2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Complaints

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? During a multipoint inspection that was earlier than advised due to multiple dashboard lights engaging, we were told that our car has an oil leak due from the timing covers and lower pan seal. They removed the oil separator and found value stem seals to be out towards the exhaust side creating an oil leak that stemmed from blown timing covers and the lower oil pan seal being the cause of the leak. The oil separator was noted as failed. This car has been brought in for every inspection and continued to have lights on post inspection that we were told regularly that they forgot just to turn off the lights but that the oil had been changed. In fact, our next oil change wasn't due until February 2027. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Our safety has been put at risk driving a car with a substantial oil leak and faulty components that only seem found after we are 8,000 over the warranty. In searching the internet, this oil valve and leak situation is common in 2022 Tiguans enough so that there are multiple threads and articles about it. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealer confirmed that this is an ongoing issue with these cars and that Volkwagen may be looking into doing a rebate for repairs. That doesn't fix the issue with the safety of the vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? We will be checking in with our insurance provider as well as an independent service center after dealing with Heritage Volkswagen Group due to our warranty. That warranty obviously provided us nothing for its cost or coverage. The lights were present and always brought in to be checked at the dealer we bought the car from. Again, we were always told that the lights didn't mean anything and they were left on after service accidentally

NHTSA ID

11756299

Incident

Aug 11, 2026

The vehicle logged code P0491 due to a clogged cylinder head internal port at 28,000 miles (26,000 at the time vehicle was inspected.) Volkswagen's official repair protocol requires a complete engine cylinder head replacement. The vehicle's onboard computer has disabled the factory-installed remote start system as a result of this engine fault.

NHTSA ID

11755056

Incident

May 8, 2026

The infotainment MIB3 system failed. Infotainment screen is completely black and non functional. This has put my family at risk because I can’t see my backup camera and have very limited visibility through rear view mirror when backing up. I also lost safety features such as rear cross traffic warning, rear auto braking, ability to see pedestrians or vehicles when backing up, and the emergency cell call system. My car also no longer can access navigation or CarPlay which makes navigation dangerous on my small phone. Failure of MIB3 infotainment brain was confirmed by VW dealer. Car is under factory warranty but part is backordered with no ETA so I’m forced to drive an unsafe car. Was denied a loaner vehicle. This failure happened 1 day after overhead console spontaneously broke and fell down from headliner. Error lights now persist on the dashboard.

NHTSA ID

11755040

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

The overhead console suddenly dropped into the passenger compartment, making the vehicle dangerous to drive: the rear view mirror view was completely blocked and the now swinging console can hit the driver's face while driving. To avoid being hit, the driver has to hold the console up with one hand while driving with only one hand. The cause appears to be the failure of multiple plastic clips holding the overhead console in place. While this appears to be a known issue with VW, they have not recalled all of the affected vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11753951

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

Travel Assist Not Available warning chime several times while driving. This has been back to the dealer 3 or more times, steering wheel replaced, software updates and still this along with screen blackouts, steering wheel heater coming on without prompting, audio failure, backup camera not always functioning. It is very distracting to all drivers with constant chimes and warning lights flashing across all screens.

NHTSA ID

11753904

Incident

Jul 2, 2023

We have had the steering wheel replaced twice in this vehicle since purchasing it brand new. This is not the 3rd steering wheel in the truck. From what we can tell this is extremely common with this VW. There is an issue with the wheel ring that causes the circuitry to "freak" out and cause the lane assist system/warning to come on/off repeatedly on the dash. It happens when you turn the wheel and flashes on the screen/auditable alerts multiple times. It is unsafe to drive as the warning happens for no rhyme or reason. Causing malfunction to the lane assist feature and is extremely distracting for the driver. Yes, the dealer has been able to replicate the issue. They have successfully replaced the steering wheel twice no (under warranty) There were no warnings prior to the issue happening. At which point the waring lights and audible alerts starting happening. This is clearly a recall issue for VW. Our concern is we are now on the 3rd steering wheel in a vehicle we bought brand new and it is now out of warranty. After the first wheel replacement there were no issues for approx. 1 year, then it happened again. There is a part that is degrading within the wheel and causing this to happen.

NHTSA ID

11751371

Incident

Apr 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The oil light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because parts were on back order. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the service and the general manufacturer. The manager informed the contact to continue driving the vehicle and to continue to take it in for the oil to be topped off. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

NHTSA ID

11750052

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

Mileage

30,000 mi

Oil warning light was on while driving on a highway. My vehicle was losing engine oil. I just had an oil change recently. Current odometer is at 25000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11749468

Incident

Jul 8, 2026

The vehicle intermittently fails to accelerate normally from a stop, especially in hot weather and when the A/C is running. When pressing the accelerator, the vehicle can hesitate for an extended period before moving. In a recent incident recorded on video (reference attachment), I pressed the accelerator and the vehicle failed to respond normally for more than 10 seconds, requiring me to pull over. This creates a serious safety risk when entering intersections, making U-turns, crossing traffic, or pulling into traffic, because the vehicle does not respond when acceleration is needed. The issue is intermittent and more frequent and severe during summer temperatures, when the AC is running continuously. The concern has been reported to the Volkswagen dealer multiple times. Dealer repair attempts were made in 2025, but the issue still exists. An independent mechanic also inspected/tested the vehicle and confirmed there is an issue, but advised that it likely requires Volkswagen-specific diagnosis, software, adaptation, or calibration. No consistent warning light appears before the hesitation occurs. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I have video evidence showing the delayed acceleration condition.

NHTSA ID

11747947

Incident

Jul 18, 2025

I have a 2022 Tiguan 2.0L gas engine with a 10yr 120k mile Volkswagen warranty and all previous maintenance and services performed by the Volkswagen dealer. Just over 40k miles and a check engine light comes on so I go to the dealer. The oil separator, an emissions device, failed and needs to be replaced with the oil pan and timing chain cover. This separator is not noted anywhere on the manufacturer service schedule but based on talking to the dealership and my own research its is a known issue failing frequently over the last 5-6 years with Volkswagen redesigning parts several times in failed attempts to correct the issue but, to date, they have not issued a recall. As such, owners are having to pay significant repair bills as Volkswagen refuses to repair this under emission control or extended warranty coverage.

NHTSA ID

11747225

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

Keyless system warning continuously goes off. Lane assist continually is unavailable Start stop system continually unavailable Dealership has serviced the vehicle and warning indicators continue to go off.

NHTSA ID

11746921

Incident

Jun 27, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding my Volkswagen vehicle because it has experienced two recurring defects during the warranty period that remain unresolved despite repeated repair attempts by the dealership. Issue 1 – Excessive Oil Consumption The vehicle has had a persistent excessive oil consumption problem since the warranty period. The dealership has attempted to repair this defect six times, including replacing an engine valve, but the issue continues. The vehicle still consumes excessive oil, requiring frequent monitoring and topping off. This creates a serious safety concern because low engine oil can result in engine damage, sudden loss of engine power, engine seizure, or an increased risk of fire while driving. Issue 2 – Electrical System Failure The vehicle has also experienced ongoing electrical problems involving the keyless entry system, repeated 12V Battery Low warnings, inoperative interior lights, and loss of connectivity with the Volkswagen mobile app. These problems have persisted despite nine repair attempts by the dealership and remain unresolved. The vehicle has spent a significant amount of time at the dealership throughout 2025 and 2026 for these recurring defects. The repeated electrical failures raise significant safety concerns. The keyless entry system can fail to unlock or recognize the key, the low 12V battery warnings indicate an unresolved electrical issue, and the loss of interior lighting reduces visibility inside the vehicle. The repeated failures also raise concerns about the reliability of other critical electrical systems and the possibility of the vehicle failing to start or operating unpredictably. Despite six repair attempts for excessive oil consumption and nine for electrical defects, Volkswagen has been unable to permanently fix these issues. I request NHTSA investigate whether these recurring failures indicate a broader safety defect requiring corrective action. Currently car is back to dealership for repair again

NHTSA ID

11746538

Incident

Mar 5, 2025

My travel assist warning light and warning bell randomly goes on. Sometimes it does it a couple times, most times it continues nonstop. I have warranty left and the dealer has charged me twice to diagnose it only to say there's nothing wrong. They claim unless it is doing it when i come in, there is nothing they can do. I find it hard to belive that this doesn't log in the computer. This becomes terribly distracting while driving as I look down every single time to read the warning in case it is something different. I showed the dealer a 3 minute video of it happening. I tried to traded the car for a different brand and it did it to the people inspecting the car.

NHTSA ID

11746126

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

This is a very common issue with the car and everytime I touch the steering wheel it says “travel assist not available”. But when it notify that message it makes a very loud noise. It is very distracting because everytime I move my hands or grab the wheel it will keep making the loud noise making it very hard to focus. This is a problem that Volkswagen knows about and wants the customer to pay over $1000 out of pocket to replace the whole steering wheel. There is no user error or way for the drive to cause this it is a faulty sensor in the wheel. In the end its makes it very hard to drive and focus when everytime I move my hand on my wheel the car makes a loud ringing noise

NHTSA ID

11745514

Incident

Mar 20, 2026

In February 2026, my windshield was replaced by a third-party glass company after a crack. Shortly after, my vehicle’s driver assistance system began activating falsely — beeping, displaying warnings, and on a few occasions attempting to auto-correct the steering wheel while my hands were already on it. The ‘hands on wheel’ warning has displayed while I was actively holding the wheel. The glass company has serviced the vehicle four times since, including replacing the camera bracket, resetting the windshield seal, and installing a full OEM windshield and bracket as recently as June 15, 2026. Camera recalibration has passed successfully each time. Despite this, the false activations have continued and worsened. On June 17, 2026, the system activated approximately 25 times during a single commute of about 30 minutes, including while braking and during slow-speed maneuvers such as parking. The vehicle’s steering wheel was replaced in January 2025 under a manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin for an unrelated known defect and functioned without issue for over a year before this began. I am scheduling a dealership appointment to diagnose the cause. This is a safety concern because the system unpredictably intervenes with steering input and produces frequent distracting false alerts while driving

NHTSA ID

11745035

Incident

Feb 26, 2026

Lane Assistance Warning comes on repeatedly for no apparent reason. It is very distracting and dangerous as it makes a loud noise and flashes on the dashboard. The dealership has replaced the steering wheel to rectify the issue, but it has begun happening again and is no longer covered under the warranty. There seems to be no fix or answer from VW other than replacing the wheel again. Which has only been a temporary fix.

NHTSA ID

11744222

Incident

May 1, 2026

At around 60,000 miles my infotainment system started acting strange. The backup camera wouldn’t engage intermittently. After doing that for a couple months, it stopped working completely and is just a black screen. Several times randomly it has come on briefly to display the Welcome to VW message but will do nothing more than that. I have no back up display.

NHTSA ID

11743961

Incident

Jun 3, 2025

Out of the blue, the Travel Assist warning will start ringing. Sometimes it does it once, other times it can go nonstop for 10 minutes. It happens randomly and I can't make it come on. It has become a terrible distraction while I am driving. The dealer claims unless they observe it, they won't repair it under warranty. There is a TSB describing exactly what my car is doing. While I was on the phone with customer care it started doing it and the other person could hear it. His reply was to keep letting the dealer drive it until it happens to them. They have done this twice already and charged me both times. I'm afraid of the distraction while I'm driving. I even have video of it happening but they say it isn't enough.

NHTSA ID

11743325

Incident

Jun 10, 2026

My backup camera stopped functioning not too long after the warranty was expired. It began by not coming on sometimes and then it went completely out. The entire unit is no longer functioning which prevents me from being able to use my backup camera and that is a safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11742356

Incident

Feb 3, 2026

Oil Change and Check Engine Light continuously appear. Have gotten oil changes during the prescribed timings and still after being within the timeframe of the oil change the sensor appears. The car has stalled while driving due to this and have on multiple occasions have had to buy oil to add to the vehicle even after getting a oil change at a dealership.

NHTSA ID

11742264

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

My 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan (VIN: [XXX] ) is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. The vehicle requires oil replenishment every less than 1,000 miles, which is far beyond what any reasonable consumer would expect from a properly functioning engine. I reported this issue to the Volkswagen dealership while the vehicle was still under the manufacturer’s warranty. The dealership stated that this level of oil consumption is “normal” and only added oil without performing any diagnostic testing or repairs. No repair order documenting a defect was issued, and no corrective action was taken. This problem is consistent with the known defect in the EA888 2.0L TSI engine, specifically the defective piston rings that fail to create a proper seal, allowing oil to leak into the combustion chamber and burn off during operation. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Volkswagen regarding this exact defect in 2022–2023 Tiguan models. The excessive oil consumption poses a serious safety risk. If oil levels drop critically low without warning, the engine could suffer catastrophic failure, stall unexpectedly, or overheat while driving — all of which significantly increase the risk of a crash. Despite this being a warranty-covered vehicle and a known manufacturing defect, Volkswagen and its authorized dealership have refused to repair the issue or acknowledge it as a defect. I am requesting that NHTSA open a formal investigation into this matter and consider a safety recall for all affected 2022–2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11741657

Incident

May 4, 2026

This is related to reference TSB 48-23-01. There is a rapid, unpredictable chime causes intense cognitive distraction while trying to navigate highway traffic. It is accompanied by warning messages covering navigation information and other displays on the dash. It is impossible to focus on driving the car and is incessant with no way to turn off. This is a safety hazard. I've almost been involved in several crashes due to the distraction and trying to manage the problem as it's occurring.

NHTSA ID

11741023

Incident

May 29, 2026

a vehicle warning notice flashes across the dashboard saying “vehicle assistance system not available” and the switch to engage this system causes the same message to flash and the systems do not engage

NHTSA ID

11740335

Incident

May 27, 2026

2022 Tiguan overhead consule just fell down hanging by wires. No glasses compartment so not sure what would cause the stress on it due to usage. Dealer said 2020 models had issue and have an extended warranty. The 2022 does not have any recall. Seems like design flaw VW should correct as issue comes up. If I was driving at the time. it would have hit me or passenger in the head. This is a safety concern. I have seen multiple posts where this has happened. VW said I am out of warranty and will not do anything. It is 2022 and I have seen 2020 and 2021 models with owners posting same issue.

NHTSA ID

11740334

Incident

Apr 17, 2026

2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SE, ~70,000 miles. The vehicle experienced a cylinder head failure in the EA888 2.0L TSI engine, causing the check-engine light to illuminate. The cylinder head developed internal cracks, resulting in excessive oil consumption over a period of more than one year prior to the current repair. During multiple service visits to the authorized VW dealership over the past year or more, I reported abnormal oil consumption and expressed concern about a possible engine problem. On each occasion I was told no fault was found. On at least one visit I was discouraged from requesting a deeper diagnostic by being told it would require a significant out-of-pocket fee, despite the vehicle being under the manufacturer's warranty. The vehicle was dropped off for the current repair on [DATE] after the check-engine light came on. The dealership confirmed the cylinder head failure is covered under Volkswagen's New Vehicle Limited Warranty. However, the required cylinder head part has been on backorder for over 60 days with no confirmed ETA. No loaner or rental vehicle has been provided despite the extraordinary duration of the repair. The dealership's own service advisor stated that in the state of Texas alone, approximately 7,000 cylinder heads are currently pending replacement across Volkswagen vehicles — indicating this is a widespread, systemic defect actively being managed within the dealer network, not an isolated incident. The dealership has also proposed that I bear 50% of the repair cost, despite the vehicle being under warranty and having a complete and consistent maintenance record. This cost-sharing proposal was framed as a courtesy, which I do not accept. I own a second 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SE with the same engine and model year, which I am also concerned may be affected by the same defect. Public records, owner forums, NHTSA complaint databases, and ongoing class action filings confirm this is a known, widespread issue affecting numerous 2022

NHTSA ID

11739902

Incident

Mar 27, 2026