2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Complaints

My 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan was included in the Volkswagen clock spring safety recall. According to Volkswagen’s records, the recall repair was completed in 2016. The same defect has now reoccurred: the steering wheel controls, horn, and driver airbag are disabled again due to a failed clock spring. This is a reoccurring safety defect that directly affects the airbag system. The airbag warning light is on, and the driver airbag is currently non‑functional. I contacted Volkswagen corporate, and they confirmed that my VIN was included in the original recall and that the repair was performed. However, they are refusing to repair the defect again, stating that the recall is “closed” and the warranty extension has expired, even though the original recall remedy has failed and the safety defect has returned. Volkswagen also declined to provide a written denial. I am reporting this because the recall remedy appears to be inadequate, and the safety defect has not been resolved. The vehicle is unsafe to drive with the airbag disabled. The clock spring failure disables the airbag, horn, and steering‑wheel controls. The defect matches the symptoms described in the original recall. The failure occurred without any modification or damage to the steering wheel area. Volkswagen refuses to authorize a second repair despite the safety risk.

NHTSA ID

11712684

Incident

Jan 22, 2026

⁠The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the engine stalled. After several attempts, the vehicle started however the vehicle drove slowly. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine failed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the fuel pump was previously repaired. The vehicle was towed back to the residence and was not repaired. The contact mentioned that the horn and the instrument panel failed to function. The failure mileage was unknown. 137,000.

NHTSA ID

11632723

Incident

Aug 5, 2024

Mileage

137,000 mi

My Tiguan randomly shuts down or stalls while driving. I have come very close to accidents because It is in the middle of the road where I can't pull over, people coming around a curve behind me that may not have time to brake, specifically RV's and Semi-trucks. It is terrifying. I have maintained my vehicle meticulously and payed thousands in repairs only to be told by dealerships and VW corporate offices that there is nothing they will or can do and that there are no recalls and out of warranty. However...There WAS one in 2014 citing DANGEROUS to drive because of stalling. According to KBB. I don't know what else to do and I am not able to get a new vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11604747

Incident

Jul 26, 2024

This vehicle has already been recalled for faulty clock spring, which renders the airbag inoperable but the clock spring has failed again. This is a common issue VW needs to fix.

NHTSA ID

11488240

Incident

Oct 6, 2022

Clock spring in steering column has snapped. Because if a previous recall, this part is covered under warranty. New clock spring is on back order without any ETA when one will be available. Car horn is disabled and airbags will not deploy if an accident does occur. State safety inspection can not/will not pass as a result of this broken part. I do not have the luxury of renting a car until this part comes in to the US. Per various forums, possibly 6000-8000 clock springs on back order

NHTSA ID

11464124

Incident

Jan 24, 2022

The clock spring is broken in my 2011 VW Tiguan at 114,000 miles. Therefore, the driver airbag on the steering wheel does not work. Therefore, there is a safety issue if one drives the car. The problem is not fixed because there are no parts to fix it. Apparently there is a chip in the clock spring and there are no chips available to manufacture replacement springs. I was told that the part has been on back order since October 2021. I was told that the part may be available in July 2022, but there are no guarantees. Until a replacement part is available, the vehicle is potentially unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11463294

Incident

Apr 13, 2022

Timeing chain skipped a tooth destroyig the engine completely. Yes its available for inspection upon request. The problem has been settled in a class action lawsuit but no recall has been issued for ea888 engines between 2008 and 2013

NHTSA ID

11433271

Incident

Sep 9, 2021

The driver side rear coil spring snapped at 103,000 miles. We just returned from a road trip and are lucky it occurred in the driveway. There was a loud bang when it occurred. The car had to be towed for replacement of both coil springs.

NHTSA ID

11430373

Incident

Aug 22, 2021

THE VEHICLE STARTED SPUTTERING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY TOLD ME TO PUT GAS TREATMENT IN SEE IF THAT FIXES PROBLEM. IT SEEMED TO HELP A BIT FOR A WEEK BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON. THEN ONE MORNING I GOT UP AND TIRED TO START CAR IT HESITATED TO START ALMOST DIED AND STARTED. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT TO VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THANK GOD I WAS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM MY HOUSE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF IT DIED ON HIGHWAY. ONE OF THE RECALLS ON THIS MODEL IS DESCRIBING WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. BUT WHEN I LOOK IT UP THE SCORE TELLS ME THE RECALLS WERE FIXED. WHICH I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE. MY MOTHER TRIED TO GET VOLKSWAGEN TO FIX THE AIRBAG RECALL THEY JUST DISMISSED HER SAYING YOUR VEHICLE IS NOT ONE ON RECALL. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY TO FIX VEHICLE THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE! NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER.

