Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Volkswagen Tiguan - part 1

I have a 2022 Tiguan 2. 0l gas engine with a 10yr 120k mile Volkswagen warranty and all previous maintenance and services performed by the Volkswagen dealer. Just over 40k miles and a check engine light comes on so I go to the dealer. The oil separator, an emissions device, failed and needs to be replaced with the oil pan and timing chain cover. This separator is not noted anywhere on the manufacturer service schedule but based on talking to the dealership and my own research its is a known issue failing frequently over the last 5-6 years with Volkswagen redesigning parts several times in failed attempts to correct the issue but, to date, they have not issued a recall. As such, owners are having to pay significant repair bills as Volkswagen refuses to repair this under emission control or extended warranty coverage.

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Oil separator valve went out which caused the upper timing cover gasket, cambridge assembly seal, oil pan and seal to fail. Could have caused the engine to fail whiling driving which could have resulted in an accident occurring. Confirmed by dealership. No other inspection has been done on it. Oil light came on whiling driving. I put in more oil. It goes in for regular oil changes and as not been noted prior to 6/19/26 that there was an issue with the vehicle.

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When driving, the vehicle self shifted into neutral and was unresponsive. All of the dash warning lights came on and I was not able to apply throttle or shift the car into drive. I had to coast in neutral to the side of the road. This is a safety issue and there was a high possibly of crashing if it wasn’t on a rural road. This is the second time this has happened. The first time vw service said nothing had occurred and gave me my vehicle back.

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 mph, the vehicle suddenly became inoperable; the power steering became inoperable, and the brake pedal became difficult to depress. The message "no key fob detected" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. No repairs were performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable. The VIN was unavailable.

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I was driving in 4 lane town traffic going under 10 mph and the hazard lights came on by themselves, and the car died. Propulsion stopped. Fortunately I was able to pull onto a striped median, and once I was over shock, 3-5 ish minutes, I started the car and drove to the dealership. I don’t remember any warning message, and it seems like the steering and brakes were hard once it was dieing, but I was so shocked it’s hard to remember exactly. This happened in rainy weather, about 65 degrees around [xxx] on [xxx], in bentonville, ar. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Oil change and check engine light continuously appear. Have gotten oil changes during the prescribed timings and still after being within the timeframe of the oil change the sensor appears. The car has stalled while driving due to this and have on multiple occasions have had to buy oil to add to the vehicle even after getting a oil change at a dealership.

23 Tiguan. . Been having to top off oil every couple thousand miles sometimes up to a quart and they tell me it's within "tolerance" to lose oil. Bad pcv caused leak at timing seal and oil pan, oil everywhere needs extensive cleanup. This consumption has happened consistently since buying the vehicle and am being told with the new pcv installed we have to wait to see if the oil problem continues before we can do a consumption test. There should be no reason to be losing up to a quart every few thousand miles and this should be fully investigated.

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My car jumps and lags due to fuel injector. It will be replaced by Volkswagen but only if there believe it’s ana issue even though there are several reports of this issue.

The car stopped at a light on a busy street in [xxx] (in the middle lane), then the engine stopped, and my wife could not restart it. I went as fast as possible and met her. I was eventually able to get it started. This is the third time we have had problems like this. I did the same thing for me and another time for my wife. I believe it is the stop-start capability, but I can't say for sure. We have also had bad engine oil burning problems and electrical problems. All of these (I now know, but did not before) are recurring problems for 2019 Tiguans. The cylinder head was rebuilt last year, associated with a similar instance. I am now fully aware that the 2019 Tiguans are known to experience all of these problems, but when I brought my car in on previous occasions, that never got mentioned. I am told xyz is an issue, then billed for repairs. The car was originally leased, and when I purchased it at the end of the lease, I also purchased a full premium warranty. When the issue happened in may of 2025, the policy eventually covered this, but it took over a month of justifications and records before the third-party insurance company agreed to cover the repairs. All of this said, I am no longer comfortable that this car is safe for my wife to drive, as the issues that are repeating are known issues, and yet Volkswagen seems to sweep these under the rug from both a manufacturer and dealership perspective. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving on the highway in my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan (approximately 70,068 miles), the epc warning light and oil warning light illuminated and the vehicle began to stall/lose power. I exited the highway immediately and shut the vehicle down safely. A substantial amount of engine oil leaked from underneath the vehicle after stopping. The vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealership. Dealer diagnosis included: * cracked oil pan, * oil separator failure, * and timing chain cover leak. The dealership advised there was no metal contamination found in the oil or filter and no confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure at this time, though the long-term condition of the engine cannot be guaranteed after the oil-loss event. I am submitting this report because the sudden oil-loss event and stalling condition occurred while driving on the highway and created a potential safety hazard.

Vehicle was just turned on and put into reverse. Dash and infotainment center lights flashed and shut off. Vehicle rolled backwards uncontrollably down a sloped driveway. Steering and brakes were not properly functioning. Vehicle came to a stop when it struck a parked vehicle in its path.

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When it is really hot outside 90 and above my car does messes up. As I'm driving my car will throw the code pull over and check starter system. Everything turns off, and then it takes minutes from my car to restart. It has happened multiple times when I'm in traffic at a stop light or driving and it throws the code as my car is moving. I have taken it to shops and still no auto shop can figure out the fix. Happened for the first time a year ago, and now its happening constantly.

The vehicle experiences sudden loss of motive power during acceleration. Between 30–60 mph, the transmission fails to upshift correctly, causing the engine rpms to spike to 5000 while the vehicle fails to gain speed. This creates a severe safety hazard when merging into high-speed traffic. Additionally, the infotainment system frequently blackouts and reboots while driving, and there are intermittent malfunctions with the power windows and door locks. Authorized dealerships have been unable to resolve these persistent safety defects after multiple repair attempts.

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Car is burning an excessive amount of oil.

My 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan (VIN: [xxx] ) is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. The vehicle requires oil replenishment every less than 1,000 miles, which is far beyond what any reasonable consumer would expect from a properly functioning engine. I reported this issue to the Volkswagen dealership while the vehicle was still under the manufacturer’s warranty. The dealership stated that this level of oil consumption is “normal” and only added oil without performing any diagnostic testing or repairs. No repair order documenting a defect was issued, and no corrective action was taken. This problem is consistent with the known defect in the ea888 2. 0l tsi engine, specifically the defective piston rings that fail to create a proper seal, allowing oil to leak into the combustion chamber and burn off during operation. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Volkswagen regarding this exact defect in 2022–2023 Tiguan models. The excessive oil consumption poses a serious safety risk. If oil levels drop critically low without warning, the engine could suffer catastrophic failure, stall unexpectedly, or overheat while driving — all of which significantly increase the risk of a crash. Despite this being a warranty-covered vehicle and a known manufacturing defect, Volkswagen and its authorized dealership have refused to repair the issue or acknowledge it as a defect. I am requesting that NHTSA open a formal investigation into this matter and consider a safety recall for all affected 2022–2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The light appears on my dash indicating low oil level frequently between oil changes. I have to add oil to my car every 2-3 weeks. An abundant amount of white smoke comes from the exhaust pipes. I’ve been told it’s burning oil. This could ruin my engine or become catastrophic by fire. I was told it could be something to do with the pistons or cylinder head. Mechanic shops don’t want to/have the ability to work on Volkswagens. The dealership says this is normal. I’m afraid for my children and my safety. This is a major safety issue that needs to be corrected. This is potentially life threatening.

2. 0 liter engines suffer from excessive oil consumption due to defective piston rings which can lead to engine failure. This is a class action lawsuit in other states. We now need a new engine at the cost of $6,500.

The vehicle will randomly shut off while driving. A message will appear stating "check the starting system" attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful. The engine will start, stall after about 2 seconds and the message "check starting system" will display. The first time it happened, I was turning a corner at a rather dangerous intersection and the vehicle stalled. It took about three attempts before the engine would remain running. When the engine would stall the dash would go dark and the engine would not remain running this happened about a month ago in hot weather. It occurred again on April 25th, 2026 way worse this time. The temperature in the area reached 91 degrees fahrenheit. My vehicle was sitting outside in the heat for at least 5 hours, same issue, the vehicle would then proceed to stall in the middle of the freeway, I was able to coast to the breakdown lane where the vehicle would remain unable to start and the message "check starter system" would display. Looking on NHTSA webpage before filing a complaint, it seems that this is a rather common issue. Vw had a recall for other models (campaign 28h7) for models such as the jetta, golf and other like models. This is a really dangerous issue and could end up getting someone seriously injured or worse killed in a collision if my vehicle stalls like this. The vehicle is scheduled for a service appointment in the near future (local vw dealer is at least 2 weeks out before they can even look at my vehicle) after viewing this information, I can't help but believe it is possible the 28h7 recall is affecting more models than anticipated.

On April 19, 2026 at approximately 9:40 pm, I was driving my leased 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan southbound on [xxx] [xxx] . I had three minor passengers with me — my daughters ages [xxx] and [xxx] , and their stepsister age [xxx] . We were returning home to [xxx] from a family trip to walt disney world. Without any warning — no dashboard lights, no sounds, no hesitation — the engine completely lost all power at highway speed. I pressed the gas pedal repeatedly with full force and there was absolutely no response. The car decelerated uncontrollably in active nighttime highway traffic. We were stranded on the highway shoulder for approximately one hour before the car restarted. I drove home on side roads. This is a recurring defect. In December 2025, I brought the vehicle to gunther Volkswagen of [xxx] , where it was documented on official repair order ro#xxx that the vehicle ‘shuts off at low speeds. ’ the dealer replaced the evap canister and n80 purge valve under warranty. The defect was not resolved. In may 2026, an independent professional diagnostic by 4 rings european using an autel maxisys ultra scanner (report xxx) found 30 stored fault codes across 19 vehicle systems, including fault code p253200 (ignition switch run position circuit high) — directly consistent with the sudden engine cutout — plus active cylinder misfires on cylinders 2 and 3, three active evap system fault codes confirming the December 2025 repair failed, and a compromised airbag system (u140000 — function restriction due to low voltage). The vehicle was subsequently taken to gunther Volkswagen of coconut creek again in may 2026, where the dealer diagnosed low voltage faults and replaced the battery under warranty. This is the second warranty repair attempt for recurring defects on this vehicle. I have filed a formal evidence preservation demand with Volkswagen group of America’s general counsel. I have also filed a bbb auto line arbitration information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

When I’m stopped, the car sometimes shuts off. The horn works intermittently. When I start the car, it feels like it’s going to stall. At times, all of the dashboard warning lights come on. Also, when I’m backing out of my driveway with nothing behind me, the car will sometimes automatically brake hard.

Noticed large amount of oil on driveway. Check engine light came on. Took it to the vw dealer. They advised that there is a recurring problem with 2022 Tiguan, where a premature head gasket failure causes engine and coolant leaks. Requires a cylinder head replacement. Since a large number is affected, there is a 8-10 back order of the part. Also, I was told that vw is repairing the defect under service bulletin TSB 15-23-01 or TSB /action 2071245, however they would not honor it in my case since the vehicle has 90000 miles.

Engine has excessive oil consumption. Low oil indicator light will come on and engine oil needs to be topped and added about every 2500 miles sometimes more often depending on driving conditions.

Parking brake violently engaging with every stop.

Check engine light illuminated, code: p2402 #07e8 evap system leak detection pump control circuit high. Checked online and same year, same model have recall for same issue.

Oil consumption issue. The vehicle is experiencing blue / white smoke from tailpipe when starting also lost of oil due to a valve seal issue with engine that requires dealers to remove head and service it.

2022 Volkswagen Tiguan se, ~70,000 miles. The vehicle experienced a cylinder head failure in the ea888 2. 0l tsi engine, causing the check-engine light to illuminate. The cylinder head developed internal cracks, resulting in excessive oil consumption over a period of more than one year prior to the current repair. During multiple service visits to the authorized vw dealership over the past year or more, I reported abnormal oil consumption and expressed concern about a possible engine problem. On each occasion I was told no fault was found. On at least one visit I was discouraged from requesting a deeper diagnostic by being told it would require a significant out-of-pocket fee, despite the vehicle being under the manufacturer's warranty. The vehicle was dropped off for the current repair on [date] after the check-engine light came on. The dealership confirmed the cylinder head failure is covered under Volkswagen's new vehicle limited warranty. However, the required cylinder head part has been on backorder for over 60 days with no confirmed eta. No loaner or rental vehicle has been provided despite the extraordinary duration of the repair. The dealership's own service advisor stated that in the state of texas alone, approximately 7,000 cylinder heads are currently pending replacement across Volkswagen vehicles — indicating this is a widespread, systemic defect actively being managed within the dealer network, not an isolated incident. The dealership has also proposed that I bear 50% of the repair cost, despite the vehicle being under warranty and having a complete and consistent maintenance record. This cost-sharing proposal was framed as a courtesy, which I do not accept. I own a second 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan se with the same engine and model year, which I am also concerned may be affected by the same defect. Public records, owner forums, NHTSA complaint databases, and ongoing class action filings confirm this is a known, widespread issue affecting numerous 2022.

I am filing this complaint because my Volkswagen Tiguan has a serious and ongoing engine issue involving excessive oil consumption and a faulty cylinder head. The vehicle burns through an abnormal amount of oil between changes, requiring constant top?offs, sometimes as frequently as every few hundred miles. Despite regularly adding oil and following all manufacturer?recommended maintenance, the issue continues to worsen. The dealership has confirmed that the cylinder head is defective, which is causing the engine to consume oil at an extremely accelerated rate. However, I have been told the replacement cylinder head is on national backorder, and there is currently no estimated timeframe for when the part will be available. This means I am forced to continue driving a vehicle with a known, documented engine defect that can: lead to engine stalling create loss of power while driving increase the risk of engine seizure potentially cause a safety hazard on the road additionally, being required to constantly add oil just to keep the vehicle operable is not only unsafe but financially unreasonable. The problem remains unresolved despite multiple service visits, documentation, and repeated oil consumption tests. This is a safety issue, not just a maintenance concern, because the engine can fail unexpectedly if the oil drops too quickly. I believe this is a significant defect affecting multiple Volkswagen vehicles and should be investigated by NHTSA. I request that NHTSA open a formal investigation into the excessive oil consumption and cylinder head defects on Volkswagen Tiguans, as owners should not be left with unsafe vehicles due to known manufacturing issues and unavailable critical engine components.

My car has started using oil. I was driving home and the low engine oil light came on. I pulled over and checked the oil, the dipstick showed low but not out. I drove it home and put 3 quarts in. I made an appointment to get it checked. It should not be low on oil. I was not due for an oil change or any maintenance. They kept my car for 3 days and did an oil change. Said to bring back after 1000 miles. This makes no sense to me. Why not do an oil consumption test?!!!? I have had multiple issues with this car. This is just the newest issue. I'm concerned that my regime engine is going to fail. I'm reading about multiple issues with the 2020-current models of this car burning through oil.

Check engine light came on, related to the thermostat and faulty water pump. My car’s make and model was part of a settlement for this issue but vw corporate will not cover costs to repair.

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The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The failure persisted even after the vehicle had received several oil changes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that an oil change was completed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve stem seal had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,061.

My 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan has repeatedly experienced a complete loss of motive power while driving in active traffic. The engine stalls without warning, forcing me to perform a manual reset in the middle of the road. The vehicle also has a severe defect where it independently engages the electronic parking brake or shifts itself into park during low-speed or turning maneuvers. This happens without any driver input and results in the car "slamming" to a violent stop. My safety and my baby’s safety are put at risk every time I start this car. The engine has stalled multiple times while I was in the middle of busy traffic, leaving us a "sitting duck" for a rear-end collision. There is no warning; the power just cuts out, and I’m left stranded trying to restart the car while other drivers swerve around us. When the car slams on the brakes or shifts itself into park while I’m moving, it feels like the car is fighting me for control. I can’t trust the vehicle to stay moving when it’s supposed to or stay in gear when I’m merging. It is a life-threatening defect that makes the car completely undrivable. Yes, the vehicle has been inspected twice by the authorized manufacturer dealership, pacific Volkswagen. They have documented the safety issues on repair orders #[xxx] and #[xxx]. During these inspections, the service department confirmed that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, yet they stated they could not find a diagnostic "code" to provide a permanent fix. No warning lamps or error messages appeared prior to the engine stalling in traffic. The loss of power is sudden and total. The only symptom that appeared was during parking maneuvers, where the dashboard would occasionally display "sensor restricted" followed by the car independently shifting into park or slamming on the brakes. These symptoms first appeared in March 2026, within the first 970 miles of operation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On March 12 warning message came on saying emergency drive system not available and then numerous warning lights came on and the car started to shake violently and went into limp mode. I pulled into a parking lot and called roadside assistance. It was towed to the dealership and has been there since. I was told it showed a misfire on cylinder 4 and has a faulty injector.

The cylinder head has passages that collect carbon build up that build up outside of general maintenance that clog the cylinder head and can eventually lead to combustion failure. This car has been taken to an independent, reputable mechanic in the area, as well as now the dealer. Dealer has confirmed they have at least 4 other vehicles currently with the same issue in just this one location, and parts replacement to remedy the issue (new cylinder heads) are on back order (over 2500 on order in us). This car has been caught early, before this engine failure, as the check engine light first came up and multiple rounds of mechanic checking and trying to fix have lead to this conclusion. Car at this time has not failed in a safety situation, but has the potential to if not remedied, by engine failing while driving. Engine has been inspected by mechanic, and is currently being inspected by manufacturer. Error code was presented once reading the module, and check engine light is visible to prompt servicing the car (code for emissions).

Started having issues immediately after purchase with turbo issues. Which force the car into am rpm limited limp mode. Made 3 trips to dealer with no resolution. The car has very limited power and is unsafe to drive. We have been asking for a loaner for a couple weeks and are finally being granted one. There seems to be no time for a resolution. The vehicle has basically not functioned correctly since buying it.

While driving at road speed, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted itself into neutral (n) without driver input. The engine continued running, but the vehicle lost drive power. Simultaneously, the dashboard displayed multiple warning indicators including: “exhaust system malfunction” warning semi-automated driving assistance warning sos / emergency system warning the driver safely pulled to the roadside and turned the vehicle off. Upon first restart, the vehicle would not shift into drive. After turning the vehicle off again and waiting approximately 30 seconds, it restarted and allowed drive engagement. The “exhaust system malfunction” warning remained illuminated for the remainder of the trip. The vehicle was taken to a Volkswagen dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the condition after a 50-mile drive. Dealer reported only a rear radar fault code and stated no other diagnostic trouble codes were stored. Warning lights had cleared by the time of inspection. This was an unintended transmission disengagement event while in motion. The loss of drive power at speed presents a safety hazard. The vehicle is a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan built mid-2025 and currently has approximately 1000 miles.