RoadVitals

2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
44
Latest Aug 6, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
13
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Electrical1320.3%
  • Engine710.9%
  • Fuel system69.4%
  • Airbags57.8%
  • Brakes57.8%
  • Powertrain (other)46.3%
  • Suspension34.7%
  • Interior & seats23.1%
  • Body & structure23.1%
  • Steering23.1%
  • Seat belts11.6%
  • Tires & wheels11.6%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Aug 6, 2026

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 · filed Jul 29, 2026
All 13 reports naming electrical

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 29, 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 · filed Jul 23, 2026
All 13 reports naming driver assistance

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

7
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 17, 2026

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 · filed Jun 12, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

6
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 29, 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 · filed Jul 17, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 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 · filed May 13, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 23, 2026

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 · filed Jun 22, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 8, 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 · filed May 18, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jul 8, 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 · filed Jun 2, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 26, 2026

The emergency brake came on and the engine turned off on its own , may be a faulty sensor in the seat. Sensor is detecting no one is in the drivers seat, and you are sitting in it. Car put on emergency brake and shut engine off at red light, as it turned green and you move foot from brake to gas pedal, putting car at risk of collision from behind. Dealership said they can’t reproduce this and therefore can’t fix it. Told Don’t Move when you’re driving by dealership. Car gave no warning. Happens at red lights and while backing up in reverse. The problem appeared on the evening I received car. Dealership said the service supervisor drove car and can’t get it to reproduce problem, so can’t fix it. Told don’t move while driving. Your car is ready Showed service advisor on the instrument panel in the car diagram the front two seats are not registering in the diagram, took car back into service and provided loaner once again.

NHTSA ID 11717719 · filed Feb 13, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I bought this car, a 2025 Tiguan 4MOTION, on 10/25/2025. On 11/26, when I used the car, I noticed that the covers of the front doors are made of leather and padded, while the rear doors are made of hard, non-flexible plastic. In the event of a side impact, the rear passengers could suffer bodily injuries from being hit by a surface. VW agreed to replace the car, but I had to cover the difference in value between one car and the other. The new car is an Atlas Cross Sport.

NHTSA ID 11697042 · filed Nov 2, 2025

To whom it may concern: I wish to report what a believe is a defect in the new Tiguan which is causing the engine to overheat. The check engine light came on the day after we purchased the vehicle. This was due to a part of the lower shutter in the front of the car breaking off, which prohibited the shutter from opening and shutting. It could not cool the engine and thus the engine started to overheat. We are not entirely sure what caused the piece to break, the mechanic said it was likely a rock. We did not get into an accident and in fact had only driven the car once. So I wanted to make this report in case someone else had a similar issue as if this piece is prone to breaking, it could potentially cause other more serious issues.

NHTSA ID 11670973 · filed Jul 3, 2025

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 2, 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 · filed Apr 20, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed May 11, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 15, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .