Your vehicle report
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 97
- Received May 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Horn fails with airbag warning light13 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Glass shatters or cracks without impact9 complaints · 9.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Water leaks into cabin during rain5 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #19V535000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
- Recall #16V464000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Power steering cuts out while drivingFirst signal: Oct 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 4 crashes, 2 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 3 |
| Total | 97 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 13 | 13% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 9 | 9.3% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 4 | 4.1% | – | NHTSA recall #19V535000 |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 4 | 4.1% | 15.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.6% |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 3 | 3.1% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 3.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #19V535000July 17, 201927,822 vehicles affected
air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
NHTSA recall #16V464000June 24, 20165,658 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN