2014 Volkswagen Tiguan Electrical Problems

Clock spring broken when my wife turned her steering wheel leaving a parking lot. Airbags no longer work, along with anything electronic within steering wheel.

NHTSA ID

11645361

Incident

Feb 15, 2025

Clock Spring in steering wheel is broken. Driver Airbag is non-functional, as are the controls on the steering wheel. No Driver air bag is a huge safety issue! We immediately "scheduled" an appointment to have this issue repaired. At the appointment, a VW dealer (VW Castle Downers Grove IL) confirmed the issue and noted that this was the subject of a recall (15V483000) with an ongoing & perpetual duty to repair. Despite the recall, the dealer does not have the parts, nor can they provide a date when they might be available (they are "backordered"). We checked with another dealer, and this seems to be a common problem. Also, we did a thorough search online to assess the situation with other drivers/vehicles - this is a common issue! Someone (either the dealer or VW) is dragging their feet on this mandatory, potentially life-threatening issue & repair. When will the NHTSA kick VW (or the dealer) in the [XXX]? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11593682

Incident

May 15, 2024

I was turning into a parking spot and heard a loud “snap” coming from my wheel. The “error: airbag” light came on and all electrical on my wheel stopped working. And the horn does not work. I googled it and my year and model has a recall for the clock spring. It says my airbag will not deploy. I have no way to change the computer screen. So I can’t digitally see my speed and I can’t update my tire pressure amongst other things.

NHTSA ID

11514949

Incident

Apr 1, 2023

Airbag light came on. At the same time we lost all of our steering wheel controls as well as our horn. Some vehicles are covered by a recall but supposedly this yr and model isn't covered for some reason

NHTSA ID

11496664

Incident

Dec 8, 2022

Unable to complete vehicle inspection . Horn does not work, some electronics malfunction, airbags light is on. Cannot use dashboard related functions i.e. adjust tire pressure settings, gas tank door lock malfunctions, hands free communication malfunction. This is the 2nd time in a year that the clock spring failed. The manufacturer is not being able to provide the parts due to conflict area manufacturing, perhaps its time to relocate manufacturing. It's been 3 1/2 month and still no ETA on parts. Perhaps it's a poorly designed part. Maybe back to the drawing board. I understand the malfunction can set off airbag without a collision.

NHTSA ID

11486895

Incident

Jun 13, 2022

Turned the steering wheel, heard a popping noise and then an airbag error appeared. The horn no longer works either. Assumed to be the known clock spring issue for this year/make/model.

NHTSA ID

11485179

Incident

Sep 18, 2022

This is the second time my Volkswagen Tiguan's spring clock has broken. As a result I have lost access to my airbags and horn. I also can't contact my driver electrical from the steering wheel. I am being told there is no way of knowing when the dealership may be able to get the part. I will be driving in an extremely unsafe care with my one-year old son. This is terrifying.

NHTSA ID

11476918

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

The clock spring in my vehicle went out. There is a backorder of upwards of 1 yr for part to replace. VW stated its a known issue. Until the clock spring gets fixed, I have no drivers side airbag, no horn, all lights on dash are on. With them all on, I am not alerted to any issues that may be occurring with any system in my vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11476571

Incident

Jan 7, 2022

Clock spring failed in the steering wheel after having the part replaced 2 years ago under a VW warranty. Now that the clock spring failed a second I am told that there is no ETA to get the vehicle fixed and there are over 10k people waiting for the part needed to fix the vehicle. The wait is likely over 9 months. With a failed clock spring the airbags do not work. The horn also doesn't work. 2 key safety features are no longer working in my vehicle because of a manufactures defect that is highly known. VW taking no responsibility and will not expedite parts replacement or offer an alternate vehicle. Because of VW a vehicle that would fail a safety inspection in most states will be on the road. They are not offering a loaner vehicle and are instead allowing cars to be on the road without horns and airbags. This should be a recall and VW should have to pay for damaged vehicles that are unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11463260

Incident

May 3, 2022

When turning the car, I heard a sound in the steering wheel and then lost functioning of the horn and all other steering wheel controls and buttons; The air bag light also came on - indicating the driver's side airbag is not functioning. Based on research believe it is identical problem others that have reported with defective steering wheel clock spring. Cannot find evidence that this vehicle was subject to or repaired under the previous recall on this issue. 1) it is available for inspection 2) safety risk because driver side airbag is now malfunctioning 3) not inspected by dealer or service center yet 4) not inspected by any others 5) no, no other warning lamps, message or symptoms appeared prior to the failure - airbag malfunction light went on at the same time the car lost other electrical functioning in the steering wheel. Unable to view any other messages because button to toggle through info system on dash is not working as well.

