Electrical System Problems of Volkswagen Tiguan - part 1

Lane keep assist will activate randomly and try to steer the car and vibrate the steering wheel like lane departure warning going off. Also the lane keep assist and emergency sos fault lights will randomly come on.

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The engine started smoking at 11,000 and new valve seals were replaced in the head. The engine has started to smoke again at 16,800 mile and dealer said the next step would be to replace the head. Car has been to the dealer 6-7 times for electrical and engine problems. The sos light comes on almost every morning. Driver seat memory does not work and dealer can't figure it out after 5-6 times, they have replaced about everything on the seat and it still doesn't work.

I was at a complete stop at the red light, vehicle began shaking and shut down. Gears would not work therefore I was not able to put it in neutral to at least push out of the road. The vehicle then began cranking on and off on its own, without me pushing start/stop engine. This was completely unexpected as the truck is one week old, had a full tank of gas and it was especially dangerous to have shut down on a busy highway. Also when reversing the vehicle makes a weird click noise.

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One time the car just lost power on the freeway and the e-card engine light came on and the cat ran rugh and stalled and jerked hard almost causing me to cause a serious accident. . . I took it to vw and explained the severity and they bypassed that and installed a new water pump. . 2months later the same thing happened exactly to where I was very lucky and very upset. . . And took it to them once again and explained more issues where I'm urging . As to the front warning light and motion has came into play a few times witch was shocking. . . Also the car would be on slow mo mode. . . . And constant warning lights would come on the dashboard as well as the car would feel so unstable and feel as if it were on gear 1/l while in the drive position. . . Also the eco turn of feature would playout . . And stall from time to time. . Then the car would get stuck on speed when foot would come off the accelerator to brake before a stop sign or red light intersection witch just started to concern me and I again took these concerns to rick case vw and they thought I was inventing this story. . Then the car leaked coolant. . And it rusted out the whole bottom of my car . . Hoses. . . And they replaced the thermostat this time around and now the car has misfired. . Could not start . . Idle was ver rough and just vibrated dramatically and damaged coils and spakplugs and blew out fuel inject #2 and can't hold pressure past 30 . . Changed out the spak plugs and coils and the car is just crippled and its a safety hazard and in many occasions has almost caused me to cause a serious accident. . .

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I am experiencing the driver door control switch / ebs error. When this occurs my emergency break activates when I am driving, throwing me into a complete stop unexpectedly, pulls several check engine lights and a series of loud distracting alert sounds. This is extremely dangerous on the road and I’ve almost been rear-ended multiple times. I have brought my vehicle in to Volkswagen and european specialty auto shop and they were not able to replicate the issue thus we’re not able to help me. There are several forums online that point to this being a recall issue with Volkswagen and yet my VIN number is showing as not affected. It is my understanding that this issue is being caused by a faulty driver door wiring harness. It is random when this issue occurs. Forums online have led me to believe it is due to weather fluctuations. At this point I no longer feel safe driving my vehicle. This needs to be escalated to a Volkswagen as a public safety concern.

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I’ve had my Volkswagen tiguen since 2021 fresh off the lot. I have been the only owner of the car at about 30,000 miles my head gasket blew, causing the engine to go into default after weeks in the dealer. They replaced the head gasket and stitched it up, the head gasket blew again at this point I was still under warranty so they agreed to replace the engine. It drove fine after the engine was replaced this year 2025. I started to have a whole host of problems. It began to jerk and hesitate at acceleration. My engine light came on with continuous jerking upon acceleration for weeks until I started to lose power in my engine. I couldn’t go over 50 60 mph. I would always pull the car over power it off and power it back on just to see if it would change and it didn’t do much I had a local mechanic add oil to each tire also drain the engine, which had shards of metal in it. And basically stitch the car back together until we can figure out the bigger issues. It’s only been a day since the oil was added to each tire. I had a very violent jerk of the engine, which made it feel and sound like I blew a tire I got out to look at the tire and it was just fine. It was the backfire of the engine going into the exhaust that caused such the violent jerk. Happy that no one was on the road. If somebody was behind me it would’ve easily been an accident. Most of these dealerships know exactly what’s going on and have been avoiding the big conversation of what to do next they rather just replace and band-aid these things into the consumer just gives up. I have two small children and this is the only means of transportation. I’m fearful that I’ll be stuck with a car note for a car. I can’t drive.

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Mechanical trunk lid emergency release will not release from the rear of the vehicle. The locking mechanism failed and lid will not open.

The defect has occurred since the day the vehicle was leased. The entire multimedia and safety interface shuts down randomly while driving (screen goes black, gps stops, rear camera and driver-assistance functions stop working). This happens in multiple areas across the city, not in a single location. The dealership initially blamed my internet or phone, delaying proper diagnosis. The first available service appointment was more than a month later, and the vehicle was first taken in on January 27, 2025. Since then, the vehicle has been in the shop more than five times across multiple dealerships, including over a month during the most recent repair attempt. I have also been required to visit the dealership more than 30 times for the same issue. Dealership technicians and the service manager stated that the vehicle is defective, that nothing else can be done, and that all repair attempts have failed. The manufacturer claims it is an “environmental connectivity issue” in one spot, which is not accurate. Multiple videos requested and submitted show the failure happening in different areas of the city. At the dealership’s request, I drove with a technician who recorded the failure again. Customer care instructed me to return the loaner vehicle immediately and take back the defective vehicle, even though it is unsafe to operate. The customer care manager refused to speak with me and required an appointment several days later, but they still demanded that I return the loaner and pick up the unsafe vehicle now. When I requested written documentation acknowledging that the vehicle is unsafe, they refused to provide it. This is an unresolved, repeated safety defect that puts me at risk while driving. Please, I'll appreciate any help. Thank you in advance.

Parking brake would not disengage and the shop told me it was because water was in the floor pan behind the passenger seat and it’s causing shorts in the electrical system. The cause of the water was diagnosed as a leaking sunroof. This has caused me loss of vehicle, time and too much money!.

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The entertainment screen/backup camera screen turns on and off constantly. It will not stay on and shuts off completely after so many times of it turning on and off and doesn’t turn back on unless you hold the power button down for 15 seconds but still continues the on and off. Nothing has been done to the screen for it to start doing this.

On 10/11/2025 while driving, the vehicle caught fire.

During normal operation on a public road, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly began emitting smoke from the front of the vehicle. This occurred without any warning lights, messages, unusual smells, or symptoms beforehand. Within moments, flames became visible from under the hood. The occupants, including a child and an elderly family member, immediately exited the vehicle. The fire spread rapidly and resulted in a total loss. The fire department arrived and extinguished the flames, and both fire and police reports were created documenting the incident. The vehicle was nearly new, with approximately 7,000 miles on it, no mechanical issues, and no prior maintenance warnings. Nothing unusual occurred during the drive, and the vehicle had been used under normal, paved-road conditions. On November 5, 2025, Volkswagen conducted an inspection at the iaa facility in puyallup, wa. Volkswagen later denied liability, stating that burned and unburned vegetation was found in the engine compartment and suggesting that external organic material may have caused the fire. This explanation appears unreasonable, as vegetation in the engine bay does not normally ignite spontaneously in a modern vehicle operating under standard conditions. The vehicle is currently with state farm at the iaa facility in puyallup, wa, and is available for further inspection by NHTSA if needed. This incident posed a serious safety risk to the occupants and to other motorists, and may reflect a potential safety defect requiring further investigation.

I am reaching out regarding ongoing and escalating issues with my 2022 vw Tiguan r-line black. Over the past year, I have had to stop at jiffy lube multiple times because the oil level kept running low, and they repeatedly topped it off. I found this unusual, given how recently oil changes and services had been performed. This summer, the vehicle began experiencing episodes of stuttering and stalling, accompanied by smoke from the tailpipe. Over labor day weekend, after another stall, I brought the car into the vw dealership. They investigated but were unable to identify the cause. Unfortunately, the situation has now worsened. Today alone, the car stalled twice — both times in the middle of traffic. The “check oil level” warning light came on, followed shortly by the “check engine” light. There was also a significant amount of smoke coming from the tailpipe. This is not only a mechanical issue but also a serious safety concern. I have two children, and I am deeply concerned for their lives and safety when driving a vehicle that stalls unpredictably in traffic. At this point, the car feels unsafe and unreliable, and I am unsure how to proceed. Please advise me on next steps regarding potential legal recourse, warranty coverage, or claims I may pursue. Thank you for your guidance. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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On September 19th 2025, while driving on the highway at normal speed, the instrument cluster fuel gauge misread the fuel level and indicated that the tank still had fuel. Without any warning light or low-fuel alert, the vehicle suddenly lost power because it was actually out of gas. I was traveling with my boyfriend and our three dogs. We became stranded on the shoulder of a busy highway as vehicles passed at 70–80 mph. The outside temperature was about 85-90 at the time. This created a serious safety hazard: the cluster’s inaccurate fuel reading prevented me from knowing we were nearly empty. The engine shut down unexpectedly, leaving limited steering and braking control as we coasted to the shoulder. We were exposed to high-speed traffic and extreme heat while waiting for assistance. Additional cluster/safety issues observed: no audible turn-signal “click” or indicator sound when using the blinker. No warning chime if the car is left running when the driver exits (for example, if the ignition is on but the door is opened or the key is removed). The vehicle is out of warranty, but the dealership diagnosed a failed instrument cluster and quoted about $2,500 for replacement. Why this is a safety concern: the instrument cluster provides critical driver alerts. Inaccurate fuel readings, lack of turn-signal audio, and the absence of an engine-on warning chime all reduce driver awareness and can directly lead to dangerous situations on the road. Requested action: I urge NHTSA to investigate whether the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan’s instrument cluster/fuel-level system and related warning features contain a design or manufacturing defect and to consider a recall or other remedy to prevent accidents or injuries.

My 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly shut off on the highway with my children in the car. The vehicle lost all power, including steering, air conditioning, radio, navigation, and windows. I was barely able to coast to safety. The dealership diagnosed the issue as the ignition switch, part number 5q1 905 865. This is the exact same part number included in Volkswagen’s current recall of nearly 50,000 jettas for ignition switch failure. Despite this, vw has not expanded the recall to cover Tiguans. I paid over $700 for the repair, even though the part itself costs around $50. Worse, the dealership reinstalled the same recalled part number into my Tiguan, meaning the defect has not been corrected and could occur again at any time. This is a serious safety hazard. A sudden engine shutdown at highway speeds could easily result in injury or death. Volkswagen is fully aware of this defect but is refusing to extend the recall to affected Tiguan vehicles. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue immediately and require Volkswagen to expand the ignition switch recall to include Tiguans equipped with part number 5q1 905 865.

Subject: ongoing mechanical and electrical issues – 2022 vw Tiguan I’m experiencing ongoing issues with my 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, purchased new and maintained under single ownership. Primary issue: the vehicle shuts off unexpectedly under various driving conditions—while accelerating on the highway, from a stop at traffic lights, and especially when going uphill or over high bridges. The issue initially occurred once or twice a year around 45,000 miles but has become more frequent. As of 70,000 miles, it now happens on a weekly basis. When this happens, the only way to temporarily resolve the issue is to turn off the vehicle completely and wait approximately 5 minutes before restarting. Recent maintenance completed: new car battery (3 battery since purchase of car) new spark plugs (replaced in June 2025) regular oil changes (every 3000 miles) new engine air filter and cabin air filter (yearly) additional symptoms: the rear-view camera frequently times out or fails to display when reversing. The dealership has not been able to confirm the cause but has mentioned a potential error code p30de00, suggesting alternator replacement. However, a second opinion found no active error codes, leaving the root cause unclear. I'm seeking a definitive diagnosis and a resolution plan, as the issue has become a safety concern.

Epc light is on.