NHTSA ID

11377267

Incident

Nov 24, 2020

Mileage

75,278 mi

THE LATCH FROM THE TRUNK STOPPED WORKING AND THE TRUNK DOESN'T CLOSE

NHTSA ID

11365158

Incident

Oct 15, 2020

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR START FLASING ,WHEN YOU TURN OF THE CAR , EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD & THE STERRING WHEEL HAVE A NOISE SOUND LIKE THE CLOCK RING HAS SOME DUST IN SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330670

Incident

Mar 10, 2020

THE CLOCK SPRING SOUND A LOT, WHEN YOU DO A TURN , AND IT SOUND A LOT , MOVING THE WHEEL, THE BRAKES HAVE A SOUND WHEN YOU ARE GO IN DOWN THE HILL , SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WANT TO STOP ,LIKE SOME BODY IS PUSHING THE BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327455

Incident

Jun 5, 2020

AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING AND THE CAR STAR FLASHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326601

Incident

May 30, 2020

F16 FUSE BOX MELTING AND FUSE BURNT BUT NOT TRIPPED IN HOOD. ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE LOST WHILE DRIVING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326096

Incident

Apr 3, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, BROKEN. STARTED ENGINE ON 3-10-2020, ENGINE SPUTTERED, STALLED. SHOP MECHANIC CALLED 3-12-2020 TO NOTIFY ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED.

NHTSA ID

11317710

Incident

Mar 10, 2020

Mileage

91,000 mi

ENGINE WATER PUMP FAILURE DURING A STOP @ RED LIGHT

NHTSA ID

11317708

Incident

Dec 12, 2019

Mileage

88,000 mi

TIMING CHAIN FAILED WHICH CAUSED CAR TO DIE AND DAMAGED ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED. TRAFFIC WAS NOT HEAVY AND VEHICLE WAS ON CITY STREET SO WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PULL OVER.

NHTSA ID

11308824

Incident

Feb 3, 2020

Mileage

104,000 mi

VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 15V483000 ON 5/2015. HOWEVER, THE REPAIRED/REPLACED PART APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED AGAIN (CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL, AIR BAG LIGHT ON, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER IN STEERING WHEEL). AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHILE PARKED ON SIDE OF CITY STREET AND MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT LOW SPEED.

NHTSA ID

11291136

Incident

Dec 21, 2019

Mileage

119,000 mi

I OWN A 2011 VW TIGUAN AND IS THE WORST CAR I'VE EVER OWNED. 1. INITIALLY I HAD A BAD TURBO AT 60,000 MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOWED AND ENDED UP A BAD TURBO. 2. A BAD OIL LEAK FROM ONE OF THE ENGINE GASKET ONLY HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING 3. A BAD COOLANT LEAK. I WAS DRIVING AND I SAW THE OVERHEATING LIGHT ON I PULLED OVER AND ADDED COOLANT 5 MINUTES LATER WAS EMPTY AGAIN. 4. BAD POWER STEERING PUMP I WAS TURNING AND HEADS SOMETHING MAKING NOISE ON THE STEERING AND HAD TO REPLACE BEFORE SOMETHING MAJOR HAPPENED. AND NEXT I'M GETTING RID OF IT. TO BAD VERY BAD EXPERIENCE OWNING ONE OF THIS. AND I ONLY HAVE 80,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11286988

Incident

Oct 12, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V569000(EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEITH VOLKSWAGEN OF CARY (2300 AUTOPARK BLVD, CARY, NC 27511, (919) 297-1640) FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED AND TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER THE LIGHTING FAILURE, SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED IN THE INITIAL RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED PER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11271595

Incident

Oct 21, 2019

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE FUEL INDICATOR (GAUGE) IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT TELL HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE VEHICLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED BUT AS A "CERTIFIED" VEHICLE. I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO LAST LONGER AS I HAVE NEVER HAD ONE TO GO OUT ON A VEHICLE. IT NEVER TELLS HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE VEHICLE WHETHER IT IS STILL, BEING DRIVEN, HOT, COLD, OR WHATEVER. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

NHTSA ID

11258778

Incident

Sep 3, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, GAS PEDAL STUCK. PROCEEDED TO JUMP THE CURB, RAN OVER A SIGN, AND THEN INTO A LARGE FLOWER POT. ALL THE WHILE MOTOR RUNNING AT HIGH RPM'S, UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED.

NHTSA ID

11255769

Incident

Apr 10, 2019

Mileage

105,000 mi

HAVE HAD 3 VW WATER PUMP FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 11 MONTHS. THE ORIGINAL WATER PUMP FAILED IN SEPTEMBER 2018; THE REPLACEMENT FAILED IN JUNE 2019; AND ANOTHER REPLACEMENT FAILED IN AUGUST 2019. ALL INSTALLED AT AAA APPROVED MECHANIC SHOPS. COOLANT WOULD RUN LOW AND WHEN ALERTED TO THIS, IT COULD BE OBSERVED FLOWING ONTO THE GROUND WHILE THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE CAR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11244428

Incident

Aug 14, 2019

Mileage

75,317 mi

MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 69L2 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 15V483 THE DEALER REFUSE COMPLETE THE RECALL

NHTSA ID

11219094

Incident

Jun 10, 2019

BELT TENSIONER NOISE /MORNING STARTUP ROUGH IDLE AND MISFIRING.

NHTSA ID

11217991

Incident

May 22, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi