RoadVitals

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest May 11, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 167 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed May 11, 2020

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE COOLANT HOSE WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED MY RADIO GOES BLANK TO WHERE I CAN'T SEE MY BACK UP CAMERA ! THIS VEHICLE HAS TO MANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES! *TR

NHTSA ID
11324200
Incident
Jan 3, 2020
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Oct 2, 2019

CAR STOPPED AND WOULD NOT START DUE TO TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FUALT WITH CODE P0016. CAUSED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND THE NEED TO COMPLETELY REBUILD THE TOP END OF THE ENGINE. THIS WAS VERIFIED AFTER A COMPLETE LOSS OF COMPRESSION DUE TO THE VALVES BEING DESTROYED ON THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
11265657
Incident
Sep 25, 2019
Mileage
114,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 24, 2019

WHILE DRIVING (REGARDLESS OF SPEED), THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY UNLOCK AND LOCK ITSELF. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS IN RAPID SUCCESSION 2-3 TIMES'IN OTHER INSTANCES, IT'LL HAPPEN JUST ONCE....WHICH IS TO SAY THEY'LL UNLOCK ONLY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I WILL LOCK THE DOOR AGAIN, AND IT'LL UNLOCK AGAIN. IT HAPPENS TO BOTH THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVEN'T NOTICED THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO CONSISTENCY TO IT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS RANDOMLY AND I JUST RECENTLY THOUGHT TO REPORT IT.

NHTSA ID
11234327
Incident
Aug 1, 2016
Mileage
35,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed May 31, 2019

DRAIN TUBES IN THE SUNROOF WERE CORRODED AND LEAKING INTO THE CAR. THE WATER LEAK CAUSES MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING SHORT CIRCUITING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE WATER LEAK IS ALSO CAUSING LIGHTING ISSUES ON INSIDE OF CAR. THERE IS ALSO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ESC LIGHT COMING ON JUST AFTER IT BEING SERVICED. THE ESC LIGHT WILL COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN AND WONT LET YOU ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ID
11217194
Incident
May 31, 2019
Mileage
122,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineSteering
Filed Oct 7, 2017

CAR WAS DRIVEN TO FROM FRIENDS HOUSE TO GRANDMOTHERS HOUSE AND SHUT CAR OFF AND WAS VISITING FAMILY FOR 1 HOUR TO 1 1/2 HOURS. THEN GOT IN CAR AND TRIED TO START VEHICLE AND THE TIMING JUMPED AND MADE A LOAD GRINDING NOISE AND WOULDN'T START. IT BENT THE VALVES IN THE ENGINE RAN INTO THE PISTONS. AN RUINED THE MOTOR. (111778 MILES) HAD TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR PUT IN COST $7801.54.

NHTSA ID
11032180
Incident
Sep 24, 2017
Mileage
111,778 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalVisibility
Filed Sep 4, 2016