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This stalling issue has occurred three times so far, most recently on [xxx], while exiting [xxx] . Each time, the stall happens when I attempt to accelerate after coming to a complete stop in traffic, at a light, or at a stop sign. When it occurs, the vehicle will not move forward, and multiple rapid warning messages appear on the dashboard. The only way to recover is to shift into park, power the car off, and then restart the engine. After restarting, the vehicle will usually operate normally, allowing me to continue driving. I brought to vw dealership pasadena -- they have been unable to diagnose the cause of stalling! text from dealership below! this happened exiting the freeway this is very dangerous. +1 (818) 293-1855: we cleared all codes and going to give the car back to you for now-the recall adhesive needs to cure till end of the day-pick up at 4pm --ron hancock Volkswagen pasadena +1 (818) 293-1855: no-will have a plan of action and we can discuss --ron hancock Volkswagen pasadena information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Upon starting my 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, the vehicle immediately went into "limp" mode and the check engine light and epc light came on. The vehicle would not drive over 18 mph. The car was towed to a close by Volkswagen dealership and checked for codes using a multipoint inspection. The report came back with a throttle body issue (multipoint inspection report attached). The throttle body was replaced and the vehicle was taken for a 15 mile test drive. During the drive, the same problem occurred. After the drive, 34 codes were found in vws report. I have also attached the report to this complaint. The technicians at the vw dealership didn't understand the problem, so they opened up communication with Volkswagen in germany. The Volkswagen engineer advised the dealership to replace the wire harness. After the wire harness was replaced, the car has no more issue (although it has only been 5 days since), which cost $2314. 54 in total. There is a class action lawsuit in the state of new jersey (case [xxx]) against Volkswagen group of America that states "vw is aware of concerns involving faulty wire harnesses". . . Affecting 2019-2022 Volkswagen atlas, golf, jetta, Tiguan, and taos. Thank god that this happened to my vehicle with the car was at rest and not traveling at a high rate of speed that could have been fatal. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I own a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan se r-line purchased new in August 2025. Since shortly after purchase, the vehicle has exhibited a recurring safety defect where the electronic parking brake engages without driver input and the vehicle shifts itself into park. This happens suddenly and without warning. This defect occurs multiple times per week, on average (upwards of 50+ times total since purchase) under varied low-speed conditions, including at stoplights, while slowly moving through traffic, and during parking maneuvers, etc. When it occurs, the vehicle stops abruptly as park is engaged. This creates a significant risk of being rear-ended or losing control in an intersection or traffic lane. There are no warning lights, chimes, or alerts beforehand. The behavior is intermittent and unpredictable, so there is no way to anticipate or prevent it during normal driving. This has not yet caused a collision, but there have been near-miss situations in traffic due to the sudden stop. I notified the dealership when the vehicle was new, but because the model had only recently been released and the defect could not be reproduced on demand, there was no formal inspection or repair, and no guidance was provided. The issue has continued multiple times per week since then. I have now found other 2025 Tiguan owners reporting the same behavior, which suggests this may be a broader safety defect rather than an isolated case. I am requesting an investigation due to the frequency of occurrence and the clear collision risk associated with unintended braking and shifting into park.

I had unlocked the doors with the botton on the door handle with my key in my purse. I was putting my kids in the car and put the key in the car. I closed all of the doors with the key in the car and it automatically locked with the car off in the summer heat. Luckily my oldest was able to unlock the car from the inside. My other child is 2 and wouldn’t have been able to do it.

The wireless phone charger in my 2023 vw Tiguan does not function as intended and consistently fails to charge any phone, regardless of placement, brand, or case. The charging pad repeatedly disconnects, overheats the phone, or never initiates charging at all, making the feature completely unusable. This is a safety concern because it encourages drivers to handle their phones while driving after assuming the vehicle would keep the device charged.

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I am experiencing a serious safety issue with my 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan involving delayed acceleration. The problem occurs intermittently but frequently: when pressing the gas pedal from a complete stop or low-speed situation (such as turning or merging), there is often a 5–10 second delay before the vehicle responds and begins accelerating. During this lag, the engine does not rev, and the vehicle does not move, leaving me and my passengers vulnerable in intersections, while turning into traffic, or merging onto highways. This issue has occurred multiple times since purchase, and has created multiple near-miss situations, including once where I attempted to cross a two-lane road and the vehicle did not move for several seconds after pressing the accelerator. Other drivers had to brake abruptly to avoid collision. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Volkswagen dealer twice. They were unable to replicate the issue and returned the car without repair. The third visit is currently being scheduled. No warning lights or diagnostic codes were present, and the dealer stated they could not reproduce the problem. Volkswagen has not issued a fix to my knowledge. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance. There were no warning lamps or messages at the time of the failures. The issue began within the first few months of ownership and has persisted intermittently for the past several months. I paid $30,000 cash for this vehicle in 2023 and it is still under warranty. This issue presents an ongoing safety hazard and significantly reduces my confidence in the vehicle’s ability to respond in traffic. Based on forums and consumer reports, I have reason to believe this is a known issue affecting multiple vw Tiguan vehicles of the same model year. I am available to provide additional documentation, including a written log of the issue and video evidence upon request. I respectfully urge NHTSA to investigate this matter.

When it’s hot outside I get a warning about the starting system then all the electronics shut off including all dash, radio, and exterior lights.

In July, chicagoland was very hot and my car stays in the garage. The piece that holds the sun roof control panel on the ceiling melted and came partially off. It’s been hanging since then since I was told it wasn’t ready to be fixed yet since there is no recall. I’ve been waiting but now my sos feature is inoperable.

The overhead console fell down with no indication or force - could’ve been heat or weak parts. Overhead console dangled by electrical wires and blocked rearview mirror and line of sight. Upon research, numerous other Volkswagen Tiguan owners have experience similar issues.

My car has delayed acceleration issues of between 3 - 6 seconds. The last one that was 6 seconds ore more was on June 29. In addition it's happened several times. I took the vehicle in for its last service and was told the issue was my battery. Battery was replaced and issue not resolved. The service before that I was told it was a carbon build up. Continues to happen sporadically.

Started noticing issues within first week of purchase. Cruise control will not increase nor decrease speed when set. Steering wheel controls will not advance or decrease speed. Intermittent problem. First service dealer could not replicate. Second service dealer contacted vw assist and was advised to replace steering wheel buttons. Did not fix problem. Third service vw assist advised to replace clock spring and wiring harness. Part still on back order almost a month later. Meanwhile, vehicle now rapidly decreases or advances speed on own while cruise control is set. Adaptive control function is off and not source of issue. I feel this is software related issue as I have also had malfunction of infotainment radio system. Another reason I feel software issue is due to vehicle back up safety braking activates and throws vehicle into park when nothing is behind me.

On three (3) separate occasions, my 2019 vw Tiguan has produced an error stating "check starter system" on the console and shut down electrical systems such as instrument panel, brake lights, headlights, taillights, back up camera, and other electrical systems while driving. All three (3) situations followed the same series of events whereas the car was out in the sunlight on warmer days (70+ degrees) and occurred within 5 or so minutes of starting. After shutting the vehicle off and attempting to restart, the ignition will not always work and the car will not turn over. When it does, the key will need to be turned farther than a normal ignition start and most likely produce an immediate error and electrical system shut down. In the most recent occurrence, I found a parking garage and left the car for around an hour and did not experience the issue for the rest of the trip. It appears that there was a recall for a similar issues with the jetta models made in the same year (2019). Volkswagen recall: 28h7-ignition switch / NHTSA campaign number: 23v604.

I have had several incidents where the forward collision activated for no reason. I didn’t keep track of dates because I did t realize I would need to. Then I began having other issues: incident 1 June 7, 2025: I was driving down the road and lost all power. Car wouldn’t start back up. Got a jumpstart and didn’t have any issues like that after that for two months. Issue 2: July 3, 2025: infotainment center went completely black. Callled dealership and they told me it wasn’t under warranty. July 11, 2025: backup camera came on in reverse. August 3, 2025: backup camera came on while in reverse. August 15. 2025: backup camera came on in reverse. August 27, 2025: went to start car for in morning and it start, just made strange sounds along with clicking. Put on battery charger for 20 minutes, started it and let run for a few minutes. It was fine after that. August 27, 2025: displayed the welcome to Volkswagen three times today. Backup camera came on. August 28, 2025: sitting in my car without power on and the welcome to Volkswagen displayed on infotainment screen.

Fuel gauge showed close to empty and we filled up the tank. The fuel gauge is still reading empty and not properly reporting the gas level in the tank.

My vehicle will have a slow start when I start the car and also a delay when it is at a stoplight. I took it in for service twice and they told me it was because I had an after market battery. However - yesterday my car completely went dead at a stop light and I had to turn the engine off and in. It often lags or stops at a light. According to reddit it seems it’s a crank start issue.

The rear camera has been inoperable since June 2025. Vw have not issued a fix. This is a safety issue.

The overhead console that controls the interior lights, sunroof, sos button, etc. Just popped off while driving and almost hit me in the head.

I am writing to formally express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the sudden failure of my Volkswagen Tiguan se, a brand-new vehicle purchased just three months ago. While driving, the car abruptly stopped in the middle of the road, putting my entire family in grave danger. Fortunately, there was no vehicle immediately behind us, or this could have resulted in a serious accident. Safety concerns: this incident raises serious questions about the reliability of this vehicle model and whether such a failure should ever occur in a brand-new car. A sudden breakdown in traffic is unacceptable, and I strongly condemn the presence of such cars on the road if they pose safety risks. Service & response issues: following this incident, I contacted Volkswagen’s service team at lewisville volk vogen ,893 s stemmons fwy lewisville, TX 75067 to investigate the issue and provide urgent assistance. However, after completing the service I got the heating error again in the car. This puts me in very deep state about this car. I have the incident report with me with stale enginer issue and the service done by volkvogen team and the issue still persists. Request for immediate action: I request Volkswagen to take urgent action to recall this kind of car which risks my entire family life into danger. If car stops on highway, we all will die instantly along with others who will be behind us. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] vehicle details – VIN- [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).