There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguanin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond and seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V235000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure warning light illuminated and a message to stop the vehicle immediately was displayed. AAA arrived on the scene and diagnosed the vehicle with oil sensor failure. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was vibrating while driving back to the residence. The vehicle stalled upon arrival at the residence in the driveway. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed with timing chain and timing sensor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,092. The contact stated that VW of America was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to another dealer for a second opinion and all of the issues were confirmed. It was strongly recommended that the engine be replaced as well.
VW TIGUAN 09 PURCHASED AS NEW. ONLY 50K MILES ON IT WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ENCOUNTERED. SOON AFTER (LAST WEEK, NOV 25 2019), ENGINE STALLED WHILE ACCELERATING OUT OF SECOND GEAR AND WAS SEIZED. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAID IT WOULD COST 5,800 TO REBUILD ENGINE. WHILE DOING MY OWN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH, DISCOVERED THE COMPLAINTS HERE DETAILING PRECISELY THE SAME ISSUE (TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE) THAT WAS DESCRIBED TO ME BY MY MECHANIC. THEN DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT REIMBURSEMENT (HTTPS://TIMINGCHAINLITIGATION.COM/) FOR THIS ISSUE THAT I AM NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR BECAUSE JAN 25 2019 FILING DEADLINE WAS NOT MET - KEEP IN MIND THAT MY ENGINE FAILED ONE WEEK AGO (11/25/2019) WITH ONLY 50K MILES ON IT. I TOO, NEVER RECEIVED A CLASS ACTION NOTICE IN THE MAIL. AFTER CALLING THE CLASS ACTION HOTLINE, I WAS TOLD TO SEND AN EMAIL TO THE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATOR REQUESTING A FILING DEADLINE EXCEPTION. UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THIS WILL WORK IN MY FAVOR. BUT I TOO, LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN UNNECESSARILY BURDENED BY VOLKSWAGEN'S NEGLIGENT HANDLING OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF ARE NOW SADDLED WITH THIS COMPLETE LOSS.
MY 2009 VW TIGUAN ENGINE FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK 35 MPH, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OUT OF NOWHERE MY CAR ENGINE MADE SCARY CRUMBLY NOISE AND SUDDENLY DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC; COMPLETELY DEAD. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND IF I DIDN'T REACT FAST TO PUT EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON, I COULD HAVE BEEN PLOWED BY A BIG TRUCK BEHIND ME. THERE WERE CARS PARKED ON EACH SIDE OF THE STREET, AND NO PLACE TO PULL OVER. I WAS CLOSE TO WORK BUT WAS STRANDED ON THE STREET WITH HIGH TRAFFIC BECAUSE I COULDN'T MOVE THE CAR. I TRIED TO TURN IT ON BUT AGAIN SAME RUMBLING SOUND AND DEAD AGAIN. I CALLED A FRIEND TO HELP ME PUSH THE CAR TO MY EMPLOYER'S PARKING LOT SO I COULD BE SAFE. AFTER WORK I CALLED AAA FOR ASSISTANCE AND THEY COULDN'T START THE CAR SO IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE PLACE I LIVE. THEY ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE ENGINE IS THE PROBLEM. THAT IS WHEN I STARTED RESEARCHING ABOUT IT AND FOUND OUT THERE WAS A SETTLEMENT FOR TIMING CHAIN THAT I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT AND MY VIN GOT MATCHED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON 07/31/2018, IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED SINCE THEN AND NO ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE SINCE I HAD NO PRIOR WARNING AND COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE KILLED ME IN THE ACCIDENT. I AM ASKING YOU TO HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT AND HELP FIX THE ENGINE PROBLEM ON MY VEHICLE. I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW SCARED AND CONCERNED I AM SINCE THEN ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I HAVE TWO CHILDREN THAT I DRIVE IN THIS SAME CAR AND I THOUGHT THIS CAR IS SAFE FOR THEM AND MYSELF AND EVERYONE AROUND ME WHEN I'M IN TRAFFIC. I LOVE THIS CAR BUT NOW NEITHER I CAN DRIVE IT NOR I FEEL SAFE ANY LONGER IN IT. THIS CAR IS EVERYTHING TO ME AND WITHOUT IT I CAN'T GO TO WORK AND MAKE MONEY OR GO TO PICK UP GROCERIES. I'M A SINGLE MOM AND NO FAMILY AROUND AND I ENTIRELY DEPEND ON THIS CAR TO MAKE THE LIFE FOR MY CHILDREN AS STABLE AS POSSIBLE.
ON ENGINE START UP, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER DRIVING IT A SHORT WHILE, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED TO A QUALIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND THE ENGINE JUMPED TIME, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND PISTONS. MECHANIC ESTIMATED A REPAIR COST OF APPROXIMATELY $6000.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 100K MILES BUT THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE COST MORE THAN IT WAS WORTH. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, EVEN THROUGH A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED AGAINST THEM FOR THIS ISSUE, SINCE THE DEADLINE FOR APPLYING WAS 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP POSITION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO VAN HORN NISSAN OF SHEBOYGAN (5515 RACETRACK RD, SHEBOYGAN, WI 53081, (920) 457-8844) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND CYLINDERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,082.
I NOTICED A HUGE OIL PUDDLE WHERE MY CAR WAS PARKED. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE VW SERVICE DEPT IN MY AREA...THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 75K MILES & WAS LAST SERVICED BY A VW DEALERSHIP DUE TO FUEL PUMP RECALL. UPON MY DISCOVERY OF THE MASSIVE OIL LEAK, I NOW KNOW WAS SPAWNED FROM THE PCV VALVE GOING BAD WHICH HAS RESULTED IN BLOWING OUT 3 SEALS AND REQUIRING A NEW PAN. I HAVE RECIEVED AN ESTIMATE FROM A VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT AND A WELL KNOW AUTO REPAIR SHOP- BOTH HAVE QUOTED THE COST NO LESS THAN $2000 WITH POTENTIAL OF REACHING $3000. ESSENTIALLY THE PCV PART IS ABOUT $20.00 IN COST, BUT BECAUSE IT JUST "WENT BAD" AND ITS PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO BREATHE...BLOWING OUT THESE ADDITIONAL SEALS MEANS THAT THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CAR IS VALUED AROUND $7000 TO RESALE IN GOOD CONDITION. NOW, A CONSUMER HAS TO SPEND 30% TO 40% OF THE CARS VALUE TO REPAIR THE FAULTY VALVE THAT CAUSED ADDITIONAL ISSUES IN ORDER TO STOP THE BLEEDING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM CARMAX AT 30K MILES IN NOV 2014- AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THERE WAS NO DISCLOSURE OF A RECALL ISSUED IN AUGUST OF 2014 & DID NOT EVEN RECEIVE A LETTER REGARDING THE RECALLED UNTIL 2 YEARS LATER FROM EITHER CARMAX OR VW. IN ALL ACTUALITY THE ENTIRE SECTION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL REGARDING THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED & IS MISSING. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON OR WERE DISPLAYED FROM THE LEAK OR SEALS. I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN IF I WASN'T PARK IN A PAVER DRIVEWAY AT SOMEONE'S HOME & ASKED IF THAT LARGE OIL MARK WAS THERE PRIOR TO ME PARKING THERE IN THE PAST 24 HRS. IF I CONTINUED DRIVING MU VEHICLE, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SEQUENCE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS, IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO ALL SERVICE STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS ON BEHALF OF IT'S OWNER.
I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE EPC LIGHT COMING ON IN MY CAR BACK IN 2017. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED "CARBON CLEANING" WHICH I HAD DONE IN JULY 2017 TO THE TUNE OF $950+. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, MY CAR SEEMED FINE UNTIL I WAS OUT DRIVING UP A LONG HILL NEAR HOME AND MY CAR COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. THE EPC WARNING LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I PULLED OVER AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. WEIRD, BUT NO PROBLEMS UNTIL NOVEMBER 2018 AND THE SAME THING STARTED TO HAPPEN. FOR PERSONAL REASONS, I COULD GET TO MY GARAGE, BUT JUST BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT AND FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I'D COME OUT OF THE GROCERY STORE FRIDAY, MARCH 9, AND MY CAR WOULD NOT WORK. HAD IT TOWED TO THE GARAGE I FREQUENT AND WAS TOLD THAT MY TIMING CHAIN TENSION HAD FAILED AND I WOULD BE LOOKING AT A BILL OF $3,100. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS THE SECOND ENGINE ON THIS CAR. I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ENGINE AFTER IT DIED IN 2012. I PAID $7,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE ONLY TO END UP BACK IN THE SPOT WHERE I'M HAVING TO PAY LOADS OF MONEY TO HAVE THIS "NEW" ENGINE REPAIRED. THE FIRST TIME MY ENGINE DIED IN 2012, I BEGGED AND PLEADED WITH VW TO OWN UP TO THIS AND TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY ONLY OFFERED ME 10% OFF OF A NEW CAR.
THE VEHICLE HAS HEAVY HESITATTION ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHIN CITY LIMITS. IT IS AS IFF THE CAR WILL STOP. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CERTIFIED VW DEALERSHIP DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON. IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE ARE METAL PIECES FROM THE ENGINE OR SPARK PLUG IN THE OIL AND HAS MESSED THE ENGINE UP. WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES, HOW WOULD THESE PIECES OF METAL BE IN THE ENGINE. I PERFORMED SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT A LOT OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES. THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND LOOKED INTO FURTHER BY THE NHTSA.
AT 90K MILES THE REAR MAIN SEAL HAS FAILED. THIS COMES JUST 4K MILES AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD REPAIRED AND ALL TIMING COMPONENTS REPLACED FROM THE TIMING TENSIONER FAILURE.
I HAVE A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN DURING THE TIME OF FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS AT 96,872 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FAIRLY CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. I HAD JUST GOT OFF WORK AND WAS COMING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL. ONCE I LET OF THE THROTTLE PEDDLE THE VEHICLE JARED AND BEGAN RUNNING TERRIBLY UNTIL THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND PARK IN FRONT OF SOMEONES HOUSE. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD CRANK BUT NO START. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE AND TESTED EVERYTHING I COULD UNTIL I DID A COMPRESSION TEST, NOTHING. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND MY TIMING CHAIN JUMPED CAUSEING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT BE GOING VARY FAST AND NO KIDS OUT PLAYING IN THE STREET. WELL JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER REPORTS, VW OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS. I REALLY HOPE A RECALL COMES OUT ON THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF OCCURRENCES, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT VEHICLE SAFETY BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW VW DOESN'T.. ITS ALL ABOUT THE $$$ TO THEM
TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. VW QUOTED ME MORE THAN $8,000 TO FIX AND VW AMERICA ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY. THIS CAR WAS IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED AND REPLACING/SERVICING THE TIMING CHAIN IS NOT ON THEIR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 121,000 MILES AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE MECHANIC, AS WE ALREADY HAD AN OIL CHANGED SCHEDULED. WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO START THE CAR TO REPLACE THE CAM SENSOR (WHAT THE COMPUTER/ENGINE INDICATED WAS THE PROBLEM), THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL VW DEALER, WHERE THEY TRIED TO GET ME TO BUY A NEW CAR. WHEN I CALLED VW AMERICA, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE TENSIONER HAS A FAULTY DESIGN AND ONLY SAY THAT THEY CANNOT HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR SINCE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE ITS WARRANTY.
TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILURE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT JUST OVER 93,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A NEWER MODEL OF TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN USED SINCE DECEMBER 2011. MINE HAS THE OLD STYLE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN ENGINE LIGHT POPPED ON, INDICATING THE ISSUE.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DEALER AND TOLD THE ENGINE WAS NO GOOD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IS THE REASON. UNABLE TO FIX AS COST TO REPAIR IS $7000.
THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE COST TO REPAIR MY ENGINE IS $8,000. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS PARKED, IT HAPPENED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. OTHERS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN AFTER THE FAILURE. VOLKWAGEN IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THEY CURRENTLY ARE PRODUCING THE 4TH VERSION OF THE PART. THE CURRENT PART NUMBER IS 06K-109-467-K.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IDLE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 170410920. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,000.
THE TIMING TENSIONER WENT BAD AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WHICH NOW NEEDS REPLACED AT AROUND $7K-$8K. THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BY VW AND THERE ARE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS OUT THERE. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA AND THEY REFUSED TO EVEN HELP WITH THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. HOW COULD THERE BE NO RECALLS ON A CAR THAT THEY KNOWINGLY HAD ISSUES WITH THE TIMING TENSIONER? I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING ON THE NHTSA SITE THOUGH ON SOME FORUMS OTHERS HAVE STATED A FILE NUMBER FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I JUST THINK VW SHOULD STAND UP AND TAKE CARE OF A PROBLEM THEY KNEW ABOUT A LONG TIME AGO.
TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER IS DEFECTED. THE TIMING CHAIN LOST TENSION WHILE VEHICLE WAS ON ALLOWING THE CHAIN TO JUMP ONE TOOTH CAUSING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS TO THE ENGINE.
WHIEL DRIVING ON A BUSY STATE ROAD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AROUND 70,900 MILES. I HEARD RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE, FRONT END SHAKE. I PULLED OVER NEAR MY HOUSE AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. I THEN HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME OF THE FOLLOWING, "TECH FOUND THAT TIMING CHAIN ADJUSTER HAS REACHED ITS LIMITS. FOUND COOLANT FANS HAVE INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. TECH RECOMMENDS TO REPLACE ALL TIMING CHAIN COMPONENTS AND TO REPLACE BOTH COOLNG FANS. TIMING CHAINS AND ALL COMPONENTS $2887.68 COOLING FANS $1252.16" THE TECH THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ME DRIVING THE VEHICLE ANYMORE. I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE TIMING ADJUSTOR FAILED, BUT IF I WERE TO KEEP DRIVING THE TIGUAN, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED MY ENGINE TO SEIZE AT ANY TIME. I LATER BECAME AWARE FROM INTERNET RESEARCH THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER PROBLEM WAS COMMON AMONG VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDIS WITH THE 2.0T ENGINE SOLD FROM 2008 - 2011 AND IN NOV. 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) MAKING THEIR DEALERS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY NEVER INFORMED CUSTOMERS. THIS PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY THE SUBJECT OF AN ONGOING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. VOLKSWAGEN HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO HELP ME IN ANY WAY, INSTEAD MAINTAINING THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY (6 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES) THEY ARE UNABLE TO HELP IN ANY WAY AND THAT I WOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE TIGUAN MANUAL SAYS NO MAINTENANCE SHOULD BE NEEDED ON THE TIMING CHAIN UNTIL 130,000 MILES.
ENGINE SEIZED AT JUST OVER 117,000 MILES. REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A NEW USED ONE AND IT SEIZED AGAIN NOT EVEN 4 MONTHS AFTER THE NEW USED ENGINE WAS REPLACED.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026