2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving and accelerating, the vehicle hesitated while moving forward. The vehicle jerked while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100.

NHTSA ID

11765955

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

Mileage

100 mi

All side airbags deployed without crashing

NHTSA ID

11765815

Incident

Sep 21, 2026

My VW Tiguan 2023 has a systematic problem on the Emergency Call function. The car has the module replaced twice within couple of months. Recently, it has failed by the 3rd time. You can find attached: - VW App showing an active problem with the emergency call function - A WV service invoice from 05/16/26, stating the first replacement of the SOS communication module - A WV service invoice from 07/24/26, stating the second replacement of the SOS communication module Currently, the module is failed (as shown on the App screenshot) and it is the 3rd time this has happened.

NHTSA ID

11764764

Incident

May 16, 2026

On September 14, 2026, my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line experienced a sudden electronic/system failure while the vehicle was in use. The infotainment system entered a continuous reboot cycle and subsequently displayed a black screen. At approximately the same time, the SOS/emergency-call indicator illuminated red and the vehicle/app reported “Emergency call function limited! Service vehicle.” Multiple vehicle functions then became unavailable, including Front Assist/automatic emergency braking, cruise control, navigation, compass, and Dynamic Road Sign Display. The instrument cluster displayed active warnings, and the Dynamic Road Sign Display fault generated a loud warning chime approximately every 30 seconds while driving. The repeated audible warning was significantly distracting. Attempts to restart the infotainment system and completely power-cycle the affected systems did not restore normal operation. Disconnecting and reconnecting the 12-volt battery also did not correct the original failure. The vehicle was subsequently taken to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for diagnosis. I am reporting this because the failure was not limited to entertainment or convenience equipment. The electronic failure coincided with loss of multiple driver-assistance functions, including Front Assist/automatic emergency braking, as well as loss of the vehicle’s SOS/emergency-call capability. The repeated warning chimes also created an additional distraction while operating the vehicle. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Volkswagen dealership awaiting diagnosis/repair. Volkswagen Customer CARE case 07734827 has been opened regarding the incident.

NHTSA ID

11764278

Incident

Sep 14, 2026

2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, approximately 34,316 miles. While driving on I-26 in South Carolina, the EPC warning and amber warning triangle illuminated. I pulled over and stopped. After approximately 10 minutes, I restarted because I was in an unsafe location. No warnings were displayed after restarting, but approximately five miles later they returned, and I exited the highway. After stopping, extensive engine oil was visible on the rear/underside of the vehicle. I immediately checked the dipstick and no oil was visible. At no time did I observe a low-oil-level or low-oil-pressure warning. An authorized Volkswagen dealer diagnosed a faulty oil separator causing internal engine pressure to build, which caused the oil pan to crack and upper timing cover to leak. The oil separator, oil pan and upper timing cover were replaced under warranty. During approximately two months before the failure, the vehicle had several times briefly displayed “Max engine speed: 3,000 rpm.” The night before the incident, the check-engine light illuminated but was no longer illuminated before the return trip began. The vehicle had received scheduled service, including an oil/filter change, at approximately 29,780 miles, only about 4,500 miles before this failure. My safety concern is the sudden pressure-related engine failure and major oil loss at highway speed, together with no observed oil warning despite no oil being visible on the dipstick immediately after the incident. The servicing dealer has stated that it does not know what causes these oil separators to fail. I am reporting this incident so NHTSA can evaluate whether it may represent a broader safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11763400

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SE R-Line with approximately 54,000 miles. The vehicle experienced a significant engine-related failure involving the oil separator/PCV system. Volkswagen diagnosed a failed oil separator/breather that caused excessive crankcase pressure, resulting in substantial oil expulsion and damage/leaks involving the plastic/composite oil pan and timing-chain cover. Volkswagen also identified oil contamination around engine sensors and a P0341 camshaft-position fault. The vehicle has previously experienced EPC/check-engine warnings and entered limp mode, creating concern about potential loss of power while driving. The dealer’s repair required replacement of the oil separator/PCV system, oil pan, timing-chain cover and associated gaskets, along with cleaning oil from the engine compartment and sensors. The repair estimate was approximately $2,490, later reduced to approximately $2,300. Volkswagen declined my request for goodwill assistance. I am concerned that a failure of the oil separator/PCV system can create excessive crankcase pressure and cause oil to be expelled from the engine, damage other engine components, contaminate sensors, trigger fault codes, and potentially result in reduced engine power or limp mode. Sudden oil loss or loss of engine power can create a serious safety hazard, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. This vehicle has also experienced recurring alignment problems, requiring three alignments in approximately six months, raising additional concerns about the vehicle’s overall reliability and safety. I request that NHTSA investigate whether oil-separator/PCV failures and their resulting oil loss, component damage, sensor faults, and potential loss of power represent a broader safety defect in 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11762040

