FaultScore

Worst years for a Volkswagen Tiguan

Owners have filed 3,473 complaints about the Volkswagen Tiguan with NHTSA across model years 2009 to 2026. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan

450 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2026 Volkswagen Tiguan

49 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Volkswagen Tiguan year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2026 A 49 0 1 Engine & Cooling
2025 B 85 1 0 6,000 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2024 B 93 2 10 Electrical System
2023 B 89 3 0 56,000 Engine & Cooling
2022 D 455 5 0 20,000 Engine & Cooling
2021 C 184 6 0 20,000 Engine & Cooling
2020 C 210 8 0 17,000 Other & Unspecified
2019 D 290 11 2 2,721 Electrical System
2018 D 450 8 3 7,100 Engine & Cooling
2017 D 101 11 0 26,000 Airbags
2016 C 146 6 2 48,750 Airbags
2015 B 106 1 3 51,762 Airbags
2014 B 130 3 0 50,000 Airbags
2013 C 227 4 1 52,000 Airbags
2012 C 214 15 0 49,000 Engine & Cooling
2011 C 238 6 2 57,000 Engine & Cooling
2010 C 159 7 5 66,539 Engine & Cooling
2009 C 247 8 9 70,798 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Volkswagen Tiguan

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 708 20.4%

Worst in 2022

Electrical System 519 14.9%

Worst in 2022

Worst in 2018

Airbags 319 9.2%

Worst in 2013

Worst in 2022

Worst in 2018

Worst in 2018

Steering 184 5.3%

Worst in 2013

Brakes 135 3.9%

Worst in 2019

Lights 125 3.6%

Worst in 2011

Body & Structure 112 3.2%

Worst in 2018

Worst in 2018

Worst in 2022

Seat Belts 44 1.3%

Worst in 2018

Exactly what failed on a Volkswagen Tiguan

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Body 90 24.0%
Automatic Emergency Braking 70 18.7%
Warnings 44 11.7%
Assist 41 10.9%
Adaptive Cruise Control 35 9.3%
Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette 27 7.2%
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly 19 5.1%
Warning 18 4.8%
Rearview System Braking 18 4.8%
Warnings 13 3.5%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Volkswagen Tiguan, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Aug 2008 peak 85 Aug 2026

Volkswagen Tiguan problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Volkswagen Tiguan

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.