MODELYEARINDEX

Which Volkswagen Tiguan years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2018, 2019 and 2020 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Volkswagen Tiguan Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2018 vs model median 4.1×
Model median3× median
Engine 65
Drivetrain 43
Body & Interior 36
Avoid

2018 · 2019

Best

2015 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.89× 65 C
2011
1.08× 98 C
2012
1.19× 76 C
2013
0.92× 66 C
2014
0.51× 47 B
2015
0.34× 36 B
2016
0.63× 54 B
2017
0.53× 34 B
2018
4.11× 342 F
2019
2.06× 164 F
2020
1.81× 146 D
2021
1.29× 129 C
2022 P
5.34× 447 F
2023 P
1.18× 89 C
2024 P
1.26× 90 C
2025 P
0.95× 79 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2018 F 342 reports · median 8,000 mi

  1. Engine 65

    When the auto start/stop feature is disabled by toggling the button on the center console, the car drives very rough, especially at slow speeds. It feels like the transmission is having trouble shifting gears. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Drivetrain 43

    When I'm giving gas/ accelerating, there is a "hissing-sound" coming from outside and more clearer and louder to the passenger side person position. Can hear it even clear if I roll down the windows. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 36

    The drivers side b pillar consistantly makes agressive and loud cracking noises when driving the vehicle. I have initiated a lemon law suit with volkswagen. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 3 fire · 8 injuries

2019 F 164 reports · median 3,600 mi

  1. Electrical 25

    The car stopped accelerating unexpectedly in the middle of the freeway while I was driving about 60mph. All kinds of emergency lights came up for no apparent reason, and the car blocked. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 20

    My brand new 2019 vw tiguan FWD next day after buying showed multiple problems that related to transmission and breaking and a unknown source of rattling sound. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Driver Assist 19

    Two separate problems. #1 on two separate occasions the cars emergency system activated with no cars or anything in proximity. Vw just cleaned sensors . It happened once after that while parking the car. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 2 fire · 7 injuries

The best year for the Tiguan

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2015 is the best-scoring Tiguan model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.5 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2015 0.34× 36 B
2017 0.53× 34 B
2014 0.51× 47 B

Recalls

36 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
15V483000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 2011–2014 415,825
22V815000 TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS 2019 296,044
14V441000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2010–2014 151,389
18V824000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2018, 2019 73,549
13V569000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS 2010, 2011 62,155
19V188000 SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS 2018, 2019 56,173
18V467000 VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY 2018 45,457
22V514000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2021, 2022 43,091
20V716000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2021 32,048
25V082000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2022–2024 29,569
19V535000 AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE 2015, 2016 27,822
20V724000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING 2018 10,835

+ 24 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2018 were reported at a median of 8,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Volkswagen Tiguan years should you avoid?
2018, 2019, 2020 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Volkswagen Tiguan model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Volkswagen Tiguan?
2015 is the best-scoring Volkswagen Tiguan model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 81.5 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Tiguan have?
36 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Volkswagen Tiguan model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2018 Tiguan
Complaints in window
342
Severity-weighted
460
Model median (weighted)
112
vs model median
4.11×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
15
Open investigations
0
Score 10 F