driver's door frame, lists the correct tire size and the air pressure the tires should be filled to. Because the numbers on it are wrong, you or a tire shop could inflate the tires improperly or fit the wrong size tire, which can hurt the way the vehicle handles.
The rear coil springs — the thick metal springs that hold up the back of the vehicle — can crack sooner than they should. If a spring snaps while you are driving, a broken piece can cut into a rear tire. A damaged tire can make the vehicle hard to steer or control, and that can cause a crash. A spring usually gives no warning before it breaks, so you cannot count on noticing a problem first.
These Volkswagens use a regular key rather than keyless entry. Normally the car beeps to remind you the key is still in the ignition when you open the door. On these vehicles the dashboard may not make that sound, so you could walk away leaving the key in. That makes the car easier to steal and raises the risk of a crash. It also breaks a federal theft-protection rule. A dealer reprograms the instrument cluster free of charge.
The large glass sunroof in these Tiguans has a strip of LED mood lighting around it. The little module that powers that light strip can short circuit, and a short circuit can start a fire. Because a permanent fix was not ready when the recall started, dealers simply unplug the power going to the sunroof light module. That turns the mood lighting off but removes the fire hazard; Volkswagen plans a later service action to switch the feature back on safely.
In a crash, the front passenger airbag in these vehicles may tear or fail to open the way it should. An airbag that rips or unfolds incorrectly does not cushion the passenger properly, so someone sitting in the front passenger seat could be hurt more badly in a collision than they otherwise would be. Dealers will replace the front passenger airbag at no charge.
On some 2018 Tiguans, including the long wheelbase version, the nut that holds a joint at the bottom of each front wheel may be loose or was never tightened properly. If that joint comes apart, the car can lose steering, traction or stability. Volkswagen tells owners not to drive the vehicle until it is repaired. A dealer will replace the nut, and clean the threads if needed, at no charge.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Shock absorbers keep the wheels settled on the road and stop the car from bouncing. On these Tiguans, the bottom mount of a rear shock absorber was welded badly at the factory and can break away from its base. If that happens while you are driving, the back end can get loose and you could lose control of the car. Dealers will look at the rear shocks and put in new ones if needed, at no cost to you.
On some 2018 Tiguan long-wheelbase SUVs, the bolts that hold the engine in place may not have been tightened properly when the vehicle was built. If those bolts are loose, the engine can break down unexpectedly, or it can lose power while you are driving. Dealers will replace the engine support bolts at no cost to you. This recall began back in March 2018, so a used Tiguan may or may not have had the work done already.
The driver's airbag in the steering wheel may be the wrong one — a version not meant for cars sold in the United States. Because of that, these Tiguans do not meet the federal safety rule for crash protection. If you are in a crash, the airbag may not protect you the way a correct one would, so you could be hurt worse. A dealer will replace the steering wheel and the driver's airbag at no cost to you.
On some 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long-wheelbase models, the white reverse lights built into the taillights are not as bright as federal rules require. Dim backup lights mean people walking or driving behind you may not notice that you are backing up, and you may have a harder time seeing what is behind you at night. Volkswagen dealers replace the inner taillight units, free of charge. This recall started back in December 2017, so parts are available.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Volkswagen Tiguan. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 282 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 2019 | 190 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 2020 | 139 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 2021 | 139 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 266 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 2023 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 65 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: