There are 9 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguanin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Like many other people who have complained, the same EPC engine light turning on after the engine stalls while driving. This has happened multiple times while driving on the highway while going 65mph+. The max speed 4000 rpm message comes on the dashboard. The car does not accelerate and pulling over is necessary in order to shut off the car and restart the engine. This is incredibly dangerous and the car’s speed cannot be controlled.
THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP ESPECIALLY ON HOT DAYS AFTER BEING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I STEP ON THE GAS AND LITERALLY NOTHING HAPPENS. THE ENGINE DOESN'T REV AND THE CAR DOES NOT ADVANCE. I CAN PUSH THE GAS PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE IT FINALLY ACCELERATES AND THEN IT DOES IT IN AN OUT OF CONTROL MANNER. I HAVE HAD TO SIT THROUGH A FULL CYCLE OF A LIGHT BEFORE IT HAS STARTED. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THIS COMPLAINT, BUT EVERY TIME THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET IT TO FAIL. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR A RECALL AND THE PROBLEM WAS MADE WORSE AND NOT BETTER. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE. THE ISSUE BEGAN WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF PURCHASE AND WHILE IT ISN'T CONSTANT, IT HAS BEEN A REPEATED PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS.
THE CAR GETS FILLED WITH STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN AND I WAS LOOSING GAS AT A RAPID RATE IN ADDITION THE CAR WAS LOOSING SPEED. THERE IS ALSO THE PROBLEM WITH THE STO-START SYSTEM, ONCE THE CAR WAS AT A STOP, THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND START AGAIN. IT WOULD GET STUCKTRYING TO TURN ON AND AT THE SAME TIME I WAS LOOSING GASOLINE. I HAD TO REMOVE ALL PASSENGERS FROM THE VEHICLE INCLUDING MY ONE MONTH GRAND SON DUE TO THE STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THIS INCIDENTS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 1 THROUGH NOVEMBER 4TH WHEN I DROPPED OFF THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP.
IT TAKES A SCARY AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE CAR TO SPEED UP WHEN ACCELERATING. THE RPM MODULE SHOWS THE ACCELERATION BUT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T ACTUALLY SPEED UP TO MATCH IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN MERGING ON TO THE FREEWAY. AN ACCIDENT IS BOUND TO HAPPEN AS I AM NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE ON COMING CARS AND AM UNABLE TO GET MY CAR UP TO SPEED TO MATCH THE OTHERS. ALSO, THE CAR RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN WHEN STOPPED, A MESSAGE SAYING PLEASE START ENGINE MANUALLY POPS UP. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN AND IS BOUND TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS IT HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A MONTH. A FEW MONTHS AGO MY CAR TURNED OFF WHEN I STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT, A CAR WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AS THE LIGHT HAD TURNED GREEN SO THEY KEPT THEIR HIGH SPEED, I QUICKLY TURNED MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND THE CAR HAD TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT LANE TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY DAY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON OCTOBER 18, 2018. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GUNTHER VOLKSWAGEN (4300 FL-7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. *AS CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN A WEEK AGO TODAY. TWO TRANSMISSIONS AND STILL HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THEY STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE. I DON'T CONSIDER THAT AS DESIGNED TO DRIVE THAT WAY. IT JUST INCREASES WITH PROBLEMS. I WON'T DRIVE IT FOR MY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE DRIVERS OUT THERE. *JB
THE CAR IS HAVING ISSUES ACCELERATING AFTER A COLD/HARD STOP. AT STOP SIGNS, AFTER STOP LIGHTS, THE CAR JERKS AND HAS A HARD TIME GAINING POWER. ON THE HIGH WAY I HAVE ISSUES ACCELERATING. THIS HAS BECOME DANGEROUS AND SCARY, I AM NOT IN CONTROL OF HE ACCELERATION OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE VW DEALER ONE TECH SAID "TRY PREMIUM GAS" THE NEXT TECH SAYS, "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAR". I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AND READY TO CHANGE BRANDS AFTER 10 YEARS OF BEING AVW OWNER. THIS PROBLEM IS PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER EVERY DAY THAT I DRIVE IT.
ACCELERATOR POSITION AND ENGINE RESPONSE ON THIS VEHICLE IS VERY INCONSISTENT SLOW TO RESPOND FROM STATIONARY POSITION MAKING THE VEHICLE UNPREDICTABLE AND OFTEN UNSAFE. DEPRESSION OF ACCELERATOR PRODUCES INCONSISTENT RESULTS OFTTIMES THE VEHICLE STRUGGLES TO START MOVING, THEN OTHER TIMES FROM STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARDS WITH EXACT SAME TYPE OF ACCELERATOR INPUT. THESE EXPERIENCES ARE IN ALL MODES.
ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE IS VERY SLOW TO RESPOND. WHEN I GIVE GAS, IT STRUGGLES TO START MOVING, FEELS LIKE IT IS CARRYING 10K LBS OF LOAD BEHIND. I PUSH GAS PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR AT A SIGNAL LIGHT TO GET AWAY FROM TRAFFIC. CAR WON'T RESPOND FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECONDS, THEN STARTS TO MOVE, BUT VERY SLOW, CRAWLING, THEN STARTS TO SPEED UP. TURBO LAG IS VERY BAD. I DON'T FEEL SAFE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE THAT IS BEING REPORTED FROM CUSTOMERS. TO BE FRANK, THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE (LARGER THAN OTHER MODELS) DOES NOT SEEM TO MATCH THE ENGINE SIZE. NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO SHARE THE SAME FEARS.
IN MOTION 70MPH AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE LOST TO SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN/BRAKE AT RAPID RATE AMONGST 70 MPH FLOW OF TRAFFIC. PRIOR INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 40 MPH. DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL SPEED OR BRAKING.
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