2018 Volkswagen Tiguan UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
On [XXX] I discovered water in my car. ~2.5 inch front passenger and back driver and passenger side. Condensation on the sunroof. My sunroof was not opened/completely shut. I called VW service was advised my car was not covered under the class action or warranty and advised to report to my insurance. I did not want to report and risk my insurance rate increasing. I have never filed a claim in the 20+ years of having the car. After researching and taking my call for repairs I discovered that my vehicle should be covered on the extended warranty IF the recall 60E5/60E2 was repaired. I am in Ohio where the damage was discovered my regular service dealer is in Illinois. 1)The service dealer in Illinois did complete the 60E5/60E2 recall. 2) the extend warranty % coverage should cover my car however I was told my VIN was not apart of the class action although the recall was performed an no record in the system with VW and if it were I would not be covered because I am 5 months out of the in service date. 3) the damage is ~ 3000.00 and increasing because now the sunroof switch doesn’t work and the screen is damaged from water. There is mold in my car which is a health hazard. I have exhausted trying to navigate through this issue! If my car was not apart of the class action it should have been. The insurance minus my deductible does not cover the cost of repairs. I have been without a call since this incident. This is a health hazard consumer driving hazard and should be investigated ASAP. I have attached the initial estimate which will be supplementally adjusted, the service 60E5 document . Please advise if this should be reported to the attorney general office and or what my next course of action should be. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I just bought this 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Ford, cylinder All wheel Drive in the Angel light came on and it says recalls will never fixed. I would like to know if you can help me and fix this problems. My name is [XXX] , Lodi New Jersey. My phone number is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our car frequently (several times per month) suddenly stops when it is coming to a STOP when the Stop/Start feature is trying to engage. We took it to the dealer, and VW replaced the starter. That DID NOT fix the problem. When the car stops, frequently at or when approaching intersections, the display says we need to stop the car immediately, and the car is stopped, making a high-pitched sound, like a dentist’s drill. This problem started well before our warranty was finished, but after going to the dealer many times (and even leaving the car with them for a considerable amount of time). We were told many times that they could not replicate the problem, and that their diagnostic tools could not find a problem. I requested help from the automaker, VW, and I was told that they only follow the dealer, even though we have had this problem many, many times, and that there was nothing they could do for us. This is a safety problem, and I have seen many similar complaints online. You need to look into this. This problem happens when driving. We cannot get it fixed, and it seems to pose a danger. When I put the date of the incident, I will put the most recent day this happened. Please note that this has happened more than 100 times, and seems to be getting worse. Please investigate with VW. This is a large problem, and it deserves an auto recall.
Panoramic Sunroof randomly exploded while my car was parked at my workplace. I parked the vehicle after 8am. My sunroof spontaneously exploded at roughly 2:30pm. A coworker had arrived seconds before the explosion, he parked his vehicle behind & across the lot. While standing by his car, the full outer glass panel forcefully ejected off of my Tiguan sunroof & flew across the parking lot before shattering into pieces. My coworker described the explosion like a gunshot. He called me out to assess the damage, glass was all over the parking lot, most of the sunroof’s lower glass panel broke off & shattered on the rear-right passenger & middle seats of my vehicle. Piles of shattered glass landed where my daughter “would have sat” if she were in the vehicle. This experience has been distressing.The thought that this could’ve happened while driving on the road or with my family is absolutely terrifying. What is tragic, is there are several documented cases & reports of a class action settlement yet no recalls or warnings of the possible dangers with Tiguan’s LED Panoramic Sunroof. I contacted the VW St. Aug. FL dealership which is where I purchased the vehicle, reported the incident, the vehicle was dropped off to be inspected the next day, (today) (their sales team confirmed no active recalls were on the vehicle). Instead of receiving assistance & escalating the hazardous report to their VW Corp.Level, I received a call from a repair tech who was rude, showed no empathy & stated that I need to come pick up my car. He stated that it would not be covered under warranty, I need to contact my insurance company to file a claim. He told me to return the loaner that I received yesterday, or he would start charging me $100/a day. I questioned his poor handling of the matter, asked if he tried to escalate the matter to a manager, or VW, he declined to & hung up on me, twice. I never received an estimate for repairs. Their GM never called back. Security cameras recorded incident.
2018 Tiguan intermittently fails to accelerate. Car has stopped on highway even after pressing on acceleration peddle. Car behind me had to slam on brakes to avoid hitting rear of my car. Carfax indicates several replacement parts. Beaumont, Texas dealership revealed that previous owner insisted on having parts changed in 2022. Not inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance representatives. Inspected by dealership. There are no warning signals prior to deacceleration. Car died, dash goes black, for close to half minute and then accelerates again. This has happened 3 times since purchase date of 10/23/23. Car was not driven from January 14,2024 to May 2,2024.
The automatic door locks are malfunctioning (starting early September 2023). When the vehicle accelerates, the automatic door locks continuously engage, repeatedly, causing audible distractions while driving. This is a safety issue because with three kids in the rear, the doors are not locked while driving. Typically, once you accelerate from park above a certain speed, the door locks automatically engage. Now they go on/off continuously while at all speeds, including highway speed. Now the doors can be opened, and the noise itself is considerably distracting. It also allows for anyone, while parked at a stoplight or freeway exit, to open the doors. The dealership inspected it and quoted over $900 for the repairs, however I do not agree with this assessment. For a 2018 $30k+ vehicle, a basic function like this should not be malfunctioning. This is not normal wear and tear like brake pads. The cost to repair is unreasonable, and it is not covered under the warranty. There are no warning lights and indicators appearing on the vehicle noting the issue. The issue is ongoing every instance the vehicle is driven and we do not feel safe due to the distraction or the possibility of kids opening the doors while driving (or someone on the outside). The dealer also advised there's a possibility the locks will further malfunction and we could get locked inside or outside the vehicle. Again, neither of those scenarios are safe, especially living in a hot climate like Phoenix, AZ.
This morning, while driving on the highway with my infant son in the car, my sunroof exploded on my 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.
SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN JUNE 2018 I HAVE NOTICED AND REPORTED CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FEELING LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT IS MAKING VARIOUS INDICATOR LIGHTS TO COME ON. MOST CONCERNING AND UNSAFE ON 9/11/20 THROUGH 9/15/20, MY CAR STALLED RANDOMLY 8 TIMES. NO ISSUE COULD BE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, HOWEVER ON 9/16, THERE WAS A RECALL. AFTER THE RECALL WAS FIXED ON 9/19/20, I GOT AN ALERT THAT THE 'TRANSMISSION IS IN EMERGENCY MODE', I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW GEARSHIFT. I AM TERRIFIED THAT THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY STALK AGAIN AND HAVE HAD NO ASSURANCE THAT IT WILL NOT AS VW NEVER IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE THAT CAUSED THE STALLING.
CAR FALSELY READS ANOTHER CAR OR OBSTACLE IN FRONT AND BRAKES UNEXPECTEDLY
DRIVING 65 ON HIGHWAY, PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED FOR NO REASON.
WATER LEAKS FROM SUNROOF AND DOORS. WATER FROM THE ROOF LANDS OF START ENGINE BUTTON. FLOORS FLOODED WITH WATER MAKES FOOT SLIPPERY.
EXPLODING SUNROOF. TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 50-60 MPH, HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED, SHOWERING GLASS DOWN WITHIN INTERIOR OF CAR.
I AM HEARING A RATTLE IN MY VW TIGUAN'S B-PILLAR WHEN DRIVING. IT IS IN MY EAR. WHEN I TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL TIGUANS MAKE THIS NOISE. I DON'T BELIEVE A NOISE SHOULD BE HAPPENING AND MAKES ME WONDER IF THE CAR IS UNSAFE STRUCTURALLY.
PANORAMIC SUNROOF DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED MAJOR LEAKAGE OF WATER INTO VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, IT SEEMS LIKE CHEMICALS POSSIBILITY FROM WINDSHIELD FLUID LEAKING INSIDE VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED ON BLACK MOLD TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. ALL CARPETS REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE; HOWEVER, EXTREME FOUL CHEMICAL ODOR CONTINUES IN THE INTERIOR AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO BREATH. THE DEALER HAS MY VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 9 DAYS AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. ISSUE STARTED WITH LESS THAN 1 YEAR OF OWNERSHIP OF THIS BRAND NEW CAR. EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY WITH WINDOWS CLOSED YOU CAN SMELL THE CHEMICAL ODOR AROUND THE VEHICLE. FIRST OCCURRENCE REPORTED ON 7/3/19 AND NO RESOLUTION. SECOND OCCURRENCE: 9/21/19 AND STILL ONGOING
PANORAMIC MOONROOF LEAKAGE.WATER DRIPPING INSIDE VEHICLE ABOVE HEAD ON REAR RIGHT SIDE AND GOING DOWN INTO SEATBELTS COMPARTMENT.VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.WATER DRIPPING IINSIDE SEAT BELT COMPARTMENT IN MY OPINION MAY CAUSE SHORT SINCE SOME ELECTRICAL GOING THRU SAME COMPARTMENT.
WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED WITHOUT OBJECTS/ANIMALS/OTHER VEHICLES IN SIGHT THE CAR EMITS A BEEP ALONG WITH THE RED FLASHING CAR COLLISION SIGNAL ACROSS THE FRONT PANEL THEN OCCASIONALLY SLAMS THE BRAKES WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT MYSELF(DRIVER) AND PASSENGERS ARE LUNGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MOSTLY DURING SUNNY DAYS ON MULTIPLE TYPES OF ROADS SUCH AS INTERSTATES AND CITY STREETS REGARDLESS OF TURNING OR DRIVING STRAIGHT.
I PURCHASED MY 2018 TIGUAN ON JUNE 26TH, 2018. ON JUNE 27TH, AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY I HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR . THE MORE I DROVE THE LOUDER IT WAS . I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. I WAS HEADED TO THE DEALERSHIP ANYWAY BECAUSE MY CAR WAS MISSING 3 ITEMS FROM THE TRUCK. THE PAINT PROTECTOR WASN'T DONE PROPERLY AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WASN'T CLEAN. I SPOKE WITH MY SALES PERSON ONCE I ARRIVED AND WE WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE CAR RE-DETAILED INSIDE AND OUT ALONG WITH THEM CHECKING OUT THE NOISE I WAS HEARING. THURSDAY JUNE 29, 10 AM, I ARRIVED AND CHECKED MY VEHICLE IN. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING. IT TOOK 5 HOURS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SHIFT PLATE UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS LOOSE AND IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 3 TO 4 DAYS FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. I RECEIVED A CALL ON JULY 5TH, STATING THE PART CAME IN AND I WAS SCHEDULED TO COME BACK IN ON SATURDAY JULY 9TH AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE A TECHNICIAN RIDE WITH ME , SINCE I WAS HEARING THE NOISE FROM THE SEAT BELT PANEL ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. WHEN I ARRIVED, THE TECHNICIAN RODE WITH ME TO HEAR THE NOISE AND HE AGREED THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE SEAT BELT PANEL. TECHNICIAN DROVE 2 OTHER DEMO CARS SINCE MY CAR WAS DRIVEN BY THE OWNER. FAST-FORWARD, I WAS TOLD THE DEMO CARS SOUNDED THE SAME WAY AND THAT HE TOOK THE SEAT BELT PANEL OFF, REARRANGED SOMETHING , DROVE THE CAR AND DIDN'T HEAR THE NOISE. THE SERVICE PERSON EXPLAINED THAT IF I STILL HEARD THE NOISE THAT IT WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AND I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE NOISE. SINCE MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME , I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND FORTH, I SAID OK AND REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO VOLKSWAGEN.
SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AROUND TACOMA, WA. NO APPARENT CAUSE. THE SUNROOF IS PANORAMIC AND ONLY THE FRONT HALF SHATTERED.
DURING THE BACKING UP PROCESSS, THERE IS NO BEEPING OR LOUD NOISE INDICATOR, WITH THE BACK UP CAMERA'S, ALSO THERE IS NOT RELEASE BUTTON INSIDE THE VEHICLE NOR ON MY FOB, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE. THANK YOU
CONSISTENT RATTLING NOISE FROM B PILLAR AREA. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF RESOLVING THE ISSUE WITH VOLKSWAGEN, THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE OR FIX. THE RATTLE OCCURS DURING REGULAR DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT PRIMARILY WHEN DRIVING ON BUMPY SURFACES.
RATTLING/TICKING NOISE ON DRIVERS SIDE AROUND EAR LEVEL. NOISE HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN AUGUST 2017. THE NOISE OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS AND ON SMOOTH SURFACE ROADS.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has 21 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.