Your vehicle report
2020 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
- 141
- Received Jun 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact16 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes9 complaints · 6.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving7 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V226000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
- Recall #20V579000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The third row seat belt anchor bolts may not have been properly torqued.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Jul 2022
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 5 crashes, 0 fires, 7 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 11 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine burns excessive oil between changes
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2024 | 36 |
| 2025 | 16 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 27 |
| Total | 141 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 16 | 11% | 3.1× | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 9 | 6.4% | 4.4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.9% |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 5.0% | 2.9× | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 7 | 5.0% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 5 | 3.5% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 5 | 3.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 2.1% | – | NHTSA recall #20V579000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 3 | 2.1% | – |
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 #22V226000April 6, 20226,553 vehicles affected
structure: body
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
NHTSA recall #20V579000September 23, 20206 vehicles affected
seat belts; seat belts: rear/other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The third row seat belt anchor bolts may not have been properly torqued.
Improperly torqued bolts may prevent the third row seat belt from performing as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. Owners are advised: No one should occupy the third row seat due to the safety risk. The recall began October 7, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen number for this recall is 69BA.
NHTSA recall #20V505000August 26, 20205,376 vehicles affected
seats
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
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 2020 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