2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 14 NHTSA recalls and 286 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
F
31/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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14
NHTSA Recalls
14 recalls on record
286
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
5
Crash Reports
3 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan (14)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Volkswagen dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Webbing
A torn seat belt may not adequately restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belts and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 13, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen…
🔧 Structure: Body: Roof And Pillars
The incorrect roof reinforcement may decrease the roof's structural integrity or impact deployment of the side curtain air bags, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will be replace the roof reinforcement, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this…
🔧 Suspension: Front: Control Arm: Lower Ball Joint
A loose or improperly tightened ball joint nut can result in the separation of the lower ball joint causing steering, traction or other stability issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the nut on the lower ball joint and, as necessary, clean the thread in the ball joint, free of charge. The recall…
🔧 Unknown Or Other
If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7….
🔧 Suspension: Rear: Shock Absorber
If the lower loop of the rear shock absorber detaches, there may be a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear shock absorbers, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer…
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module
If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298….
🔧 Visibility: Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
A short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the power supply for the panoramic sunroof LED module, free of charge, until a future service action can safely reactivate the feature….
🔧 Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers…
🔧 Suspension: Rear: Springs: Coil Springs
If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298….
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
In the event of a crash, the incorrect air bags may not protect the driver as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel and front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen…
Showing 10 of 14 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Based on 286 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Volkswagen Tiguan — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Volkswagen Tiguan VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
→ Decode a Volkswagen VIN — free Volkswagen VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.
⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2018, 2022 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2015 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Is the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has 14 recall campaigns and 286 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have?
The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has 14 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan are: Power Train, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan safe to buy?
The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 14 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Volkswagen Tiguan should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Volkswagen Tiguan are: 2015. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2018, 2022.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.