I WAS ON A CITY STREET IN NOVA SCOTIA WITH THE FAMILY IN VACATION, I WAS DRIVING LIKE 50 KM/H AND EPC LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ON THE DASH BOARD IT SAID ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP . MY CAR WAS STARTING TO ACT WEIRD , NOT TAKING SPEED , NOT CHANGING GEARS MY ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS PUSHED AT MAX AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WAS LOOSING SPEED. I PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TURN ENGINE OFF AND WAIT FOR 4-5 MIN , WHEN I STAR CAR AGAIN EPC LIGHT WAS OFF ONLY ENGINE LIGHT REMAIN ON AND NO MESSAGE ON THE BOARD. CAR SEEMS TO BE GOOD FOR DRIVING. I REACH AT THE CAMP GROUND WHERE WE WORE AND PARK THE CAR. 20-30 MIN LATER MY WIFE WANT TO TAKE A LOAD OF LAUNDRY TO THE CAMP LAUNDRY PLACE AND WASH THEM, I GIVE HER THE KEY FOR CAR AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO START , THE CAR WASN'T STARTING. I UNPLUG BATTERY PUG IT BACK IN NOTHING WAS WORKING. I CALL A TOE TRACK TO TAKE THE CAR TO A VW SHOP IN TRURO (VANTAGE MOTORS). THEY TOLD ME THEY FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVE TO CHANGE A RELAY 460 UNDER THE DRIVER DASH AND MOVE A FUSE #5 TO #7 UNDER THE HOOD AND THEY TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD, NOW I CAN COME AND PICK THE CAR FROM THEM 279$ BILL. BECAUSE I WAS IN A SUCH A HURRY TO GET BACK HOME IN NEW BRUNSWICK I DIDN'T CHECK TO SEE IF CAR IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME THEY TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. NOW ON MY WAY DOWN TO HOME I REALIZE MY FANS ARE NOT WORKING,CIGARETTE PLUGS,WINDSHIELD PUMPS ON FRONT AND BACK, AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE BACK ARE NOT WORKING, I CALL THE VW SHOP IN TRURO TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND IF IS A WAY FOR ME TO FIX IT.THEY TOLD ME IT CAN BE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS TO TAKE THE CAR WHEN I REACH HOME TO MY VW SHOP IN ST. JOHN NB.

NHTSA ID
10903584
Incident
Aug 25, 2016
Mileage
65,357 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Aug 22, 2014

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CONTINUES DESPITE RECALL FIX IN MAY 2008. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL BY VW CORPORATE OR THE DEALER. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUG. 2008 - 3 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS DONE. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT UNEXPECTED SURGES NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALER, VW CORPORATE AND NHTSA NOT ONE PERSON MENTIONED THE 2008 RECALL WHICH EXACTLY DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM I WAS EXPERIENCING. I HAD THREE SERIOUS NEAR COLLISIONS BECAUSE OF THIS UNINTENDED SURGING BEFORE I MYSELF DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. I DID THIS BY KEEPING A 2-YEAR LOG OF WHEN THE SURGES OCCURRED AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES. I FOUND THAT THE ONLY COMMON DENOMINATOR IN THE INCIDENTS WAS THE USE OF AIR CONDITIONING. IT ONLY SURGED WHEN THE A/C WAS ON 3 OR 4. TODAY - AFTER VISITING YOUR NEW SAFERCAR.GOV I LEARNED ABOUT THE 2008 RECALL FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WITH THIS CAR AND IT CITES THE A/C AS THE DIRECT CAUSE. AFTER DRIVING IN DANGER FOR SIX YEARS - I WANT THIS FIXED NOW AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS RECALL AFTER MY NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO BOTH VW AND NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ID
10627605
Incident
Aug 14, 2008
Mileage
300 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 30, 2014

THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON MANY TIMES BETWEEN 2011 AND 2014 AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE KICKED OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL. MILLER VW CHECKED THE CAR JULY 2011, DID NOT HAVE A SOLUTION AND CLEARED THE CODES. I ASKED OUR LOCAL MECHANIC ABOUT IT IN JULY 2013 WHO IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A TSB FOR THE THROTTLE BODY WIRING HARNESS. WE CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE INTERMITTENT EPC FAULT RESPONSE BUT EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS. THE FIRST MAJOR INCIDENT OCCURRED 28 JUNE 2014 ENTERING I-89 NORTH WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC THE EPC AND ENGINE FAULT LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER JUST AS WE ENTERED THE TRAVEL LANE. THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND WOULD GO NO FASTER THAN 35 MPH I SWITCHED OFF THE ENGINE WHILE TRAVELING WHICH RESET THE THROTTLE FAULT ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE TRAVELING. THIS IS A SHORT RAMP AND THERE IS NO SHOULDER AT THE END OF THE RAMP. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CAR AT WALKER VW TO REPAIR THE CAR ON 2 JULY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS THAT DAY AS THEY DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THE REQUIRED PARTS ON HAND. ON 22 JULY MY WIFE WAS PREPARING TO ENTER I-91 FROM ROUTE 5 SOUTH VIA A LEFT TURN ON RAMP WHEN THE EPC AND ENGINE FAULT LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WENT INTO LIMP MODE JUST AS SHE WAS PREPARING TO TURN INTO THE ON RAMP. A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS RAPIDLY OVERTAKING HER IN THAT LANE IN A DRIVING RAIN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT EXCEED 20 MPH. SHE TURNED ON THE FLASHERS AND THE OVERTAKING TRUCKER VEERED INTO THE RIGHT LANE AVOIDING COLLISION. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP AND TRUSTED MECHANIC AT KINGDOM IMPORTS. THEY ORDERED THE PARTS AND INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENT WIRING IAW THE TSB ON 29 JULY 2014. EVEN AFTER ORDERING TWO COMPLETE SETS OF PARTS VW DID NOT INCLUDE THE SHRINK TAPE REQUIRED TO STABILIZE THE WIRING. VW HAS CHOSEN THE WORST SOLUTION AND SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND INSTALL A PURPOSE BUILT WIRING HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10617711
Incident
Jun 28, 2014
Mileage
64,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 26, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE REVERSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 03/18/14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED DURING THE PAST 2 YEARS, SHE EXPERIENCED 5-6 EPISODES, IN WHICH THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND LURCHED FORWARD WHILE SHE WAS STOPPED WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IN TRAFFIC OR AT A STOP SIGN. SHE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT, BY SHIFTING TO PARK. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS ON 11/09/13 WHICH OCCURRED WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS. THE LOCAL VW DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. UPDATED 03/31/14

NHTSA ID
10553847
Incident
Sep 12, 2012
Mileage
19,500 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 20, 2012

APPARENTLY, THE TOP PORTION OF MY FUSE BOX MELTED WHEN THE TEMPERATURES IN CHICAGO REACHED 100 DEGREES. THE EFFECTED AREA CONTROLS THE LIGHTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, AND MAY ALSO IMPACT THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THE FUSE BOX IS NOT DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND NORMAL HOT TEMPERATURES GIVEN THAT THE ENTIRE CAR IS IMPACTED BY THE FUSE BOX, LOSS OF ELECTRONIC CONTROLS IN A CAR WITH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY THAT CONTROLS ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANKS. *TR...UPDATED 09-18-13 *BF

NHTSA ID
10471503
Incident
Jun 20, 2012
Mileage
38,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 29, 2012
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROPERLY ACCELERATE AND BEGUN TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF BY THE CONTACT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. PRIOR TO THE SURGING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT WAS EXAMINING THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE MAIN FUSE BOX WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUSE BOX WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. K

NHTSA ID
10449758
Incident
Apr 1, 2011
Mileage
30,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 7, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT HAS A 2009 VOLKSWAGON TIGUAN WITH A VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE AIR OR HEAT CONTROL LEVER IS 4 OR HIGHER. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED 16 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2008. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25.

NHTSA ID
10298613
Incident
Jun 11, 2008
Mileage
25 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 4, 2010

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED AND VERY SCARY "SURGES" WITH MY 2009 VW TIGUAN. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR RECALL WORK ON THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. VW THINKS IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT IS A HARDWARE PROBLEM. I FOUND IT INTERESTING TO READ ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS BEING EXPERIENCED BY TOYOTA OWNERS. I READ ABOUT THIS ON THE ABC WEBSITE WHICH IS WHERE I LEARNED ABOUT YOUR CONNECTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE SURGE IN MY TIGUAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FLOOR MATS. I BELIEVE THAT IF VW AND TOYOTA COMPARED NOTES ON ALL PARTS IN THE "SURGING" CARS THEY MAY FIND A COMMON DENOMINATOR WHICH IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND PERHAPS WE CAN SAVE SOME LIVES. 16 DEATHS SO FAR - UNACCEPTABLE. THE SURGES ARE VERY VERY FRIGHTENING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10298220
Incident
Aug 16, 2009
Mileage
500 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .