2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Complaint Log

The suspension components inclusive of struts and knuckles corroded and cracked causing the suspension to collapse in the front and rear of the vehicle. Luckily the suspension didn't collapse while driving and has not resulted in any injuries. The dealership (Gunther VW in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) inspected and replaced the front suspension but left the rear suspension untouched after certifying the integrity. 2 weeks later, the rear suspension collapsed.

This a Safety concern with the console dropping down while driving. The Overhead (Central) Console behind the rearview mirror dropped down on my current vehicle (It also dropped down on another Tiguan that I owned while it was parked at the dealership for a different repair (doesn't seem to be a coincidence along with other complaints by customers who show photos online of the same problem with the same make and model Tiguan that I have (2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV). Again, this is a Safety Concern about the Overhead (Central) Console dropping down while driving and also hanging after it drops down which may cause other electrical issues such as starting and exposure to moisture, heat, or coldness in the interior of the car. Also, cannot open the sunroof now due to concerns of exposure.

2021 Volkswagen Tijuan has an oil leak caused by a defective Timing Cover Gasket, and or PCV component(s). If you do a simple Google search, there are thousands of these vehicles experiencing the exact same issue, and numerous individuals are not happy. The warranty is 4 years or 50k miles, this problem occurred at 53K, very convenient for the dealers repairing these vehicles. This is absolutely a design flaw and should qualify for a recall. Please investigate and I am sure you will agree, thank you so much.

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve cover needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. There was gray smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve stem seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000. The VIN was not available.

I was driving to work a couple days ago and noticed that the control system that is connected to my rear view mirror was broken. It appears that the plastic overhead control system broke where it screws in. When I inspected it the clasps on all four sides broke with the screws still intact to the vehicle. I disconnected the ports so that I can see my mirror. I just bought my vehicle in July 2023 and I rarely use the controls. I don’t think it’s fair that I have to pay for this replacement. In my honest opinion this should never happen. I haven’t replaced it yet because I am unable to afford it at this time. However I don’t think it should be my responsibility since I’ve never had this happen on any vehicle I have owned. It appears to be a default in craftsmanship.

When I was driving the upper console of the vehicle dropped out of no where. The console was just hanging by a few wires and dangling around while I was driving. I was totally startled and could have had an accident, the console was hanging so low I couldn't use the rearview mirror and had to hold it up with one hand until I got home. I have had to tape it with masking tape and it falls every 2 or 3 days. I just took it to the VW of Clearlake and they are not accepting responsibility for the part replacement and charging me $255.00. This part needs to be urgently replaced and recalled before someone is hurt on the road or lives are lost.

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the sunroof console detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a detached sunroof console. The contact was informed that the sunroof console needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts to repair the vehicle needed to be ordered; however, the parts were on back-order. The contact stated that he had been waiting on the delivery of the parts for 45 days and parts were still on back-order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

My 2021 Tiguan suddenly lost power causing my wife and daughter to be stranded. Car was not drivable and lost both oil and power. Towed to VW dealer and was diagnosed with a faulty pcv/oil separator causing excessive crankcase pressure. This party failed once car warranty was over costing almost $2000. Prior to the car stranding them they had to drive at less than 25 MPH on the Long Island expressway. oil was leaking from the upper timing cover seals. VW Dealer removed and replaced oil pan with gasket, pov and upper timing cover seals. filled o i l to correct level,road tested vehicle and rechecked and no leaks at this time. All this damage occurred by no fault of our own. I have learned thru my research that this is a common problem on the VW Tiguans. All has been repaired and replaced as you can see from the receipt attached. Prior to the party failing multiple lights lit up on the dashboard forcing my wife to pull over and get out of. harms way until someone could come and get her.

The overhead console started separating from the headliner which was annoying but I didn’t think much of it. A few days later the console was dangling just held up by wires. I taped it back up but while I’m driving it fell again. You can’t see to drive letting it dangle so I had to hold it up while driving. It takes a lot of attention away from the road when you’re messing with the console to drive. The part is back ordered so it hasn’t been fixed yet. I Juat keep taping it up but the sun melts the glue or something. It’s a daily chore before driving. For what I see this is happening to a lot of Vw Tiguan owners

PCV Failure causing the timing cover to leak oil and causing the oil pan to crack. This is a known issue with VW TSI engines. This PCV is a major issue not only causing the damage above but others are having to replace the rear main seal and crank case because of this. It's now in the shop for the next week and I'm out of a vehicle for the next week. This is not the only problem I've had with this vehicle. The last problem I had was the housing unit of the overhead lights, sunroof controls and sos when hanging down and broke out of nowhere. The plastic melted and cracked. It was replaced but was not put back together properly. There are now gaps where it should be tightly sealed. The glove comparent arm is broken. There are wheel bearings issues too we are trying to pin point the issue. The hits keep coming and the car is just a money pit.

We were driving to Mci airport. We felt car jerk. Was able to continue driving. Got off at exit. Pulled over looked under hood, didn’t see anything. Pulled away felt it pulling back. Was able to make it home at just 60 miles an hour. The care would hesitate and jerk if going up slight hill or accelerating. Took to shop. They said it was pvc valve. Which caused crack in oil pan as well as timing chain cover. It also coated under car in oil. I did some research and this seems to be a fairly common issue. Same issue and results. Some of them had less miles than mine but most were around the range. I think if you investigated these engines no matter what vehicle Vw put them in you will find a common thread. I would appreciate your research and feedback in this matter. Thank you

I scraped the curb with my passenger front tire and all my side air bags deployed. There was no other damage done to the vehicle.

CLIMATE CONTROL STOPED WORKING JUST FLICKERS ON AND OFF

The control panel that controls the sunroof and lights fell from my roof. It was hanging down blocking my view so I could not drive. I brought it to my dealer who said it was still under warranty and proceeded to fix the problem. I still have to go back because they have to order another part. I have read several other complaints about the same issue. I have always bought VW and this is the first time I had an issue like this! I believe this should be a recall since it has happened to so many others. It is a very dangerous situation . Thank god I wasn’t driving in the highway this would of ended quite different!

on the 3rd windshield in less than 1 year... the smallest impact breaks the windshield. There is a major problem with fragile windshields in the VW line.

In July of 23 went to get in my car and when I opened the door the center console was hanging down by wires blocking the rear view mirror and part of the windshield. Car was fixed at the dealer . Yesterday 6/26/2024 went to get in my car and the same thing has happened again !!!! . Can’t see out my rear view mirror and part of my view is blocked from looking out the windshield creating massive safty issues until it can get fixed. ( tape does not hold to keep it out of the way ) Also was told that VW will not cover the costs of repair this time even though it has been less than a year since it happened last time . This is a massive safty issue that affects driving and could very easily cause an accident at any time!!!!!!!.

Center console above rear view mirror has broken and fallen from ceiling for the 2nd time. It as repaired in Aug 2023 after this happened the first time. This is a DEFECT and it needs to be addressed ASAP! If this falls from the ceiling while driving, its very dangerous and most likely would cause an accident. I will be calling dealer tomorrow and it better be repaired under warranty.

While I was driving today, I heard a loud pop. It was caused by the car's overhead console (it houses the controls for the sun roof, garage opener, cabin lights, etc) suddenly detaching. Apparently, a lot of owners of this same VW model has reported the same issue and several has reported it as a recurring issue. You can find details here [XXX] I am concerned about the safety issues resulting from this defect. First, it causes a distraction that can result in an accident. 2nd, the console broke off on all 4 locations where it is secured in place by screws. Due to this, I was unable to put it back in place causing the console to just dangle while I was driving. Since the console is directly behind the rear view mirror, it was blocking my view of the mirror. I advise the board to examine the design of this console as the plastic ring where the screw mounts is so thin. Even if I get a replacement console, I am afraid this will happen again, as reported by several owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive. The low oil level warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who observed a crack in the oil pan. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who then diagnosed a failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000. The VIN was not available.

On 4/6/24 the steering wheel locked while driving the car . Causing the car to go off the road into a 40 ft ditch and hit a tree

Oil consumption issues affecting all cars of this make and model

The overhead control console breaks free and falls down in front of the rear view mirror. Inspecting the broken console, the screws are to tight causing the plastic to fatigue and eventually break. Searching this issue on reddit, it seems common enough, people have had them fall when closing a door, pots holes ect. Mine broke free when giving over a speed bump.

Overhead Sunglass holder they brake easily such as the 2 clips that hold the cover.

The front windshield is very fragile. I am now replacing it again after having replaced it just a year ago from the same issue. Crack develops and travels across the entire window.

My Tiguan was towed on [XXX] to Beyer Volkswagen [4017 Valley Pike, Winchester, VA 22602] for service to repair a sudden and unexpected vehicle failure.  On [XXX], I started the Tiguan and noticed a hard start. I drove the vehicle about 4 miles down the road and noticed a smell of gasoline when I stopped and opened the door. I immediately drove the car home at which point I noticed gasoline on the road and driveway, as well as a heavy persistent smell of gas. I moved the vehicle to the road and had it towed [$95 at my expense] to Beyer VW for service. This failure rendered the vehicle undrivable and luckily was able to get it towed before it became engulfed in flames. [XXX], after getting the vehicle back for 1 week (dealership claiming repair fixed) the problem was not fixed and in fact gas spewed from the engine at a higher rate. Pictures attach showing about of gas which instantly dispelled at start and move from driveway to road. This is a critical vw problem that will result in fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? GPS, it intermittently does not work and so difficult to inspect upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Directions not available on GPS system leading to incorrect turns, potential accidents and other dangers of relying on a map system Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Manufacturer (VW) was contacted, Case# 06128548 closed without resolution with a possible software update planned but no expectation of delivery Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, GPS intermittently stopped working about a year ago

The seal on the passenger headlight on my 2021 Tiguan failed and condensation accumulated in the light. After a short while, the light shorted out and needed to be replaced. The dealer I went to was not very responsive and stated the light was on backorder and they could not obtain. Once the light shorted, the dealership took the car overnight, provided a loaner and replaced the headlight. For the record, I do not know if the light is VW or after-market and do not care as long as it continues to work. This is important b/c now the driver headlight seal failed and the light shorted out. Same story with the headlight on backorder and the dealership will not replace nor provide a loner. It is apparent the headlights used in VW Tiguans are faulty and run the risk of shorting out. So I am left a leased vehicle that is literally not legally fit to drive - no head light, turn-signal is also not operable.

Vehicle keeps having all warning lights and warning messages come on whenever the car starts. Warning lights maintain on constantly and has audible beeping to indicate the warnings. Vehicle would also put itself into park randomly at, as well as disengage collision and lane sensors while driving. Vehicle has been taken to the dealership, and has been reproduced by them, stating "we have never seen this before and are not sure what to do, we need to reach out to Volkswagen directly" most recent update, they needed to replace the door harness and F5 module but are still unclear with the status of the repair. Dealership has indicated it's safe to drive if I wanted to pick it up while they figure out the issue.

Oil change/ low oil light didn’t come one. When car was initially checked due to check engine light being on it didn’t produce any codes. The dealer confirms it needs a new engine and turbo rebuild due to there being no oil in the car. Last oil change was May 29, 2023 at Pep boys.

While driving, using cruise control set to 75mph, I braked to slow down. That worked cruise control disengaged fine. I changed to the adjacent lane that was wide open and pushed the resume button on the steering wheel. I noticed I was passing several vehicles on both sides of me. Looked at the speedometer reading = 98 mph and felt further acceleration. Put my foot on the brake to disengage cruise control and slow down. I checked the cruise control setting on the dashscreen. It still read 75 mph. When the speed of the vehicle returned to 75mph, I again "SET" the speed of cruise control at 75mph, and all was normal again.

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 - 20 MPH the "Stop and Start Failure" message was displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle and the "Fault Electronic Brake" and "Driver Door Switch Failure" messages became displayed. The contact pulled to the side of the road and opened then closed the front driver’s side door and restarted the vehicle. The contact repeated the process three times however, the messages remained displayed. The contact continued to drive the vehicle at approximately 15 - 20 MPH and the parking brake suddenly activated. Once the parking brake had independently released the contact was able to get to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle several times. The failure had started occurring more frequently. The contact stated that several other unknown messages were displayed. The dealer had been informed of the failure however, the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.

The middle console have completely fallen out of the roof, held on only by the wires. It looks like the plastic attachments to the screws all broken. Incident occurred while parked during working hours on Tuesday, July 25.

Last night I got out of work and got in my 2021 VW Tiguan and found my overhead console had completely dropped from the ceiling. I called Security where I work because I thought maybe someone had tried to break into my car. they took a report and taped it up for me so I could drive home. This prompted me to look up issues that have been reported here (NHTSA) and of course I found that numerous others have had this same issue!!!I I called the dealer in Macon, GA (about an hour away from where am) and scheduled an appt for August 1st. They said they knew it was an issue and as long as my car was under 50,000 miles it would be covered under warranty. . I guess my next question would be what happens if after they replace it, it happens again? I found a lot more complaints out on this site about the same issue. 3 pages of complaints - think there needs to be a recall so that this piece is covered for the life of the vehicle after replacement and so that VW will have to replace even after 50,000 miles. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Some light assembly/sun roof control panel falls down and obscures part of windshield

So this is not related to a specific incident, more long term. The throttle response in this vehicle is downright dangerous. MAny of times I feel like I am going to cause an accident. The throttle response is so laggy and jerky that off the line it seems to hesitate for almost 2 seconds. Light turns yellow? Good luck, it will barely downshift and get moving before it turns red. Sometimes the response is good, sometimes it terrible. No predictability. Have to turn it to sport mode when I have to make a left turn into traffic just to get a jump start. There are numerous forums that have talked about the issue. I have even brought it up to the dealership with no fix recommended. I have driven so many cars in my day, not one like this. Thinking about selling the car back just to get something safer unless they come out with a fix for it.

My car is a 2021 Tiguan. Car is burning oil and should not be.

I have had to replace multiple windshields for something barely hitting it on the freeway - I think this is my 4th windshield and have not been driving near big trucks or construction during the incidents. Another issue is that I have had the car abruptly break in both leaving the parking lot and on the freeway in traffic thinking I am going to hit something when nothing is there which seems to be a sensor issue.

We have a cracked windshield and VW has not been able to provide us with a replacement windshield. I have contacted VW parts at the dealership, called VW care, and called harrs auto glass. No one can get me any info on when a new windshield will be available for my car. I'm told the windshield is on backorder with an unknown ETA. I have been waiting for a windshield for 1 year with no news.

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof shattered. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

From a cold start and backing down the driveway, the SUV displayed an error code “Error: Driver Door Contact Switch” and automatically put the park break on. The driver had to put the Tiguan in park, turn off the vehicle, and release the emergency break restart the Tiguan and pulled back up the driveway. The driver proceeded to open/shut all the doors to ensure that all doors were closed. The drive started the Tiguan and proceeded to back out the driveway and the same thing happened with the error code and the park brake. The driver restarted the Tiguan and pulled back up the driveway and turned off the Tiguan exited the vehicle locked it and noticed the error code was still showing on the dash.

I have to put oil into the engine every 2000 miles. The dealership has run 2 separate oil consumption tests and they claim they are unable to find anything wrong.

The vehicle has a class action suit for leaking sunroof that soaks the entire floor board of the vehicle. This happened to us and was repaired in 2023. It happened again currently and it is proving to be a defect of the build of the vehicle. This is happened to thousands of people all over the USA. This needs to be an official recall. They are trying to charge us $1000 because the warranty doesn’t cover the flooding the defect causes. Kuhn WV in Tampa is who has the car and they get this problem all the time. This is systemic and NHTSA must do something about it and force VW to recall the vehicles with sunroof issues.

While coming to a stop, the car displayed an error code “ Error: Driver Door Contact Switch” and automatically put the car in park using the emergency break. The driver would have to put the car in park, turn off the vehicle, and release the emergency break to continue. The Volkswagen Tiguan would do this at every stop. The driver pulled over and opened/shut all the door to ensure that no doors were open and it was only after reading in a form that the driver discovered that it is an electrical issue/software issue that the computer registers the door as open.

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the overhead console detached from the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the overhead console to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

I was driving down the road and the overhead console fell out of the roof...i researched it and found this has happened to many people. Just glad i didnt wreck

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to contact the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

On ~August 1, 2022, the "overheard console" (containing lights, BT microphone, and sunglass compartment) unexpectedly "dropped" out of the vehicle's ceiling. The plastic and adhesive keeping this part in place appeared to have cracked into pieces, and the weight of the part caused it to fall. I was driving during this incident and it startled me into nearly having an accident. When I called the dealership I purchased this brand new car from less than two years ago, (Hewlett Volkswagen of Georgetown, Texas) they informed me that I was one of MANY customers experiencing the same issue on Tiguans manufactured in the last 2 years. In fact, when I described what happened, the service advisor guessed my make/model before I provided further detail. The dealership refused to accommodate my safety (let along the inconvenience) by offering a tow/loaner vehicle, so I had to drive over 25 miles (~40 minutes) to bring the car in to get the broken console removed. In that trip, I almost got into another accident because the part dangling from my ceiling was obstructing my view while driving. I have been waiting 6 weeks to get this part replaced, which the dealership confirmed was back order issues because they've had so many instances with other VW Tiguans this summer. I have contacted VW Customer Service hotline AND the dealership about a recall on this, but both validated that they've never filed anything despite being fully aware that "dropping overhead consoles" have been a RECURRING safety risk for cars with my make/model/year for months. While I've waited for VW to take responsibility, I've injured myself getting into my vehicle at night because I have no lights inside the car, let alone at extreme risk for assault. And because I cannot use the BT microphone, a feature which encouraged me to buy this car brand new, I have had to make sacrifices in my career. My life and the lives of others have been put at risk because VW has refused to consider this a safety recall.

The car will suddenly shut off while slowing down or coming to a stop. The “start/stop” error message is displayed and the car displays to “manually restart car”. At first this happened only sporadically, but now this is happening while on the highway in traffic or while turning in an intersection. Today it has happened 5 times. Our car only has 10,000 miles and has had problems from the beginning. The fuel pump had to be replaced after sitting at the dealership for a MONTH while they tried to fix and unknown “EPC” error that displayed and completely shut our car off while driving on the highway—not coming to a stop.

Sunroof exploded while I was driving down the highway. I was going 65-70 mph, no other vehicles around me.

The backup camera freezes and stops working. The car has to be turned off and back on again for it to work. The dealer informed me it was not a safety issue and I should use my mirrors. This is absolutely a safety issue.