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

The vehicle has experienced multiple intermittent electrical and safety-related malfunctions that have become more frequent over time. The most serious issue involves the Automatic Emergency Braking system activating unexpectedly while the vehicle is slowly reversing out of a residential driveway. The brakes suddenly apply with significant force even when there is no visible obstacle behind the vehicle. This causes the vehicle to stop abruptly, jerks all occupants forward, and creates a risk of being struck by other vehicles because the sudden stop is unexpected. The vehicle has also experienced an intermittent engine shutdown while stopped in traffic. While waiting at a stoplight or waiting for another vehicle to reverse, the engine will unexpectedly shut off and a message appears instructing the driver to place the vehicle in Park. This creates a safety hazard because the vehicle cannot continue moving until it is restarted. Additional intermittent electrical issues include the infotainment/navigation screen freezing or glitching, the air conditioning unexpectedly blowing warm or hot humid air instead of cold air, and the horn failing to operate properly. The horn will sometimes not sound at all or will be much quieter than normal, reducing the driver’s ability to warn other motorists or pedestrians in an emergency. These problems occur intermittently and without warning. There are no consistent warning lights prior to the failures other than the message instructing the driver to place the vehicle in Park when the engine shuts off. The unexpected braking, engine shutdown, and horn malfunction create significant safety concerns for the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. The cause of these issues is UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11755378

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

XXX my Tiguan was serviced at Byers VW and received the recommended 80k maintenance. During this recommended service my vehicle passed the multi-point inspection except tires and brakes. On XXX I contacted your service department because as I was driving to [XXX] my check oil level came on. An appointment was scheduled for Tuesday. After the inspection was completed Tuesday it was determined that the value seal needed to be replaced which was already completed 25k miles prior therefore a request to replace the cylinder head would be sent to my warranty company which is through VW Drive Easy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11750842

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

Excessive oil consumption. Check Oil Level light comes on repeatedly between oil changes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealer has now looked at the issue 2x. Potential safety issue should the engine be affected while driving. The problem has not been reproduced by the dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer 2x. 1st issue appeared at approx. 33k miles and again at about 35k miles.

NHTSA ID

11750506

Incident

Jun 3, 2026

23 Tiguan..been having to top off oil every couple thousand miles sometimes up to a quart and they tell me it's within "tolerance" to lose oil. Bad pcv caused leak at timing seal and oil pan, oil everywhere needs extensive cleanup. This consumption has happened consistently since buying the vehicle and am being told with the new pcv installed we have to wait to see if the oil problem continues before we can do a consumption test. There should be no reason to be losing up to a quart every few thousand miles and this should be fully investigated.

NHTSA ID

11741235

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

While driving on the highway in my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan (approximately 70,068 miles), the EPC warning light and oil warning light illuminated and the vehicle began to stall/lose power. I exited the highway immediately and shut the vehicle down safely. A substantial amount of engine oil leaked from underneath the vehicle after stopping. The vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealership. Dealer diagnosis included: * cracked oil pan, * oil separator failure, * and timing chain cover leak. The dealership advised there was no metal contamination found in the oil or filter and no confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure at this time, though the long-term condition of the engine cannot be guaranteed after the oil-loss event. I am submitting this report because the sudden oil-loss event and stalling condition occurred while driving on the highway and created a potential safety hazard.

NHTSA ID

11739405

Incident

May 18, 2026

When I’m stopped, the car sometimes shuts off. The horn works intermittently. When I start the car, it feels like it’s going to stall. At times, all of the dashboard warning lights come on. Also, when I’m backing out of my driveway with nothing behind me, the car will sometimes automatically brake hard.

NHTSA ID

11731753

Incident

Apr 17, 2026

Air conditioning system is faulty. Purchased a new Volkswagen Tiguan in 2023. The blower motor was faulty in 2024 and was replaced in 2025 the A/C began making noises again and stopped working off and on in September 2025 and now the unit does not work at all.

NHTSA ID

11727081

Incident

Dec 23, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The failure persisted even after the vehicle had received several oil changes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that an oil change was completed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve stem seal had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,061.

NHTSA ID

11724773

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

Mileage

72,061 mi

Currently in the 22-23 Tiguans they are experiencing an oil consumption issue. Where the engine is consuming oil at a fast rate. I am having to add oil to the car every 800-1000 miles. There’s several class action lawsuits against VW for this exact issue yet they refuse to fix the issue in our car even though it is still under warranty. In writing they told me it’s not consuming ENOUGH oil for VW to approve the repair and that it has to get worse before they will fix it. This problem CAN cause catastrophic failure to the engine. It can also cause the car to stall while driving putting myself and my family at risk. The service advisor admitted that the Tiguans are known oil burners, so much so that they now put in their manuals that burning 1qt of oil per 1000-1200 miles is within spec. It should not be burning oil at all! When I took it to VW bc the check engine light and low oil light was on they said they needed to perform an oil consumption test to see how much it was burning. Yet when I went to pick it up they said that I had to bring it back in exactly 630 miles to do the test. They wouldn’t say why they didn’t get it done that day which I thought was strange. I was unable to get back there at exactly 630 miles bc I work and they are in a different state. So I called to say hey I’m a little Over is that ok. They said no sorry ,we will have to do it at my next oil change. Which per VW is 10,000 miles or 1 year! They want me to wait up until one yr to test this? This is not acceptable! It is costing me money in extra oil every month , putting my family at risk, and putting the car at risk for catastrophic failure . Again, I have the proof in writing where they stated what I said above. As well as receipts and proof that I have taken it to VW for this issue yet they refuse to fix it.

NHTSA ID

11724669

Incident

May 16, 2025

Rear view camera constantly faults, and fails to work, also accelerating issue, surges on take offs. Started in 2024, dealership will tell me they could not replicate, and deny issue.

NHTSA ID

11723727

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

The instrument cluster became blank suddenly and no longer displays any speed, mileage, temperature or any essential information. It is currently available for inspection. This is a safety issue as I don’t have any speedometer reading or any important vehicle information. This issue occurred without warning.

NHTSA ID

11722496

Incident

Mar 6, 2026

Oil light continues to come on after about 1,000-1,500 miles after an oil change. This has happen several times now and I have to put oil in it to keep it from ruining the engine. I see hat there have been complaints about this already with these models with excessive oil consumption and even engine failure. This needs to be fixed.

NHTSA ID

11717756

Incident

Jan 7, 2026

Within 2 minutes into my drive, accelerating from stopped to merging onto a road moving up to about 50mph, the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc) completely turned off and went black for 20 seconds before turning back on. It was only the instrument cluster - the infotainment screen did not turn off. Over the past year or so though, the infotainment center has turned off/reset itself a few times. This is a 3 year old car, nothing like that should be happening and is a serious safety hazard. Researching this online, this appears to be a common issue with 2023 Tiguans, and other years/models.

NHTSA ID

11714478

Incident

Jan 30, 2026

The wireless phone charger in my 2023 VW Tiguan does not function as intended and consistently fails to charge any phone, regardless of placement, brand, or case. The charging pad repeatedly disconnects, overheats the phone, or never initiates charging at all, making the feature completely unusable. This is a safety concern because it encourages drivers to handle their phones while driving after assuming the vehicle would keep the device charged.

NHTSA ID

11703825

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

Driving long the interstate in South Carolina, all of a sudden there was a loud explosive sound and a crackling sound accompanied by the loud explosion. It startled me!! I gathered myself and put on hazard lights and got over on the far right lane to pull onto the shoulder of the highway. I thought that a tire or two had blown but was not the case. I got back into the car and started visually looking around to see where the crackling noise was still coming from. I looked up towards my Sunroof and discovered that a large hole in my Sunroof. Fortunately, my sunshade was closed and shield the debris/glass from spraying my face and body. I took the car to the V.W. dealership and explained the infraction to them. They diagnosed the problem and contacted me later that day to let me know that they were sending the request to V.W. corporate to get authorization to repair under warranty. The dealership did not detect any signs of rocks or debris causing the explosion. Corporate denied the dealerships request to repair under warranty. I filed the damaged Sunroof under my auto insurance. Im currently awaiting for the adjuster to inspect the damaged Sunroof that is at the dealership. I feel that Corporate dud not even consider the fact that this could have been an exploding Sunroof...and im sure that they have encountered this defect before. There are articles on-line of others who encountered this problem.

NHTSA ID

11703224

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

• March 26, 2025 – Backup Camera & Sensor Failure: While reversing my Tiguan in a parking lot on a rainy day, both the rearview camera and parking sensors failed simultaneously. The screen did not display the rear view, and the sensors did not activate. Although I checked my mirrors, the low-lying wall on the left was not visible, resulting in damage to the left side of the vehicle. • July 9, 2025 – Dealership Inspection: The vehicle was inspected at Volkswagen Bayside Service, where I was told no issues were found and that the camera and sensors were functioning properly. This assessment was conducted in controlled, non-real-world conditions, which I do not believe accurately replicate the environment in which the failure occurred. • Lack of Support from VW Customer Care: Reasons Volkswagen Should Cover the Repair Costs • Safety Feature Failure: The backup camera and parking sensors are critical safety systems required under FMVSS No. 111. These features are designed to work together as part of Volkswagen’s integrated Park Assist/Park Distance Control system. • Direct Causation: • Manufacturer Liability / Recall Acknowledgment: In April 2025, I received a notification from Volkswagen Customer Protection regarding “Compliance Recall 91NY – Camera Control Unit.” Warranty and Recall Coverage: I purchased the vehicle on July 26, 2023, and it remains under the 4-year/50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

NHTSA ID

11702136

Incident

Mar 25, 2025

I purchased this vehicle on August 9th 2025 and it has been in shop 4 times . It is in the shop as I am writing this email. I have had nothing but issues with this vehicle and had to come out of pocket 308 dollars just to find out a problem that I told them that already was an issue the first week I had the car . I am a senior on a fixed income and I cant afford to pay anything more out of pocket . I filed a complaint with the BBB and a represented from the service department called me and said , his boss said they will not work on my car unless I remove my complaint to the BBB . I find this very unethical and a bad customer service representation. This car has been diagnosed unsafe to drive . And even though I have a loaner it is not my car I am paying for . Like I had stated it has been in the shop 4 times and I have not missed a payment even though I have not had my car .The front strut is completely broke , the left one is in bad shape , needs a front end alignment and the front collision warning alert does not work . It has been confirmed these issues are there. They said they were going to take care of it until they noticed I filed a complaint to the BBB.

NHTSA ID

11698164

Incident

Aug 10, 2025

I am submitting this report to express serious concerns regarding my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, currently under a lease agreement and serviced exclusively at South Motors Volkswagen in Miami, Florida. The vehicle was originally delivered as a loaner with approximately 1,000 miles and now has 24,000 miles. Since early in the lease, the car has repeatedly displayed low oil warnings, despite being serviced multiple times under 10,000 miles. During my most recent service visit in June 2025, I was charged $9.48 for a minor oil top-off. When I contacted the service advisor afterward, I was advised to purchase 1-OW20 oil myself and manually add it whenever the warning appears, until the next 10,000-mile service interval. Following that advice, I have now purchased two bottles of oil out of pocket—the first cost $12, and the second $42—just to keep the vehicle running between service visits. This additional expense reinforces my concern about excessive oil consumption in a relatively new vehicle and may indicate a mechanical defect. Additionally, the brakes emit a persistent squealing noise, even though the dealership claims the brake pads are at 50% life. The noise affects driving confidence and may signal premature wear or improper installation. Despite these ongoing issues, no repairs have ever been performed under warranty. Each time I’ve taken the vehicle to Volkswagen service, I’ve been told that everything is functioning perfectly and that there is no problem to address. This repeated dismissal of the symptoms is concerning and leaves me without a clear resolution. My lease is scheduled to end in September 2026, but due to the unresolved mechanical concerns and the lack of meaningful support from the dealership, I would like Volkswagen to consider terminating the lease early. This would allow me to obtain a vehicle that does not present these recurring issues and restore my confidence in the brand’s commitment to safety and reliability.

NHTSA ID

11697011

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Back up camera malfunction. Most of the time does not work. Gives message on screen

NHTSA ID

11693702

Incident

Apr 1, 2024