2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Brakes Problems

Activates while driving on a flat road at random

NHTSA ID

11687206

Incident

Sep 14, 2025

The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan SE (4Motion) has approximately 75,000 miles on it. The rear driver-side brake lines failed, snapping in half, which resulted in a complete loss of brake fluid. Consequently, the vehicle was unable to stop unless the emergency brake was engaged.

NHTSA ID

11631141

Incident

Dec 10, 2024

While slow8ng to a stop the emergency brake is activating. Auto start stop malfunction warning appears on dash. Takes a minute to get the emergency brake to release. Happened several times in 2 days.

NHTSA ID

11572522

Incident

Feb 15, 2024

ABS Control Module failed resulted in Emergency Brakes to be applied and locking indiscriminately resulting in loss of control as well as safe use of the vehicle. Parts to replace ABS Control system are reportedly unavailable/backordered with no estimate of availability. VW of America refuses to provide any information how to proceed.

NHTSA ID

11541364

Incident

Aug 2, 2023

Solo prendieron la luz

NHTSA ID

11531615

Incident

Nov 12, 2022

The vehicle has had multiple issues with uneven and premature wearing of the brakes. Brake shop determined it was possibly the result of defective calipers. The inside and outside pads wore completely differently on every axle. Brakes wore out prematurely at 35k. I am suspicious that this also may have been caused by the forward collision warning system's proclivity to errantly activate, thus forcefully slamming on the brakes.

NHTSA ID

11438387

Incident

May 1, 2021

• Vehicle purchased new • First brake service • Mileage: 46,700 Over a 1-week period, I noticed an increasing grinding noise at driver side front wheel. I suspected brakes. Took vehicle to VW dealership who performed an inspection then reported (first explanation) that unknown material/debris had worked its way between rotor and pad resulting in significant wear & scoring of driver front rotor. Dealership advised replacement of all 4 rotors and pads ($ 1,700+)! When I questioned the replacement of ALL brakes, I was told (2nd explanation) the debris in the driver front brake had reduced braking efficiency such that the passenger front brake had to compensate, which subsequently resulted in excessive pad and rotor wear/scoring at that site. Okay, but then why the rear? I was told (3rd explanation), that due to the decreased braking efficiency of BOTH front brakes, the rear brakes had to compensate and that the rear pads were at 5mm, and the rear rotors were warped beyond specifications. I requested all parts be retained for my inspection. Upon my later inspection, I saw that one pad from EACH side of the respective front calipers was substantially worn beyond the other pad. I was told (4th explanation) the caliper pins may not have had sufficient lubrication thus one (inner) side of EACH front caliper was getting hung up - thus the excessive wear to only the inner pad on EACH front brake. Similarly, the inner side of each rotor showed substantially more wear and “deep grooving”. Despite the clear evidence of caliper malfunction, warranty coverage declined - EVEN THOUGH the full factory warranty was still in full effect! Outcome: Paid for all new rotors & pads (no other feasible option). Service manager recommended returning after 5000 miles to verify proper function of calipers. But Service Manager advised that if the caliper issue IS found, at that time, “(T)he calipers may need replacement manufacturer’s warranty may apply.”

NHTSA ID

11418182

Incident

May 20, 2021

MY FRONT ASSIST FUNCTION MALFUNCTIONED. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 50MPH AND THE CAR CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS ALMOST CHOKED ME, AND THE SUDDEN STOP JARRED ME. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I'VE BEEN TERRIFIED EVERY SINCE IT HAPPENED. IT HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE, BUT THIS THIRD TIME WAS THE WORST. THE NEXT MORNING I CONTACTED VW, AND TOOK MY CAR IN. THEY TEST DROVE MY CAR. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AND TO COME PICK UP MY VEHICLE. I EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT SOMETHING DEFINITELY WAS WRONG. I SUGGESTED THEM DO MORE DIAGNOSTICS, BUT THEY DID NOT. I CALLED CORPORATE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THEY DID DOCUMENT MY CLAIM AND GAVE ME A CLAIM NUMBER. IN THE MEANTIME I STARTED DOING SOME INVESTIGATIONS. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVESTIGATION GOING ON. I ALSO FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENING ON ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11385693

Incident

Dec 28, 2020

Mileage

46,000 mi

WHEN IN MOTION, IN THE CITY, CAR HAD APPLIED BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY UNEXPECTEDLY, WITHOUT A REASON, WITHOUT CARS OR OBSTRUCTIONS ON FRONT. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 40 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11351323

Incident

Aug 23, 2020

Mileage

25,000 mi

BACK CALIPERS GETTING STUCK AND CAUSED PREMATURE WEARING OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. HAD TO REPLACE ONE SIDE WHILE THE OTHER WAS FINE BECAUSE PISTON WAS STUCK OUT AND CAUSED DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325328

Incident

May 20, 2020

Mileage

30,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW IAT THE END OF 2018. AT THE END OF 2019 THE CAR NOW NEEDS NEW BRAKES AND HAS LESS THAN 19,000 MILES. THE CAR SHAKES WHEN YOU BREAK. THE DEALERSHIP STATED USUALLY BRAKES AND ROTORS LAST 30,000 AND CITED "COMMON CAUSES" FOR NEEDING NEW BREAKS. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY WOULD COVER LABOR AT GOOD WILL TO REPLACE BRAKES AND ROTORS AND THEN CAME BACK THAT WOULD COVER 60% AND PROVIDED ME 3 DIFFERENT AMOUNTS FOR A TOTAL. ADDITIONALLY, IN DECEMBER 2019, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION TURNING LEFT THE CAR STARTED TO STUTTER AND WAS SHAKING, AFTER THEY REVIEWED IT, THEY STATED THAT THE CAR HAD "MISFIRED" AND NOT ALL 4 ENGINES STARTED AT THE SAME TIME, ONLY 3 OF THE ENGINES DID. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE CAR BE REVIEWED FOR COMPLIANCE AND SAFETY REGARDING THE BRAKES AND ENGINE. ADDITIONALLY, I AM REQUESTING THAT VOLKSWAGEN COVER THE COST AND LABOR OF REPLACING BRAKES AND ROTORS.

NHTSA ID

11296841

Incident

Dec 16, 2019

Mileage

18,000 mi

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED LESS THAN 5MPH THE EMERGENCY BRAKING WILL ENGAGE FOR NO REASON AT ALL. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE STARTING TO PROCEED FORWARD AFTER SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AS WELL AS SLOWLY TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WITH NO CARS NEAR TO CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED AT THIS POINT, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF THE CAR WAS MOVING FASTER.

NHTSA ID

11256087

Incident

Sep 17, 2019

Mileage

10,000 mi

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING IN OUR TIGUAN WITH OUR 7 MONTH OLD AND 3 YEAR OLD IN THE BACK. WE WERE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET DURING THE DAY WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. AS WE APPROACHED A METAL PLATE OVER THE ROAD (FOR A ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT) THE TIGUAN'S "FRONT ASSIST" SYSTEM CAUSED THE CAR TO NEARLY SKID TO A STOP. THE CAR BEHIND US LUCKILY DID NOT REAR END US BUT HAD WE BEEN GOING FASTER AND THE CAR BEHIND US HAD BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSER, THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. THIS IS A WORRYING PROBLEM BECAUSE THE METAL PLATE WAS NO MORE THAN AN INCH HIGHER THAN THE PAVEMENT AND IS A VERY STANDARD THING TO SEE IN CONSTRUCTION SITES. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE FRONT ASSIST TO ACTIVATE.

NHTSA ID

11233706

Incident

Jul 20, 2019

Mileage

7,500 mi

VEHICLE ENGAGES AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY PROMPTING...NO OTHER VEHICLE ANYWHERE IN SIGHT. IT HAS HAPPENED ON A RURAL TWO LANE ROAD, WITH A FARM ON ONE SIDE AND WOODS ON THE OTHER AND HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON A 4 LANE ROAD WITHIN CITY LIMITS, BUT NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT ONE TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE IN THE LANE HEADING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS IT BRINGS THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, REGARDLESS OF SPEED. I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AS WELL AS MY HUSBAND AND MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THE AMOUNT OF FORCE IS SO VIOLENT THAT I WOULD IMAGINE IT IS EQUIVALENT TO BEING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD JUST PICKED UP TAKE-OUT ONCE WHEN THIS HAD HAPPENED, AND THE SALSA IN THE TAKEOUT BAG FLEW OFF OF THE BACK SEAT AND THE FORCE CAUSED THE LID TO COME OFF AND SALSA WAS ALL OVER THE 2ND ROW, FRONT ROW, AS WELL AS MYSELF AND WINDSHIELD TO PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW FORCEFUL THIS IS. I FEAR THE DAY THAT IT ENGAGES AND A CAR IS BEHIND ME, BECAUSE IT WILL KILL SOMEONE. WE ONLY DRIVE THIS CAR NOW ONLY IF IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND WE CAN'T MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS.

NHTSA ID

11217259

Incident

Jun 11, 2018

Mileage

8,150 mi

DRIVING ON A SATURDAY MORNING TO MY HOME. NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME, BEHIND ME OR IN THE OPPOSITE LANE (2 LANE ROAD). WITHIN 1/4 MILE FROM HOME, THE AUTOMATIC FRONT BRAKE ASSIST WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON THIS EXACT ROAD 100'S OF TIMES AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED. THE GROCERIES IN THE BACK SEAT FLEW TO THE FRONT SEAT AND I EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH. I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR! IT WAS SCARY AND COMPLETELY UNPROMPTED. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DISENGAGED THE FRONT ASSIST. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL VW OWNER FOR 25 YEARS BUT THIS IS SO UNSETTLING! THE CAR JUST HAD ITS FIRST SERVICE (10,000 MILES) 4 DAYS PRIOR AT A VW DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11210108

Incident

May 26, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE FILLING THE TIRES WITH AIR, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK CASE VOLKSWAGEN (3520 WESTON RD, WESTON, FL 33331) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE EATING UP THE BRAKE ROTORS AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,900.

NHTSA ID

11197363

Incident

Apr 8, 2019

Mileage

6,900 mi

ON 2/17/2019, MY SISTER & I WERE DRIVING WEST ON SANTA MONICA BLVD. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-45MPH. IT WAS SLIGHTLY OVERCAST. THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF US FOR BLOCKS &, LUCKILY, NO CARS BEHIND US. THERE WERE NO BICYCLES OR MOTORCYCLES OR PEDESTRIANS OR ANY OTHER APPARENT 'HAZARD' IN FRONT OR ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR. OUT OF NOWHERE, THE CAR'S BRAKES SLAMMED ON, LEAVING US STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF SANTA MONICA BLVD. THE DIGITAL COCKPIT WENT BLACK & A RED WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ACROSS IT. I ASKED MY SISTER TO GRAB THE OWNERS MANUAL TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. AFTER SHE GRABBED IT, THE VEHICLE STARTED DRIVING AGAIN & SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE DIGITAL COCKPIT WENT BACK TO NORMAL. IT TURNED OUT THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT ASSIST SYSTEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 2/21/2019. ON 4/6/2019, HAVING FIXED NOTHING, THEY FORCED ME TO TAKE MY CAR BACK. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON 2/25/2019 THAT MY SISTER & I SAW, BUT THEY ARE REFUSING TO PROVIDE ME A COPY OF. IN THAT DIAGNOSTIC IT DID SHOW THAT THE DISTANCE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILED IN 11/2018. THE FRONT ASSIST DOES NOT SHOW A FAIL OR THAT IT HAS EVER BEEN ACTIVATED. BECAUSE MY DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO 'DUPLICATE' THE MALFUNCTION, I AM BEING TOLD THAT THIS A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE CAR. VW ALSO WANTED ME TO KEEP A JOURNAL FOR WHEN THIS MALFUNCTION HAPPENS AGAIN - AS I'VE EXPLAINED TO VW & MY DEALERSHIP, THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS THERE COULD BE AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTS IN INJURY OR DEATH. I WAS STILL FORCED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK. I AM TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR KNOWING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONING WITH THE SENSORS, AUTONOMOUS BRAKING SYSTEM, FRONT ASSIST SYSTEM. I AM EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT THE MALFUNCTION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD INJURE MYSELF, MY PASSENGERS, & OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADS.

NHTSA ID

11194803

Incident

Feb 17, 2019

Mileage

550 mi

FRONTAL BRAKE ASSIST IS ENGAGING WITHOUT NECESSITY. ONE INCIDENT OCCURRED SLOWING DRIVING THROUGH AN EMPTY PARKING GARAGE WHILE SLOWLY FOLLOWING ANOTHER CAR ABOUT A CAR LENGTH AHEAD. MY DASH WARNING LIGHTS TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS APPROACHING A CAR THAT HAD BEEN STOPPED IN MY LANE ON A CITY STREET, GOING SAME DIRECTION AND IN PROCESS OF MAKING A LEFT TURN. THOUGH THE CAR AHEAD WAS ALREADY TURNING AND 2 LENGTHS AWAY, MY CAR'S DASH WARNING LIGHTS LIT AND THE CAR BEGAN TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT DID NOT COMPLETELY STOP.

NHTSA ID

11192506

Incident

Mar 11, 2019

Mileage

16,500 mi

IN MOTION 70MPH AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE LOST TO SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN/BRAKE AT RAPID RATE AMONGST 70 MPH FLOW OF TRAFFIC. PRIOR INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 40 MPH. DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL SPEED OR BRAKING.

NHTSA ID

11180945

Incident

Feb 14, 2018

Mileage

1,900 mi

TODAY, THE CAR STALLED WHILE I WAS STATION/STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT AND GOT DRAGGED BY THE TRUCK WHICH ALMOST RAN OVER MY CAR. MY CAR'S SENSOR SWITCHED TO EMERGENCY MODE AND WOULD NOT LET ME DRIVE. I WANTED TO DRIVE MY CAR AWAY WHEN I SAW THE DANGER. HOWEVER, L COULD NOT AND ALMOST GOT KILLED AND RAN OVER BY THE 18 WHEELS TRUCK.

NHTSA ID

11129437

Incident

Sep 13, 2018

Mileage

2,000 mi

ON 7/13/2018 WE ARE ON A FAMILY TRIP WHEN WE STOP THE VEHICLE TO TAKE SOME PICTURES THE CAR ON PARKING, START TO MAKE HIGH AND LOW ACELERATION WITH VIBRATIONS AND THEN A LIGHT WITH EPC SHOW ON DASHBOARD. I TURN OFF THE CAR FOR A MINUTE AND THEN TURN ON, THE EPC LIGHT DISAPPEAR, BUT THE VIBRATIONS CONTINUED. THE NEXT DAY (7/14/2018) WE ARE ON THE ROAD AND THE VEHICULE STARTS THE VIBRATIONS , THEN SHOW THE CHECKENGINE PICTURE ON THE DASHBOARD, RAPIDLY 2 ERRORS APPEARED ON THE SCREEN 'ERROR: START-STOP' AND 'ENGINE ON DUE TO SYSTEM ERROR'. WE CALL VW CENTER AND WE HAVE A INSPECCION OF THE VEHICLE THIS WEEK. ALSO WITH LESS OF 4,000MI WE SAW THAT THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS HAVE PROBLEMS. THEY SHOW A BIG MARK WITH DITCH. THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE PADS OR WITH THE STOP SYSTEM

NHTSA ID

11111398

Incident

Jul 13, 2018

Mileage

30 mi