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Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2015 Volkswagen Tiguan

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 62 safety complaints about the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 4 people were injured and no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 28 complaints, 45% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 49,262 miles, the median across the 34 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2015 to August 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

62 complaints on file

62

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

4

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
AIR BAGS 28 · 45%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 23 · 37%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15 · 24%
ENGINE 9 · 15%
STEERING 9 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES 6 · 10%
STRUCTURE 4 · 6%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 3%
VISIBILITY 2 · 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 · 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 2%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 2%
0 12 23

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 62.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2022 at 13.

16 12 8 4
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2015 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2015 Volkswagen TIGUAN, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.4% 18.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

4 on file

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

19V535000 · July 17, 2019

The defect
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.
The risk
Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 27,822 vehicles across all model years covered

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

18V329000 · May 16, 2018

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
The risk
If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 252 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

16V045000 · January 28, 2016

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles manufactured January 15, 2015, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 Audi Q5 vehicles manufactured January 13, 2015, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with driver and front seat passenger seat-mounted air bag inflators that may rupture in the event of a crash.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of a seat-mounted air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 7, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69M1 (for Audi) and 69L9 (for VW).

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 734 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

15V311000 · May 26, 2015

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Tiguan vehicles manufactured January 22, 2015, to March 20, 2015. These vehicles may be equipped with Certification labels that are missing the required tire pressure information and they may state incorrect weight and loading information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
The risk
If the labels have incorrect weight and loading information, the operator may overload the vehicle which could cause vehicle instability, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will correct the information on the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on June 12, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01A5.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 2,957 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed · 36,000 miles

MY CAR ACCIDENTALLY REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MY MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR CAR IS SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING; HOWEVER, MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. DURING THE COLLISION, MY BODY HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND/OR SEAT BELT (WHICH LOCKED) AND I FRACTURED MY STERNUM IN THE ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING 20-25 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON A CITY STREET JUST BEFORE THE COLLISION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT SPEED THE CAR WAS GOING AT IMPACT, AS I HAD ENGAGED THE BRAKES. IT SEEMS LIKE THE DRIVER FRONT AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE CAR HOOD, FRONT BUMPER, AND DRIVER SIDE FENDER WERE ALL DAMAGED; THERE ALSO IS MECHANICAL DAMAGE THAT IS STILL BEING ASSESSED.

NHTSA complaint 11278883. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS

1 injured · 52,000 miles

THE PASSENGER SEAT BURNT MY BUTT FROM THE SEAT HEATER IT TOOK MY SKIN OFF MY BUTTOCKS AND VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint 11175111. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 105,000 miles

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A PUBLIC AREA AND CAUGHT FIRE AFTER I GOT OUT OF IT ON A CITY STREET

NHTSA complaint 11271290. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Epc light is on

NHTSA complaint 11684071. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
We are experiencing a recurring safety issue with our 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan. Upon startup, the power steering warning light consistently illuminates and remains on for 5 to 30 minutes. During this time, the vehicle has no functional power steering, making it extremely difficult and unsafe to drive—particularly in residential areas or parking lots where maneuverability is essential. Once the light goes out, steering returns to normal. This occurs regardless of outside temperature or driving conditions and is now happening daily. This presents a serious safety concern, especially if immediate vehicle use is required or if it occurs in traffic.

NHTSA complaint 11659481. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Car was recently repaired from a deer related accident. Within a week of getting car back I heard an unwinding like sound from steering wheel area while making a left hand turn into parking lot. My airbag light came on and all steering wheel functions like buttons and horn ceased to operate. I did see that this year Tiguan did have an airbag recall.

NHTSA complaint 11627405. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Premature timing chain failure (at 70,000 miles). Regularly maintenanced. Confirmed by mechanic. Check engine light notified 2 months prior to failure.

NHTSA complaint 11617789. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Our 2015 Tiguan has consistently had issues with the clock spring. We are now needing a third clock spring only 6 months from the last warranty repair. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. This issue is serious due to the airbag being non operational until we get this fixed. Additionally, the horn ceases to work as well, which although its not as serious as our airbag not working, its still nice to have it as a safety tool to indicate your presence to other drivers on the road. I'm not sure if the component has been inspected by the manufacturer or anyone else. We have had a warranty repair on it through the dealership so they verified this was an issue that needed replacing. Until

NHTSA complaint 11587904, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car stalled while driving on the highway. No warning codes and mechanics cannot find a reason. This has happened twice before in past year with warning codes but all have been addressed yet it has stalled again with no code now. This has been costly, very dangerous and cannot feel safe driving.

NHTSA complaint 11573834. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volkswagen Tiguan

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 30 0 —
2025 49 3 —
2024 71 2 —
2023 68 1 —
2022 269 5 —
2021 141 5 —
2020 140 3 —
2019 192 5 —
2018 284 14 —
2017 75 4 1
2016 96 2 —
2014 84 3 —
2013 139 3 —
2012 153 3 —
2011 161 3 —
2010 110 2 —

Other 2015 Volkswagen models

Every Volkswagen on this site — 155 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst