RoadVitals

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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 Aug 16, 2024
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.
10%
of 152 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 fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 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 fuel system

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

Fuel system
Filed Aug 16, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and had occurred at various speeds. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V441000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

NHTSA ID
11608994
Incident
Jul 30, 2024
Mileage
143,000 mi
AirbagsFuel systemInterior & seats
Filed Apr 10, 2023

Water pump melted and needed to be replaced, car won't start, airbag light is on and clock spring needed to be replaced, heated seat gets extremely hot on driver's side when turned on.

NHTSA ID
11516227
Incident
Apr 10, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Feb 13, 2021

AFTER I TURN THE CAR OFF, THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTED TO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS DOESN'T POPS OFF AND GASOLINE LEAKS ALL OVER MY ENGINE. THIS STARTED HAPPENS REPEATEDLY NOW. WHEN I GET INTO MY CAR, IT IS FILLED WITH THE SMELL OF THE GASOLINE THAT IS LEAKING BECAUSE THE HOSE DOESN'T STAY ON THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE TO POP OPEN MY HOOD AND SLIDE THE HOSE ONTO THE FUEL PUMP BEFORE I START DRIVING. I'VE TRIED USING DIFFERENT BRACKETS TO KEEP THE HOSE TIGHT ON THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER, THE HOSE KEEPS ON FALLING OFF. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE I CAN DO, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DANGEROUS IT IS THAT THERE ARE POOLS OF GASOLINE SITTING AROUND MY ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
11396125
Incident
Feb 13, 2021
Mileage
88,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jun 7, 2019

VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY WHILE STOPPED AT CITY STREET INTERSECTION. WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE STILL FELT ROUGH AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY STOP RUNNING. AFTER GETTING IT TO A VW SERVICE MECHANIC IT RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING DIAGNOSTIC - "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: FOUND CAMSHAFT SPOOL VALVE HAS COME APART. FOUND CAM SHAFT BEARING BRACKET OIL SCREEN DAMAGED." AT 81,000 MILES THIS CAR SHOULD NOT EXHIBIT SUCH PROBLEMS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A RECALL ON 2015 VW TIGUAN ENGINES RELATED TO THE SAME PART, CAM SHAFT. I REACHED OUT TO VW FOR ANY INFO ABOUT THIS, AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID
11218449
Incident
May 29, 2019
Mileage
81,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 28, 2019

FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, INTERMITTENTLY BUT CONSISTENTLY, THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AFTER A WARM START. IGNITION TURNS OVER APPROPRIATELY AND STARTS, BUT AFTER PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPOT IN A LOT OR INTO TRAFFIC, THE CAR JUST LOSES POWER. BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON AND YOU HAVE TO PUT CAR BACK IN PARK AND START IT AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME IT STARTS IT STRUGGLES BUT RESTARTS AND TYPICALLY DOES NOT LOSE POWER OR STALL AGAIN. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL START TO LOSE POWER AND AS YOU PREPARE FOR IT TO STALL IT REGAINS POWER AND SHOOTS FORWARD REGARDLESS OF HOW LIGHTLY YOU'RE GASSING IT. I HAVE GONE FOR SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES. THEY RULED OUT BATTERY, CONNECTIONS, ALTERNATOR, ETC. AND SAY THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER KEEPING THE CAR FOR DAYS AND DRIVING IT AROUND, YET IT HAS LITERALLY HAPPENED WHEN I HAVE BEEN LEAVING THE DEALER. SOMETIMES THE EPC LIGHT GOES ON AFTER THIS OCCURS BUT NEVER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN THE WEATHER IS MILD AND WHEN THE CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN RUNNING FOR SOME TIME. NEVER HESITATES ON A COLD START.

NHTSA ID
11192234
Incident
Jul 22, 2018
Mileage
80,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 6, 2019

THE GAS TANK DOOR OFTEN GETS STUCK AND WON'T OPEN. IT HAPPENED AT LEAST TWO DOZEN TIMES TO ME. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WHEN GAS LEVEL IS VERY LOW. ONE TIME IT WAS NEAR MIDNIGHT AND I WAS AT A GAS STATION IN THE VERY REMOTE AREA. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY. IF YOU SEARCH ONLINE, YOU WILL SEE THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FOR VW AND AUDI CARS. IT IS EVIDENT THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT VW HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED PERMANENTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

NHTSA ID
11165472
Incident
Jan 4, 2019
Mileage
35,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Dec 12, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PERIODICALLY. REEVES VOLKSWAGEN (11337 N FLORIDA AVE, TAMPA, FL 33612, (813) 935-3354) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS NOT A KNOWN FAILURE AND TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,846. *DT CONSUMER STATED REPAIR WAS MADE BY THE DEALER. *JB

NHTSA ID
11160904
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Mileage
101,846 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 7, 2017

FUEL DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THEREFORE, I CANNOT REFUEL THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
11044148
Incident
Aug 1, 2017
Mileage
30,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL REPAIR REMEDY FROM THE DEALER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V441000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). SHORTLY AFTER THE DEALER'S REPAIR, THE VEHICLE HAD A STRONG HESITATION AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND PROVIDED FURTHER TESTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILTER AND INTAKE FUEL PUMP WERE PUTTING OUT LOW FUEL PRESSURE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER CLEARED THE CODE FOR THE FUEL PUMP SUPPLY MODULE AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE DEALER'S REPAIR AND THE RECALL REPAIR PROVIDED A SOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

NHTSA ID
10926449
Incident
Sep 21, 2015
Mileage
32,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Dec 29, 2014

WE RECENTLY (12-23-2014) BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE AUGUST 11TH 2014 RECALL OF THE TIGUAN ECM/AIR BUBBLE ISSUE RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP IN THE CARS. OUR CAR WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES RELATING TO THE RECALL AND DESCRIBED, BUT DUE TO POTENTIAL ISSUES DECIDED TO BRING IT IN TO HAVE IT APPLIED ANYWAYS. UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING FUNNY, AND WE NOTICED GAS MILEAGE HAD GONE DOWN. DUE TO ECM BEING REFLASHED AS A PART OF THE RECALL, WE CHALKED IT UP AS THE COMPUTER NEEDING TO RE-"LEARN" DRIVING HABITS, SHIFT POINTS, ETC.. ABOUT 25 MILES LATER WE WERE ON THE WAY HOME FROM AN EVENT ABOUT A FEW MILES FROM HOME. WE WERE ON A VERY BUSY 6 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. IT PUT US IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION, 4 ADULTS IN A CAR ON A BUSY 6 LANE HIGHWAY. WE MANAGED TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TO AN OFFRAMP. THE CAR RESTARTED AND THE EPC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO RUN, BUT ONLY IN LIMP MODE, ENOUGH TO GET US THE FINAL COUPLE MILES HOME. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. ISSUE WAS A FAILED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT APPARENTLY IS A VERY COMMON PART TO FAIL, AND AT LOW MILEAGE ON CARS, IN ANY CONDITION. IT FAILED AFTER THE "NEW CAR WARRANTY" BUT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROVIDED BY VW. DUE TO IT'S HIGH FAILURE RATE AT LOW VEHICLE MILEAGE, AND THE IMPACT IT CAN HAVE ON SAFETY, THE FUEL PUMP RECALL FROM AUGUST 11TH SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF THE PART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10668833
Incident
Dec 27, 2014
Mileage
49,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 12, 2014

CAR COMPLETELY STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED MOSTLY WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, BUT HAPPENED ONCE WHILE PULLING OUT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE VW DEALER THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP MODULE. BEING SUCH A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, I HAD THESE PARTS FIXED FOR AN OUT OF POCKET COST OF $889.95. IN AUGUST OF 2014, I RECEIVED A LETTER DISCUSSING A SAFETY RECALL (SAFETY RECALL 24AV--FUEL PUMP 2009-2014 MODEL YEAR VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN) THAT MATCHED THE EXACT PROBLEM I HAD ORIGINALLY DESCRIBED WHEN FIXING MY CAR BACK IN JANUARY OF 2014. AFTER SUBMITTING ALL OF THE INVOICES TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT TO THE COSTS INCURRED TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE HAS DENIED MY CLAIM AND HAS YET TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10632784
Incident
Jan 17, 2014
Mileage
39,963 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 16, 2014

THE CAR CAN NOT ACCELERATE PAST 45MPH, STUTTERS GOING UP HILL, HAD TO BE ABANDONED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROUND ON A 10 HOUR TRIP. THE CAR IS 2 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT. VW SAYS THAT IT IS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, WHICH THEY INCONSISTENTLY COVER WITH THEIR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DEPENDING HOW SKETCH THE DEALERSHIP IS. VW HAS HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THEIR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE THEM! *TR

NHTSA ID
10611094
Incident
Jul 12, 2014
Mileage
39,000 mi
BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Jun 27, 2014

THE BRAKES FIRST APPEARED TO BE SLUGGISH AS I WAS STOPPING FOR A LIGHT. ONCE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND THE ENGINE DIED. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE. THE ENGINE STARTED, BUT THE CAR SHUDDERED. IT DROVE LESS THAN A MILE BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I WENT THROUGH THE SAME SEQUENCE IN ORDER TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT THE ENGINE KEPT DYING. IN ALL, IT DIED FIVE TIMES IN FIVE MILES, DYING FASTER AND SHUDDERING HARDER UPON RESTART. NOW, THIS CAR IS LIKE NEW. IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW 2.5 YEARS AGO AND HAS LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD A CLEAN INSPECTION THREE MONTHS AGO, AND UP UNTIL TODAY NEVER SHOWED ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN IN NO COLLISIONS. THE PROBLEMS BEGAN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. AND NOW THE CAR BARELY FUNCTIONS. IF I HAD BEEN IN FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10606563
Incident
Jun 27, 2014
Mileage
3,500 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Feb 21, 2014

SEVERAL TIMES, AFTER STARTING MY TIGUAN AND BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR DRIVING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WITHIN MINUTES OF STARTING THE ENGINE, WHILE IN REVERSE OR IN DRIVE, THE CAR JUST TURNS OFF WITH IT IN GEAR, SO THEN I HAVE HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE TO CONTINUE ON WITH MY TRAVELS. THIS APPEARS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR AWHILE, THEN IS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR AND THEN I GO TO DRIVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, SO IT IS WARMED UP. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES NOW FOR THIS ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME, THEY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP MODULE, WHICH WE DID DO, HOWEVER IT IS OCCURRING AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO VW AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, BUT HAVE SUGGESTED REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP ITSELF, FOR A MERE $600 OR MORE, WHICH I HAVE NOT OPTED TO DO YET, AS I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THIS COSTLY PART FOR SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH MANY TIGUAN OWNERS. I THINK VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE FUEL PUMPS IF THAT IS THE CASE. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR TIGUANS. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DRASTICALLY WRONG WITH THESE CARS, WHETHER IT BE THE FUEL PUMP OR WHAT NOT, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AS THE VEHICLE JUST TURNS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE IN PUBLIC PLACES, HOPING THAT SOMEONE CAN LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO RECTIFY IT.....UPDATED 02-28-14 *BF. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED AND WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW HER COMPLAINT. UPDATED 03/07/14

NHTSA ID
10565260
Incident
Nov 1, 2013
Mileage
45,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 18, 2013

AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE, DRIVER ACCELERATED INTO AN INTERSECTION, AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PLACED INTO PARK, AND WAS THEN ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE CENTER PERFORMED A FUEL PUMP PRESSURE TEST, RESULTING IN A FAILURE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER HAS TWO OF THESE VEHICLES (EXACT MODEL AND MODEL YEAR), AND THE SAME INCIDENT/EQUIPMENT FAILURE TOOK PLACE WITH BOTH VEHICLES DURING THE SPAN OF A MONTH. THE SAME PART WAS REPLACED ON THE OTHER VEHICLE WHICH HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. IF THE INCIDENTS HAD TRANSPIRED ON A HIGHWAY, OR OTHER HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADWAY, THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10493431
Incident
Jan 11, 2013
Mileage
15,000 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 .