Volkswagen
Volkswagen Tiguan years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2018 and 2022. Best years: 2016 and 2017.
The 2018 and 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 284 complaints (32 for each year on the road) and 2022 has 269 complaints (54 for each year on the road), against a median of 20 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2022 is stalling (41 reports).
- 1,056complaints
- 24recall campaigns
- 6model years with a page
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2018
Most reported: stalling (36 reports, median 5,000 miles) and transmission shudder (23 reports, median 8,000 miles).
2022
Most reported: stalling (41 reports, median 45,000 miles) and oil consumption (41 reports, median 30,000 miles).
Best years
2016
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
2017
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2018 has the most complaints of any Volkswagen Tiguan year here: 284 of 1,056 (27%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Stalling leads in 3 of the 6 model years and has the most reports overall, 126. Pooled across the years, half of the 42 owners who gave a mileage for stalling were under about 10,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 4% of Volkswagen Tiguan complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2019, 10 of its 192 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 1 of the 5 model years where owners report stalling have a recall on the same system: 2018. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2023 at 154 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 147. So far in 2026, 220 more have come in.
Photo: Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Second generation (Long Wheelbase / Allspace, AD/BW)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 avoid | 284 | 32 | 14 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (36) | 8,245 |
| 2019 | 192 | 24 | 5 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (28) | 9,000 |
| 2020 | 140 | 20 | 3 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (16) | 17,000 |
| 2021 | 141 | 24 | 5 | Burns oil or oil level rises (24) | 46,000 |
| 2022 avoid | 269 | 54 | 5 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (41) | 25,000 |
Photo: Elise240SX, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Third generation, North America (CT1, Tayron, based)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 | new | 0 | Multiple warning lights come on at once (7) |
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (80), 2015 (62), 2016 (96), 2017 (75), 2023 (67), 2024 (68), 2025 (49).
Year by year
2026 Volkswagen Tiguan
30 owner complaints so far; too new to call. No recalls.
2022 Volkswagen Tiguan avoid
269 owner complaints, 54 for each year on the road (2.7 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (41 reports, median 45,000 miles), oil consumption (41 reports, median 30,000 miles) and infotainment (39 reports, median 45,000 miles). 3 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 25V-082 on the backup camera and 22V-514 on the backup camera.
2021 Volkswagen Tiguan
141 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: oil consumption (24 reports, median 46,000 miles), misfire (15 reports) and engine failure (13 reports, median 50,000 miles). 2 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 22V-514 on the backup camera and 22V-226 on the structure.
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan
140 owner complaints, 20 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (16 reports), stalling (11 reports) and brake wear (11 reports). 5 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 22V-226 on the structure and 20V-579 on the seat belts.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
192 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (28 reports), infotainment (25 reports) and brake wear (24 reports, median 5,400 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 18V-824 on the electrical system and 22V-815 on the tires.
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan avoid
284 owner complaints, 32 for each year on the road (1.6 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (36 reports, median 5,000 miles), transmission shudder (23 reports, median 8,000 miles) and brake wear (20 reports, median 10,000 miles). 5 reports involved a crash and 11 people were hurt. 14 recalls, including 18V-324 on the suspension system (do not drive) and 18V-824 on the electrical system.
Recalls that cover several model years
Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. The left or right rear suspension knuckles may corrode, crack, and break.
The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display.
The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open.
Compare the Tiguan with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Tiguan vs Toyota RAV42018 to 2022
- Tiguan vs Honda CR-V2018 to 2026
- Tiguan vs Mazda CX-52018 to 2026
Questions
What Volkswagen Tiguan years should you avoid?
The 2018 and 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 284 complaints (32 for each year on the road) and 2022 has 269 complaints (54 for each year on the road), against a median of 20 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2022 is stalling (41 reports).
What are the best years for the Volkswagen Tiguan?
The 2016 and 2017 draw the fewest complaints for their age: 2016 has 96 (9 a year) and 2017 has 75 (8 a year). Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Stalling, with 126 reports across the 6 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2018, 2019 and 2022.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Tiguan have?
24 recall campaigns cover the Volkswagen Tiguan model years 2018 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 22V-226 on the structure, covers 5 model years.
How many Volkswagen Tiguan complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
4% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2019 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for stalling on the Volkswagen Tiguan?
On 1 of the 5 model years where owners report it: 2018.