RoadVitals

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting 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.
15
Latest Jan 9, 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.
9%
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.
0
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 headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. 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. 15 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 exterior lighting

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

Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 9, 2020

THE HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT SHINE BRIGHT AT ALL ALMOST NON EXISTTENT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT

NHTSA ID
11298083
Incident
Dec 5, 2018
ElectricalEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed Apr 12, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED A LOUD NOISE, NO COMPRESSION, AND A METALLIC METAL TO METAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V441000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 13V569000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V235000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,310.

NHTSA ID
10972048
Incident
Mar 20, 2017
Mileage
125,310 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jan 1, 2017

THE WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS INSULATION THAT DEGRADES WITH THE HEAD GENERATED BY THE LOW BEAM/DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS. IT BECOMES BRITTLE AND FALLS OFF CREATING BEAR WIRE SHORTING HAZARD. THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE SUCH THAT THE WIRING CANNOT BE ACCESSED TO REPLACE WITH HIGH TEMP INSULATION. VW ONLY REPLACES W/ THE SAME ENTIRE ASSEMBLY WHICH DOES NOT CORRECT THE HAZARD & COSTS $800 TO REPLACE BOTH ASSEMBLIES. I CAUGHT THE DEFECT WHEN REPLACING A LIGHT BULB. THIS AFFECTS MORE THAN THE TIGUAN MODEL.

NHTSA ID
10938959
Incident
Dec 4, 2016
Mileage
34,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jan 27, 2014

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, THE RIGHT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON - I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED TO SEE WHAT HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AND NOTICED THE RIGHT SIDE LOW BEAM WAS OUT. I WENT BACK INTO THE CAR TO HEAD HOME (ONLY ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY 0 BUT AT NIGHT), AND THE OTHER LIGHT WENT OUT AS WELL - BOTH HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) STOPPED WORKING - I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP MONDAY MORNING. I HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TWO WEEKS AGO TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT - WAS TOLD IT WAS TAKEN CARED OF BUT EXPERIENCED ISSUES THERE AFTER. I JUST WANTED THIS INFORMATION RECORDED AND MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS DO NOT FAIL BECAUSE OF A RECALL ISSUE AND SAFETY CONCERNS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE FAMILY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10561642
Incident
Jan 24, 2014
Mileage
65,500 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jan 11, 2014

EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY FUSE UNDER THE HOOD WAS MELTED AND PANEL ALSO SHOWS SIGNS OF MELTING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10559441
Incident
Jan 11, 2014
Mileage
60,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 3, 2013

HELLO - I STARTED MY 2009 VW TIGUAN ON NOV. 9, 2013. AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE, ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR "LIGHTING FAILURES" CAME ON, A TOTAL OF 8 DIFFERENT ERROR MESSAGES - LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER TAILLIGHTS, BACKUP LIGHTS, FRONT HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS. AT THIS POINT I WAS ON THE ROAD, AND QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO THE CLOSEST PARKING LOT I COULD FIND. I WAS ABOUT TO HEAD ON THE HIGHWAY. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND DROVE HOME AND DID SOME RESEARCH. I OPENED THE INTERIOR FUSE PANEL, BUT THAT WAS OK. I WENT IN UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW THE 30 AMP FUSE WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. (I TOOK A PICTURE, AND HAVE IT FOR REFERENCE.) THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO, AND THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW THAT FUSE HAS IMPACT THE LIGHTING SYSTEM OVERALL IN MY TIGUAN.

NHTSA ID
10554611
Incident
Nov 9, 2013
Mileage
50,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 15, 2013

DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX WAS MELTING AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WE DID SO THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT CATCH ON FIRE AT A COST OF OVER $500.00. *TR

NHTSA ID
10552322
Incident
Aug 22, 2013
Mileage
70,798 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 11, 2013

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN DARK, SNOWY, AND ICY CONDITIONS WITH MEDIUM TRAFFIC, SOME OF THE VEHICLE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND VW WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON SAYING MULTIPLE LIGHTS WERE OUT. AFTER PULLING OVER IN A SAFE LOCATION, FOUND RIGHT HIGH BEAM, RIGHT LOW BEAM, RIGHT FRONT BLINKER, RIGHT FOG LAMP, RIGHT REAR BLINKER, AND TAILLIGHT OUT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH AND TROUBLESHOOTING, FOUND 30 AMP LIGHTING FUSE IN UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX SEVERELY MELTED. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON VW PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10551816
Incident
Nov 11, 2013
Mileage
47,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 9, 2013

BURNED OUT HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10551611
Incident
May 9, 2013
Mileage
64,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 8, 2013

FOR THE 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR, WE HAD A FRONT HEADLIGHT GO OUT, THE BULB WASN'T BAD BUT THE FUSE WAS. THE FIRST TIME THE FUSE WAS BLOWN AND LOOKED LIKE IT HAD SLIGHTLY BEEN MELTED. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED ON 10/19/13 THE FUSE WAS ALMOST TOTALLY MELTED AND ALSO SLIGHTLY DAMAGED THE FUSE NEXT TO IT. THIS IS A 2009 MODEL AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR, ACCELERATOR COIL AND NOW TWO FUSES FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10551503
Incident
Oct 19, 2013
Mileage
73,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 8, 2013

MY HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY WORK AND NOT WORK. SOMETIMES I WOULD TURN MY CAR ON AND ALL OF MY LIGHTS WOULD WORK, AND OTHER TIMES ALL OF THEM WOULD FAIL, OR JUST ONE SIDE. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR INTO ROYAL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IN SAN FRANCISCO AND THEY INITIALLY CLAIMED IT WAS BAD BULBS, IT TOOK THEM 2 WEEKS TO WORK OUT IT WAS A FAULTY MAIN FUSE BOX. THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BUT I HAVE STILL HAD CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH MY HEADLIGHTS, INDICATORS AND DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS GOING OUT CONSTANTLY DYING OUT AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10551486
Incident
Jul 16, 2012
Mileage
38,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 13, 2013

WARNINGS AND ERRORS SHOWED UP ON THE DASH BOARD CONCERNING HEADLIGHT, BLINKER AND BRAKE-LIGHT OUTAGES. RESEARCHED ONLINE, TURNS OUT THE FUSE BOX STARTED MELTING CAUSING ONE OF THE FUSES TO MELT WHICH CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE LIGHTS. THIS CAN APPARENTLY CAUSE A FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10547775
Incident
Oct 13, 2013
Mileage
23,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 21, 2013

A 30 AMP FUSE MELTED INSIDE THE FUSE BOX, CAUSING MY RIGHT SIDE HIGH AND LOW BEAM, FOG LIGHT, AND TURN SIGNAL, ALONG WITH THE RIGHT HALF OF ALL MY TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. *TR UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUSE BOX WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AND WAS BEING CAREFULLY MONITORED TO ENSURE IT WAS NOT MELTING. *JS

NHTSA ID
10521147
Incident
Jun 21, 2013
Mileage
83,500 mi
ElectricalEngineExterior lighting
Filed Apr 18, 2013

OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS: FIRST-CHECK ENGINE AND EPC LIGHTS ON AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE LOW. SECOND-FUEL RAIL/SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW. THIRD-BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE NORMAL POWER (BATTERY BRAND NEW OCT12). FOURTH-HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT MULTIPLE TIME OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD (BULBS BRAND NEW APR13). CAR IS WITH VW NOW FOR MELTED FUSE AND MELTED FUSE BOX. *TR UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DTCS. THE FUSE BURNT AT THE CONNECTION AND BOTH RELAYS DUE TO AN OVERHEATED CONDITION. *JS

NHTSA ID
10508638
Incident
Jan 23, 2013
Mileage
35,489 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

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 .