NHTSA ID

11452132

Incident

Feb 14, 2022

One day I noticed that my horn wasn't working. Then a few days later I noticed that I couldn't connect to my phone from the steering wheel. The the airbag light came on. Garage said it is malfunctioning of electrical parts in the steering wheel column.

NHTSA ID

11449649

Incident

Jan 21, 2022

POWER TO THE AIRBAG HAS FAILED, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE. AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. SEE VW DEALERS STATEMENT OF FACT WITH REMARKS.

NHTSA ID

11387935

Incident

Jan 2, 2021

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF SEVERAL ITEMS OF BELONGINGS ON THE GROUND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO LOCK THE VEHICLE USING THE KEYFOB HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR DOOR REMAINED UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT USED THE INTERNAL DOOR LOCK FUNCTION TO LOCK THE DOORS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES TO THE DOOR BEING AJAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DICK HANNAH VOLKSWAGEN OF PORTLAND LOCATED AT (12345 E BURNSIDE ST, PORTLAND, OR 97233) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11315717

Incident

Jun 19, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

A CLICKING SOUNDS STARTED COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING, AT ONE POINT THE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON, AND FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL NO LONGER WORK, INCLUDING THE HORN. THE CLICKING SOUNDS FROM THE STEERING WHEEL IS STILL PRESENT WHILE TURNING. I CALLED A PLACE THAT SPECIALIZES IN VW AND THEY SUGGESTED I CALL VW DEALER INSTEAD BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HIGHLY LIKELY A RECALL. I CALLED VW AND THEY STATED IT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT PART OF AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY", WHICH MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR DUE TO THE MILES ON THE CAR. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH VW, AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR $160 TO SIMPLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS CLEAR TO THEM WHAT THE ISSUE IS, AND NOT NEW TO THEM. IT IS NOT DUE TO THE AGE OR MILEAGE ON THE CAR, BUT A SAFETY MISS FROM THEIR END.

NHTSA ID

11287852

Incident

Dec 6, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN I HEARD SOME CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. SUDDENLY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD. THE HORN AND THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, SUCH AS, VOLUME, STOPPED WORKING. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY SAID MY CAR WASN'T INCLUDED ON THE CLOCK SPRING RECALL EVEN THOUGH MY CAR DETAILS(YEAR, MODEL, PROBLEM) FIT. I HAVE HAD VOLKSWAGEN FOR EVER 9 YEARS AND I AM SO FRUSTRATED. MY CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED ON THE RECALL. NO DOUBT.

NHTSA ID

11156047

Incident

Jun 7, 2018

Mileage

25,000 mi

CLOCK SPRING BROKEN, VIN NOT COVERED IN RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11152329

Incident

Jul 11, 2018

Mileage

90,000 mi

STATIONARY, PARKED. STARTED ENGINE AND HEAR CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. ERROR MESSAGE AND LIGHT EMERGED ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING AIRBAG ERROR. NON-FUNCTIONAL ELECTRONIC CONTROLS AND HORN ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NO AIRBAG FUNCTION AND HORN IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

11132804

Incident

Sep 29, 2018

Mileage

31,942 mi

AFTER MAKING A TURN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A LOOSE RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHENEVER I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I NOTICED THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOW ON. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WERE NOT FUNCTIONING INCLUDING THE HORN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH WE DISCOVERED THAT MANY 2014 TIGUANS WERE RECALLED FOR A DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING CAUSING THE PROBLEMS I AM DEALING WITH. THE CLOCKSPRING IN MY STEERING WHEEL IS BROKEN DISCONNECTING POWER FROM THE AIR BAG, HORN, AND STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WILL NOT BE COVERED BY BY THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME TYPE AND YEAR MODEL AS OTHER VEHICLES COVERED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.

NHTSA ID

11129970

Incident

Aug 10, 2018

Mileage

46,000 mi

THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THAT THE AIR-BAG ERROR LIGHT WAS ON. WE TOOK IT TOO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE WE HAD PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW.THE CLOCK SPRING WAS ISOLATED AS BEING DEFECTIVE/NON-FUNCTIONAL. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER AIR-BAG WAS SHOWING AN ERROR, ALSO THE HORN AND THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WERE ALSO INOPERABLE. THIS APPARENTLY IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE MODELS FOR WHICH THERE IS A RECALL THAT DOES INCLUDES THE VW TIGUAN 2014 BUT THE AUTHORIZED DEALER (HALLMARK VW OF COOL SPRINGS, TN) INDICATED THAT RECALL WAS NOT FOR THIS SPECIFIC VIN. THEY CHARGED ME $750 FOR PART REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID

11094107

Incident

May 14, 2018

Mileage

37,000 mi

ALTHOUGH VW HAS HAD RECALLS IN MULTIPLE OF ITS 2010-2014 VEHICLES WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I'M HAVING CURRENTLY THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY 2014 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. I WAS PARALLEL PARKING AND I TURNED MY WHEEL ONE WAY AND HEARD A "TICK-TICK-TICK" SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL THE OPPOSITE WAY TO FINISH PARKING IT DID NOT TICK. AFTER THAT I HAD NO POWER IN MY STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, ALONGSIDE THE AIRBAG LIGHT TURNING ON NOTIFYING ME THEY WERE NO LONGER WORKING AND MY HORN DOES NOT WORK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE WHILE DRIVING OR INSIDE THE CAR. WHEN OUTSIDE THE CAR AND I HIT THE LOCK BUTTON THE HORN WORKS NOTIFYING ME IT HAS BEEN LOCKED. I WAS NEARLY RAMMED INTO AFTER ANOTHER CAR TRIED MERGING INTO MY LANE AND I WASN'T ABLE TO HONK MY HORN AS WARNING TO THEM. CONSIDERING THE RECENT RECALLS FROM VOLKSWAGEN I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR WHEN IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE CURRENT RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED.

NHTSA ID

11076297

Incident

Feb 5, 2018

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN DETERIORATED AND BECAME NONFUNCTIONAL IN A CAR THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND WITH ONLY 17000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT AN OLD CAR, TO SPEND ABOUT $800 TO REPAIR A PART THAT IS STILL THIS NEW IS RIDICULOUS. THERE ARE PAST AND CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS INTO THIS EXACT PART WITH MANY MODELS, INCLUDING VARIATIONS OF OUR OWN.

NHTSA ID

11056243

Incident

Dec 8, 2017

Mileage

17,534 mi

ON APRIL 15, 2014, I WAS AT A GAS STATION WAITING TO PULL INTO AN AVAILABLE PUMP WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE. THE CAR'S ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND THE BATTERY LIGHT SIGNALED. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, AND RESTART THE ENGINE. AS SOON AS I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL WAS ILLUMINATED. I DROVE HOME AFTER FILLING UP ON GAS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, APRIL 16, 2014, I CALLED OPEN ROAD VOLKSWAGEN OF MANHATTAN AND SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2014. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT WEEK, UNTIL SUNDAY, THE CAR DID NOT SHUT OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I WOULD DRIVE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ILLUMINATED. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014, I WAS DRIVING ON THE RAMP TO GET ON THE FDR DRIVE FROM THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, GOING APPROXIMATELY 20-40 MPH, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, I WAS FORCED TO PLACE THE CAR IN PARK, TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, AND RESTART THE ENGINE. DURING THE COURSE OF DRIVING TO AN EMERGENCY SHOULDER, AS THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, THE CAR'S ENGINE ONCE AGAIN TURNED OFF COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER MAKING IT TO AN EMERGENCY SHOULDER AREA, I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED. TODAY, APRIL 21, 2014, I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT OPEN ROAD VOLKSWAGEN OF MANHATTAN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT ON (AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, SOMETIMES IT WAS ON FOR ME AND SOMETIMES NOT) AND THAT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN DRIVEN AROUND THE BLOCK. THEREFORE, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE IS GOING TO TAKE THE CAR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD TO SEE IF THE ISSUE REPRODUCES. OF COURSE, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10584039

Incident

Apr 15, 2014

Mileage

1,200 mi