2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Complaint Log

We bought the vehicle one year ago from Carvana. There are air vents under the front two seats which blows cold air underneath the 2nd row floor mats. This creates condensation and produces a bunch of mold and mildew. My flooring/carpet is now covered in mildew and mold with a very bad odor. We could not figure out where it was coming from until I finally lifted the floor mats. This is a very poor design and will make people sick which will lead to lawsuits.

I am getting 2 warning messages- fault electronic parking brake and error driver door contact switch. The car seems to think my door is open and therefore turns on the emergency brake for safety. This has happened when I am parked and also when I am driving.

The car was jerking due to a faulty transmission sensor. VW instructed the dealership to clean and reinsert the old sensor, which they state is an appropriate first step. Several days later, the cleaned part failed and caused the car to jerk and stop responding while I was driving. This jerking caused the car behind me to come very close to rear-ending me. I am concerned that VW is putting old parts back in warrantied cars, which are already known to have jerking transmission problems, to run out of the warranty. With this policy, they are putting drivers, passengers, and other cars on the road in danger.

I am unaware of how to properly name the problem on this vehicle, but it is the panel that controls the sunroof/moon roof. It has fallen out of place on two occasions. The second time and the major cause for concern is because it happened while I was driving. And that is a safety hazard because it startled me and it easily could have cause me to swerve and wreck into someone or something. Also, if you aren’t able to get this issue fixed immediately it is dangling, wires/cords exposed and causes an unclear view of the rear view mirror. It constantly swings when you’re driving and can be a great distraction if you’re trying to keep it from swinging so much from hitting the driver, or just coming detached period and possible causing some electrical issues and possible injury. This problem has been taken to my local dealership twice and addressed, and dealership has stated that it will only repair as a courtesy twice. This isn’t a consumer wear and tear issue, it is clearly a defect from the manufacturer and poor construction of this component in the vehicle. This defect has only been inspected and repaired by the local dealership, I do not believe it has been escalated to the manufacturer for review. There was no prior warning to this panel falling, it just fell suddenly, without warning. After researching other online forums on this specific vehicle and the problem there are many consumers online with this same issue and some has had the issue occur more than others. This is not something that the consumer should have to constantly deal with or be responsible for due to poor quality of construction. There are vehicles that are of older date and age that do not have this issue, and for this to be happening to a daily new modeled vehicle in roughy 3 years or less is a problem. This needs to be seriously inspected and recalled for a better way to assemble this so that consumers do not have this issue, and it does cause injury or even death.

The motor mounts failed and need to be replaced, the car has never been in an accident or even driven in harsh conditions. There is another part that failed in the engine which causes it to leak oil. The vehicle has a hard time accelerating intermittently.

Driving on the interstate with the windshield defrost on due to the winter weather coming from Texas into Arkansas and the in car electrical turned off and the dash screen said “check starter system” and then told us to safely park the vehicle. All electronics in the car turned off but the car system was still going. I was able to drive the car to an exit and park all with the dash and infotainment system shut off. Thankfully the steering wheel didn’t lock.

Hit head on by other vehicle and airbags did not deploy.

An update was pushed to the safety emergency response system for VW vehicles better known as Carnet. The update has caused the emergency safety response system to be disabled and now that the car is out warranty the dealership is requiring the owners to pay to repair the module out of pocket although the functionality malfunction was due to the update pushed out by Volkswagon.

Please see attached documents

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that water was entering the rear seat of the vehicle. The contact stated that the water intrusion had caused a short circuit in the vehicle and the vehicle was driving with Reduced Engine power. The contact stated that the water intrusion also disrupted the Bluetooth functionality. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the gateway control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure). The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

Fuel door gets stuck intermittently. Have to bang on the side of the car to have it released

overhead console detached dropped down while driving, yes available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? created hazard for front seat occupants. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No

The windshield wipers have been acting up, turning on unexpectedly when I use the turn signals, with no input from me, or when I drive over bumps, which seriously blocks my view and creates a danger on the road, especially in bad weather or during turns. This problem started showing up in October 2023 when the car had about 16,000miles, still under the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty. I took it to a dealership that month, but they checked the turn signals, scanned for faults, and found nothing, yet the issue didn’t go away. I tried again in September 2024 with another appointment, but the dealership wanted $250 for a diagnostic and to keep the car overnight, so I couldn’t proceed. The car and wiper system can be inspected if needed. There were no warning lights or messages beforehand; the trouble began in October 2023. Only the first dealership looked at it, with no fix. I have several videos showing the problem.

Center console fell from headliner. Thankfully it did not happen while I was driving which may have caused an accident. Safety would have created a visual hazard that would have impaired driving. Many other VW owners of the similar year, make and model have taken to the internet to share the exact same issue. The service dept at the dealership I go to said they have seen quite a few of these issues for this vehicle. There was no warning for this. The garage door opener component had become less responsive over the past few months but did not relate this to being a connected issue until today.

There is a malfunction with the emergency SOS system. I have an error message.

The roof console (the console that controls the sunroof) detached overnight and was dangling at eye level by a couple wires. It cracked right at the screws. My guess is it has to do with heat resistance and thin plastic. If this had happened while driving, it would have been an immediate and serious safety hazard as it would have blocked my line of sight through the windshield. A quick Google search reveals what seems to be a common issue that's occurred in nearly identical manners: https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/2020-tiguan-overhead-console-detached.130458/

On the panoramic sunroof, the back portion (moonroof) exploded on its own. Car was parked outside in parking lot and when came back to car after couple of hours, the whole back panel had been cracked and entire moonroof shattered (with glass fragments also inside car). The break was caving out (glass curved upwards) as if broken from inside. Unknown how this happened but temperature wasn’t too hot either to cause explosion from extreme heat.

Just took my 2020 VW Tiguan in for routine maintenance and was told that my rear brake pads and rotors were down to 3&4 millimeters and had to be replaced. The front brakes were both at 8 millimeters and are fine. This appears to be a very strange wear pattern in that front brakes should take the most pressure. If the rear brakes brake harder than the front it could cause loss of control and “fishtailing “.

Puts key in ignition stays on and suddenly shuts off and says check starter system

The overhead console broke and fell, dangling by wires only. It became a hazard inside the vehicle as it blocked visibility and swung inside with the possibility of hurting someone. I called VW customer care and they refused to acknowledge this issue and stated since the vehicle was 1000 miles over warranty limit (though still based on age, as < 3 years) there was nothing they could do.

While just start the car and drive it for 2 or 3 minutes a loud alarm sound and my dash lit up in red saying "BRAKE BOOSTER FAULTY" the car brakes feel week and two minutes later it disappear and the brake returns to normal. my mechanic said that it is something that only the dealership can fix because it looks like a problem that must to be recalled. it is a safety issue that can lead to an accident on the freeway.

Transmission shifts hard while going up and down. The traffic back assist will alert when not moving and when in a parking space and when nothing is around

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and Schumacher Volkswagen of West Palm Beach (3001 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33409) and the contact was informed that the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the contact turned on the windshield washer fluid to clean the front and rear windshield and the windshield washer fluid leaked into the vehicle onto the brake and accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the windshield washer fluid level was low. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure and that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer filed a case. The failure mileage was 60,000.

The contact rented a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated driving 60 MPH, the vehicle independently pulled across the lanes of the highway with the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact was not able to control the vehicle. The contact was able to exit the highway and was able to get the vehicle to come to a complete stop. The vehicle was towed back to the car rental office. The contact was unsure if the vehicle was diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000. The VIN was not available.

The overhead console in the vehicle detached on its own in October 2022 and will not stay secured. This has prevented my ability to see out of the front windshield and therefore hindered my safe operation of the vehicle. The dealer confirmed the issue but would not cover it under warranty, claiming that it was my fault for installing a dash camera. However, no wires are near the roof liner and the installation of my dash camera has nothing to do with the overhead console. The dealership then charged me $155 plus tax for this "assessment". Please see the attached files showing this is a known issue with the vehicle that Volkswagen will not properly address and cover. I have contacted VW Customer Service multiple times by US Mail and have still not received any type of response.

SOS warning light malfunction, cannot make call to emergency services; was told it is a module that needs to be replaced for over $1000 dollars. Forums and chatrooms state this is a wide spread issue. Dealership does not deem to replace due to out of warranty. Malfunctioned while it WAS in warranty, was not only reset and the light would malfunction light would turn on after a few days. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The car was parked outside during the summer. Opened the car door and noticed the entire overhead console above the driver had detached, and was broken, hanging head high by the wire connections. The plastic is broken around the screws that usually hold it into place, so it cannot be reattached without getting a replacement part installed. Driving is dangerous when this occurs as the entire console sways back and forth in front of the driver, hitting them, which in turn obstructs visibility through front windshield, internal and exterior rearview mirrors and is an overall distraction/hazard to the driver. Also cannot utilize overhead lights and other functionality while the overhead console is detached. No warnings or way of predicting this from occurring. This is the second time this has occurred in the span of 1 year to this vehicle. Had dealership install new overhead console after this happened the first time.

The contact leased a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while his wife was entering the vehicle, she noticed that the overhead console was not properly secured. While his wife was driving at unknown speeds in high temperatures, the overhead console detached from the roof. The contact was unable to utilize the lights, blue tooth, sunroof, and other features on the console. Additionally, the wires were exposed. There were no reported injuries. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the contact was informed that the parts were backordered; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Covina Volkswagen (528 S Citrus Ave, Covina, CA 91723) where the console was disconnected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 34,799.

Overhead console falls out for no reason, impairing forward vision. Came out of work and found it hanging. Needed to drive with one hand and hold the console with the other. VW is aware of this and is not notifying owners. My dealer has several waiting for parts that are taking a month. Am I supposed to drive an unsafe vehicle for a month? They will not give me a loaner and suggested I use packing tape to hold it in place. Tape does not work; the console is too heavy. This happened without warning

I noticed a stinky smell in my car a few months ago but didn't think anything of it, I thought maybe one of my sons left gym shoes way in back and it left a stench. My husband was cleaning my car out and noticed that there was white stuff on the floor behind the driver side. He instantly takes the car to get detailed but the smell still lingered. Two months later the white stuff is on the carpet again he removed the matts and knew it was the exact same problem that it was growing mold! Disgusting! He tried keeping the car clean, the carpet clean and fresh but the smell isn't going away. We eventually took the car to a VW dealership near us where they said they couldn't find a leak or anything that would cause this issue. They didn't clean the floor or even try to resolve the issue, so we then reached out to the VW dealership where we purchased the car. We took the car in only for them to tell us they couldn't find a problem, therefore they can't honor our warranty. After searching through the internet to my surprise this is an ongoing problem with this vehicle and it's obvious that VW would know about this problem after so many complaints. I'm furious and frustrated with this issue because mold is extremely serious and I ride in this vehicle every day and no telling what health issues could come from this. Instead of VW pretending there isn't a problem they can just fix the issue and replace the carpet, however they want to be difficult.

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the sunroof console detached and blocked the rear-view mirror and side view mirror. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer however, the replacement part was on back order. The contact stated that he was told to use duct tape until the replacement part arrived. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

Disconnect not working no green or red light on

The Overhead Console Detached and was hanging down and blocking the rearview mirror and proper vision along with hanging in mid air. The overhead console just began to fall and looked loose and then a day later was hanging all the way. This is clearly an issue, I have googled it and immediately found that this has happened to others and I find that the terminology that the dealer uses is similar amoungst customers to put the blame on the customer and say it is not a faulty part. The screws that hold this piece up seem to have been over screwed causing this overhead console to detach. I also saw others report that they get it fixed and it even happens again and again it is not covered due to the plastic breaks too and they say that is an outside force that the plastic broke. With this part broken I am also unable to open my sunroof too. Another point I would like to make is that if my husband was not able to disconnect the wires I would of had to drive with the part hanging in the way. I tried to duct tape it up and unhook it and it did not stay up nor was I able to unhook it. I also saw comments stating that this is happening to vehicles when it is hot out and it has been hot the past month or so here. I think the worst part is that a dealer is basically saying you are lying and had to damage the part which I have no idea how you would of even damaged the part due to the location of the part. I am completely dissatisfied with the dealer and how they handle the situation by saying it is the customers fault when clearly you can google it and find others with the same issue, did everyone damage the same part that is located in an awkward location? I dont think so.

The front assist emergency braking system activates for no reason. On all occasions, the last incident happened July 1, 2022, there were no obstacles in the road to warrant the car to come to a near stop. I’ve brought the car to the dealership for inspection and was informed the car is “sensitive”.

Low Engine Oil. Car is burning oil. Having to put engine oil every 3 months.

While I was driving the overhead center console that houses the driver and passenger interior lights, sunroof control, and mobile device microphone fell out of the ceiling. This was due to heat melting the plastic. The screws used to hold the console are metal and the summer heat melted the plastic causing the console to fall. This happened once in 2021 and was replaced with the same console. In 2022 the same issue happened. The dealer inspected it but does not have the parts to repair it. The item has been on back order for a year with no resolve. This item falling out of the ceiling while driving was a major safety issue and could have caused an incident. I had to try and hold it up while getting safely to my destination. The dealer said this has been a common issue with my VW vehicles and I was out on a waitlist for repair.

MY 2020 VOLKSWAGON TIGUAN STALLS WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND THERE IS NO POWER. I HAVE TO PUT IT IN PARK AND TURN IT OFF AND THEN BACK ON. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN 2021 AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE STARTER-THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE BUT IN THE PAST 7 DAYS (MAY 30, 2022 TO JUNE 6, 2022) IT HAS STALLED 5 TIMES WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC.

Automatic emergency brakes engage when pulling into/out of slightly sloped ground. My vehicle has come to a halt while in the middle of a highway multiple times after pulling out of a parking lot where it is slightly sloped. The most recent time was 5/3/22, but it has happened on 5 previous occasions. The emergency sensor believes the ground in front of me is an obstacle. I am now careful to only pull onto the highway when there are absolutely no cars coming for a good distance because my brakes will engage while I'm halfway into the road. The slope I'm talking about is not extreme or severe. No one else is having this issue in the spots where it happens to me.

My tiguan is having the same issue at the vw Atlas. Emergency Braking system applying the parking break. Errors with the door sensor, start-stop, hill assist, and parking break.

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance system and Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency braking engaged. The brake warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The failure reoccurred three times. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who was unable to retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact requested that the dealer notify the manufacturer of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000. The contact stated that Legend VW inspected the vehicle a second time and did not find an issue.

Water coming in through sunroof and pooling in the back seat foot pans. Only reason I was aware was first because someone with the same vehicle told me it happened to them and second I began to see moisture and ice on the inside of the windshield. Also began to have a mold odor. This lead to corrosion of the floor pans and damage to electrical wiring. Unknown what other long term damage could be caused.

Uneven and excessive pad wear that was reported to be "normal" by the dealer. Photo of pads from passenger side of vehicle attached. One is almost unworn and the other is down to metal.

The vehicle burns oil. When the dealer was confronted they said it was “normal” for the car to burn half a quart of oil every 2000 miles. No oil stains on the ground. The engine is burning the oil.

Unknown

ERC code popped up on Dashboard while driving in 2021 and the vehicle wouldn't go over 30 mph. Took it to the Volkswagen dealership in November 2021. Between November and February of 2022, I took the vehicle back, after having it for less than 2 hours, with the same ongoing issue. Started having the same issues after the final pick up. Fast forward to November of 2022, in addition to the ERC, my vehicle battery drained and I am unable to start the car unless I jump start it. Replaced the battery and still the same issue. The battery does not stay charged and it is a brand new battery.

Emergency breaking activate when passing construction zone or taking curves on the road and sensors reads barriers or cones and locks the breaks and emergency breaking warning comes on dashboard. Horn not functioning in high humid climates

Complete engine stoppage approximately 18:00 21 July 2021. Headed east on Germany Road, a serpentine two lane road with no shoulder. Engine stopped and vehivle coasted to a stop. I turned on the emergency lights and put the vehicle in park. Fortunately, I was able to restart the car and proceed. It was pure luck that I wasn't rear-ended.

On three separate occasions the power steering unit lost power, after restarting the car it would work again.

This car burns oil. I am adding at 1-2 quarts of oil every 2-3 months and I only have 24k miles on this car. I've had an oil consumption test completed and they said that its falling just with in normal limits. It's unacceptable. Additionally, the emergency braking system is faulty, it will register shadows or on a slightly winding road will register on coming traffic and slam on brakes. I have had cars blowing their horns and swerving from behind me in order to avoid a collision. I had that check as well and their advise was to disable it. WHAT?!? So either I disable a safety system or I get rear-ended. This is a joke and completely unacceptable.