2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the Collision Warning light and Auto emergency braking warning light illuminated. The messages "Front Assist not Available", and "Lane Assist System Not Available" were display on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause for the failure was not found. The contact stated that the failure codes were cleared. The manufacturer declined the repair, and the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred and an appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

NHTSA ID

11755265

Incident

Nov 15, 2025

Mileage

3,000 mi

This car has several issues and I could only select a few. Electrical: the infotainment system disconnects from Wireless car play at random when you drive the vehicle. It then returns a Wifi error on screen and you cannot use car play any longer on both android and iOS. Additionally, the electronic system will reboot when the car is in use. In my case, it always happens on the freeway when driving 75 MPH. The entire car dash is electronic, no buttons. So when this happens, you lose all safety features, have no idea what speed your driving, can't use the radio, navigation, air conditioning, etc. Most importantly, this is a deadly error WV knew about but sold the car anyways. The dealer and WV North America says this is a problem between the infotainment system manufacture and T-Mobile cell towers. There is no fix for it. So what are consumers to do? I paid cash for a product, the product does not work, the manufactuer cannot fix it. Normally when this happens the company either 1) fixes the problem for free or B) lets you return the product. VW says I can't do either. Backup Cam - the camera is cheap, blurry and picks up nonexistent items and slams on the breaks everytime I back down my driveway. Not a human, animal or event a tree limb blowing in the wind. However, when a car is behind you, the backup cam will let you back into the car. Again, this is a "Software" issue and the dealer cannot fix it. Forward collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assistance only work intermittently. I'd say about 30% of the time I drive the car, it just dings at me while my dashboard lights up and says all these features failed. VW has no record of it in the cars "error log" so I had to set up a camera in my car to prove them wrong. Once they saw it, they said they don't know a fix. Maybe they can swap out the infotainment system / software, but that requires several layers of approval first.

NHTSA ID

11753497

Incident

Jun 11, 2025

Dash light came. I took VW to Dothan ,Al Dealer and service stated it was fuel sensor faulty and had to order one. Meanwhile I was driving 70 mph in heavy traffic and vehicle lost power having barely avoided sccident. Took vehicle in and had sensor replaced and when I went back to pick up VW it was dead and had to be put back in . This was 3 rd trip to dealer in 2 weeks. garage. No loaner was offered approved . This vehicle is dangerous to drive

NHTSA ID

11753402

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

My vehicle is experiencing a severe safety hazard where the emergency braking system suddenly slams on the brakes while driving in traffic, pulling into traffic, or backing up. When this happens, the car unexpectedly shuts off, and no warning lights or error messages appear on the dashboard. This has almost caused an accident multiple times, making the vehicle incredibly dangerous to drive. I previously took it to the dealership, but they told me they could not find an issue and advised me to continue driving it while documenting the dates and times it happens on paper. However, I refuse to continue driving this vehicle and put my children's lives at risk just to collect data.

NHTSA ID

11752371

Incident

Jun 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stopped. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The message “Service Now” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with fuel pressure sensor and fuel system sensor failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and a grievance was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 7,500.

NHTSA ID

11750999

Incident

Jun 18, 2026

Mileage

7,500 mi

My car has 842 miles on it. There have been multiple occasions where it breaks on its own. When I am backing out of my driveway, there is a neighbors tree that is close to the driveway and a small branch causes. The emergency brake to go on in your head to slam into the back of the seat. When making a left hand turn on a 4 lane road with nothing in the road it has break causing you to fly forward. I’ve only had the car for a few months and multiple times it has done this.

NHTSA ID

11750870

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

Since purchasing this new 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan, I have experienced repeated electrical and drivability defects despite multiple repair attempts by an authorized Volkswagen dealership. The vehicle has been out of service approximately 70+ days, including a transmission replacement, a loose ball joint and suspension repairs. Defects include repeated check engine lights, remote start failures, false "door ajar" warnings, intermittent warning messages, vibration while driving, and hard shifting. The vehicle also shut off while I was reversing and had to be shifted into Park before it would restart. Before taking the vehicle back, I asked the dealership whether it was safe to drive and did not receive a response. After the vehicle was retrieved from the dealership for the 4th time, several defects recurred within approximately 44 minutes, and the check engine light returned the following night. I believe these recurring defects present a safety risk to me, my passengers, and other motorists.

NHTSA ID

11749100

Incident

May 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle in front of the vehicle took the exit and the vehicle suddenly stopped without a vehicle or object in front of the vehicle. The BRAKE warning light was displayed with an audible alert sounding. The contact stated that the camera software was updated; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 3,620.

NHTSA ID

11747365

Incident

Nov 21, 2025

Mileage

3,620 mi

The front passenger seat heating feature malfunctions. It feels extremely hot, then cuts off. This causes discomfort and creates a safety hazard for passengers. I've made efforts to work with the VW dealership, but after several delays, the car was returned without a fix.

NHTSA ID

11746809

Incident

Dec 8, 2025

EVAP warning light sporadically displays and the odor of fuel emits from vehicle - both inside and outside. Occured approximately seven times since purchase. Driver door is not operational, sporadically. Will not respond to key fob, windows will not roll down or up, cannot lock or unlock, and displaying a flashing red light with a loud noise emitting every three seconds. Occured approximately five times since purhcase. Mirrors will sporadically not fold outwards and remain in a stuck inward position. Travel assist, side assist, and start / stop has malfunctioned approximately seven times. Dynamic cornering light malfunction approximately three times. Vehicle was not configured when purchased. SOS was not operational.

NHTSA ID

11745737

Incident

Jun 20, 2025

When I am backing , my card comes to a complete stop, like I hit wall . There is nothing behind my car. It like you ran into a brick wall. This has happened several times

NHTSA ID

11745619

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V854000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the recall repair; however, the contact was informed that the tool needed for the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, and the contact was informed that it was the vehicle owner’s responsibility to find the tool needed to repair the vehicle. The contact was also instructed to call other dealers in the area to see if the part needed to do the recall repair was available. The contact discovered that the tire label placed on the of the driver’s side door displayed incorrect information. The label indicated that the tires were 17- inch tires; however, the vehicle at the time of purchase was manufactured with 18 inch wheels. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11744189

Incident

Dec 16, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the vehicle suddenly became inoperable; the power steering became inoperable, and the brake pedal became difficult to depress. The message "No Key Fob Detected" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. No repairs were performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11743729

Incident

Jun 11, 2026

The moonroof exploded, shattered glass, shards, and glass dust fell all over me (head, face, arms, chest, back, legs) and throughout my car. There was no road debris, nor did anything hit my vehicle to cause the moonroof to shatter. Temperature outside was mid 70’s, I was driving in a predominately shaded area when the incident happened around 7:50am.

NHTSA ID

11742446

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

Moonroof spontaneously exploded while driving; shards of glass fell all over me (head, face, arms, back, legs), and throughout the vehicle. Nothing hit my vehicle, no road debris.

NHTSA ID

11742427

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

The vehicle is experiencing a persistent and severe manufacturing defect regarding its steering wheel geometry and vehicle alignment. While operating the vehicle under normal driving conditions, the steering wheel alignment is visibly off-center, failing to achieve proper tracking geometry. There is comprehensive photographic and video evidence documenting that the steering wheel and tracking alignment are fundamentally incorrect. To date, this vehicle has been brought to an authorized Volkswagen dealership service department for a total of eleven (11) separate service visits specifically targeting this exact defect. The dealership service department refuses to perform further corrective actions, insisting that the off-center geometry is "normal and within factory specifications" after test-driving two other lot vehicles. The dealership has explicitly stated they will not correct this defect without direct corporate intervention. Safety Risk Assessment: The manufacturer and dealership's failure to remedy the off-center steering wheel geometry and tracking alignment presents an ongoing safety hazard. Operating a vehicle with compromised steering geometry introduces unpredictable handling characteristics, accelerated or uneven tire wear, and an elevated risk of sudden component fatigue. The persistent alignment deviation forces the driver to constantly compensate to maintain a straight line of travel, increasing the risk of driver fatigue and unpredicted lane drifting at highway speeds. A vehicle that cannot maintain proper tracking geometry poses a clear and present danger to its occupants and surrounding traffic. Timeline of Events & Notice to Manufacturer: Both the local franchised dealership management and Volkswagen of America corporate regional management have been formally notified of this recurring defect through 11 documented service attempts. Following initial acknowledgments, the Volkswagen corporate regional representative has ceased all communications

NHTSA ID

11741598

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

The problem occurred immediately after picking my car up from a valet on 5/17/2026 around 9:00pm. The valet had pulled my car up to the front of the Seattle Park ‘N Fly Valet by Sea-Tac airport. I pulled out onto International Blvd, and within a few seconds, the accelerator pedal became completely unresponsive. I was able to coast the car into the Denny’s parking lot just north of the valet lot (about 0.2 mi north of the valet). Everything else seemed to work just fine, except for the accelerator pedal (brakes worked just fine). I turned off the engine, and when I tried to restart the car, it was turning over but wouldn’t start. I called out someone to jump the battery, but the battery was fine. We then disconnected and reconnected the battery, and this resolved the issue and I was able to restart the car and drive away. It was dangerous that I was able to pull out onto a road, just to immediately lose any ability to accelerate. I’m lucky there was a nearby parking lot and I didn’t pull into busy traffic. Something seems to have happened at the valet, that was then triggered as soon as I pulled out onto the road. My guess is they tried to start the car and use the twist shifter in some combination that caused a fault that only triggered once I started to get up to speed. It’s strange because they were able to pull my car up to the front of the lot just fine, and I was able to pull out onto the roadway just fine, but the loss of acceleration only happened once I tried to get it up to speed.

NHTSA ID

11738451

Incident

May 17, 2026

I am filing a complaint regarding my 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan (VIN: [XXX] ). Leased December 2025. My vehicle has been unusable since January 2026 following an accident because Volkswagen has been unable to supply a necessary replacement suspension strut required to complete repairs. The vehicle remains in a repair facility solely due to this part being on extended backorder. This is a critical suspension component that directly impacts vehicle safety and drivability. Despite repeated attempts to obtain updates, Volkswagen has failed to provide a clear timeline for when the part will be available. As a consumer, I am continuing to make payments on a new leased vehicle that I cannot use because the manufacturer cannot provide essential replacement parts within a reasonable timeframe. I believe this raises concerns regarding parts availability for safety-related vehicle components on new model vehicles. I am requesting that this issue be documented and reviewed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11738385

Incident

Jan 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V854000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted, however the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. In addition, the contact contacted multiple dealers and was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the unrepaired recall was a serious safety hazard. The manufacturer was not contacted.

NHTSA ID

11737534

Incident

May 13, 2026

In mid-March 2026, the airbag error light came on in my vehicle. I took the car into the dealership I leased it from for service. They were ale to replicate the issue and discovered "a fault for passenger seat belt tensioner igniter". After this discovery it was recommended that no one sit in the passenger seat until the igniter was replaced. The dealership claimed they ordered a replacement part that has been on backorder since March, so my vehicle has not been fixed still. In my research, I've seen 3,000+ 2025 Tiguans were called for an airbag error issue, but somehow my VIN is not showing up as part of the recall even though it is having a similar airbag issue.

NHTSA ID

11736961

Incident

Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that twice while driving 50 MPH, an unknown message was displayed, indicating that the vehicle was not detecting a passenger. The horn inadvertently beeped three times, and the vehicle stalled and lost steering and braking functionality. The vehicle was restarted each time. On the second occasion, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then towed to be diagnosed by the dealer, and the contact was informed that her hands might have been off the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to turn off. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was determined that the steering wheel assembly needed to be replaced due to an electrical charge from skin to confirm that both hands were on the steering wheel. However, in the event that both hands were not on the steering wheel, the system would activate a fault code, and the vehicle might stall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

NHTSA ID

11732422

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

Mileage

6,000 mi

Vehicle: 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Incident Description: While driving at approximately 45 mph, about 5 minutes into the drive, my vehicle displayed a Lane Assist warning and a message to place my hands on the steering wheel. Immediately after, multiple warning lights and messages appeared across the dashboard. Followed my emergency warning message. The vehicle then suddenly applied the brakes on its own without any obstacle or hazard present. The brakes locked up, and the vehicle would not move. At the same time, the vehicle began honking and exhibited abnormal alarm/locking behavior. I had to restart the vehicle to regain normal operation. This sudden and unintended braking could have resulted in a rear-end collision, serious injury, or loss of control of the vehicle, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. The vehicle was taken to a Volkswagen dealership. The dealership documented that the brakes locked up and the vehicle would not move, but stated they could not replicate the issue and did not identify a cause or provide a repair. I do not feel safe operating the vehicle due to unintended braking and system malfunction. Date of Incident: 3/19 between 7:30 and 7:57 in the morning Approximate Speed: ~45 mph Location: Colleyville, tx No obstacle, hazard, or driver input caused the braking.

NHTSA ID

11725964

Incident

Mar 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Forward Collision Avoidance system failed to function, with the Forward Collision Avoidance warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving while it was raining. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a Forward Collision Avoidance module failure; Part Number: J769. The contact was informed that the module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to clean off the Forward Collision Avoidance sensor. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times regarding the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

NHTSA ID

11722909

Incident

Jan 3, 2025

Mileage

3,000 mi

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V854000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11721732

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

Since buying the car in August 2025, I've had multiple issues. Ive had a noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle, brought it in and they could not identify the issue or fix it, to this day I still have this noise coming from the front passenger side. Furthermore, I've had numerous hazard lights come on the dash, lasting 2-4 days and then disappearing and reappearing later on. These lights include the check engine light, oil leaks, and not allowing the car to drive over a certain limit due to engine issues. I've also brought these issues to the service center so they can diagnose and fix the issue. They are unable to find anything wrong. Most dangerous event is the car completely shut down on me while driving. This is extremely dangerous to not only myself but others around me. I brought this concern to the service center and they could not figure out why this happened. This car is unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11721247

Incident

Feb 17, 2026