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Volkswagen Tiguan: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Volkswagen Tiguan problems by model year, from 1,980 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2011 (73%, 71 drivetrain complaints), 2010 (63%, 56 drivetrain complaints) and 2012 (57%, 66 drivetrain complaints). 11 of the 14 Volkswagen Tiguan years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 2 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2020 (25%), 2016 (29%) and 2015 (32%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2020 (25%) to 2021 (51%), up 26 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2022 drew the most drivetrain complaints (139 of 752 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Volkswagen Tiguan year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Tiguan | very high | 63% | 56 | 110 | 2/14 | 2 |
| 2011 Tiguan | very high | 73% | 71 | 161 | 1/14 | 3 |
| 2012 Tiguan | high | 57% | 66 | 153 | 3/14 | 3 |
| 2013 Tiguan | high | 53% | 40 | 139 | 5/14 | 3 |
| 2014 Tiguan | elevated | 34% | 13 | 84 | 10/14 | 3 |
| 2015 Tiguan | no elevated signal | 32% | 11 | 62 | 12/14 | 4 |
| 2016 Tiguan | no elevated signal | 29% | 16 | 96 | 13/14 | 2 |
| 2017 Tiguan | high | 50% | 23 | 75 | 8/14 | 4 |
| 2018 Tiguan | high | 50% | 125 | 290 | 7/14 | 14 |
| 2019 Tiguan | elevated | 34% | 59 | 192 | 11/14 | 5 |
| 2020 Tiguan | no elevated signal | 25% | 32 | 140 | 14/14 | 3 |
| 2021 Tiguan | high | 51% | 69 | 141 | 6/14 | 5 |
| 2022 Tiguan | high | 53% | 139 | 269 | 4/14 | 5 |
| 2023 Tiguan | high | 49% | 32 | 68 | 9/14 | 1 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Volkswagen Tiguan years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Volkswagen Tiguan engine recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the Volkswagen Tiguan involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 34 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2014 | 14V441000 | fuel system, gasoline | 2010–2014 |
| Mar 2018 | 18V159000 | engine | 2018 |
32 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2013 | 13V569000 | electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers | 2010–2011 |
| May 2015 | 15V311000 | equipment: other: labels | 2015 |
| Aug 2015 | 15V483000 | air bags: frontal | 2011–2014 |
| Jan 2016 | 16V045000 | air bags: side/window | 2015 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V464000 | latches/locks/linkages | 2016 |
| Dec 2016 | 16V955000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2017 |
| Oct 2017 | 17V662000 | exterior lighting: tail lights | 2018 |
| Feb 2018 | 18V102000 | air bags: frontal | 2017–2018 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V262000 | suspension: rear: shock absorber | 2018 |
| May 2018 | 18V324000 | suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint | 2018 |
| May 2018 | 18V329000 | unknown or other | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 |
| Jun 2018 | 18V375000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2018 |
| Jul 2018 | 18V467000 | visibility: sun/moon roof assembly | 2018 |
| Nov 2018 | 18V824000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2018–2019 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V188000 | suspension: rear: springs: coil springs | 2018–2019 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V241000 | equipment: other: labels | 2019 |
| Jul 2019 | 19V535000 | air bags: air bag/restraint control module | 2015–2016 |
| Sep 2019 | 19V679000 | unknown or other | 2018 |
| Aug 2020 | 20V505000 | seats | 2020 |
| Sep 2020 | 20V579000 | seat belts | 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V716000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2021 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V724000 | seat belts: front: webbing | 2018 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V038000 | seats | 2021 |
| May 2021 | 21V321000 | unknown or other | 2017 |
| Sep 2021 | 21V732000 | structure: body: roof and pillars | 2018 |
| Nov 2021 | 21V853000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2022 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V176000 | suspension | 2021–2022 |
| Apr 2022 | 22V226000 | structure: body | 2018–2022 |
| Jul 2022 | 22V514000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2021–2022 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V815000 | tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems | 2019 |
| Feb 2025 | 25V082000 | back over prevention: software | 2022–2023 |
| Sep 2026 | 26V590000 | steering | 2018 |
What the free pages leave out on the Volkswagen Tiguan
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Volkswagen Tiguan
What are the worst years for the Volkswagen Tiguan?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Volkswagen Tiguan years are the 2011 (73% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2010 (63% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2012 (57% of relevant complaints, high). 11 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Volkswagen Tiguan?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Volkswagen Tiguan years are the 2020 (25%), the 2016 (29%) and the 2015 (32%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Volkswagen Tiguan have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 752 of 1,569 relevant NHTSA complaints (48%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 11 of 14 Volkswagen Tiguan years we score have an elevated complaint share and 3 do not. Pooled across those years, 48% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Volkswagen Tiguan years we track, out of 34 in total: 14V441000 (Jul 2014, 2010–2014), 18V159000 (Mar 2018, 2018). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.