2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tiguan years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. That ranks 4th out of 18 Tiguan model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (80 complaints, 48%), typically at around 88,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 168owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 80 | 48% | 88,000 | “timing chain” (39%) | $7,950 |
| Electrical System | 40 | 24% | 53,300 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 12% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 9% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 9% | 49,570 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 11 | 7% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 6% | 108,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 6% | 30,050 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 6% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% | 19,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 3% | 65,357 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 3% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 2% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 2% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2% | 65,357 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 62,712 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 20,616 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 10,474 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 63,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.
Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers; exterior lighting
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's exterior lights circuit may melt.
Risk: If the holder melts, there may be a partial loss of exterior lighting. Reduced vehicle illumination diminishes the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall number is 97Z9/2V.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling 4,079 my 2008 passat and 2,500 my 2009 tiguan passenger vehicles equipped with 2.0t fsi ulev ii engines. These vehicles have an engine control module (ecm) containing software that may not properly control engine idle with the air conditioning turned on. In rare cases, the ecm may unexpectedly increase engine rpm.
Risk: An engine surge caused by an unexpected increase in engine rpm may surprise the vehicle operator and can result in a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and update the ecm software free of charge. The recall began on may 30, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Partial Loss of Exterior Lights (PE13036) — opened Nov 4, 2013, closed Feb 28, 2014, led to recall 13V569000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Steering column keeps locking up. Iâve replaced a fuse and it fixed it initially but problem returned. Upon my research apparently this is a common problem in these vehicles.
The car keeps throwing sensors (camshaft, crank sensors, throttle body etc) and the ECM needs to be updated. It keeps turning over. I checked the recall list of VINs and mine is within the range, however there aren't any recalls listed.
Intermittent AC working issues, air conditioning does not cool or the cooling is weak
Power steering goes out randomly after cold weather, even while driving. There is no warning before the power steering goes out. I have almost crashed into another car several times because of this. Many people have had this exact problem with this make and model.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond and seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it…
Other Volkswagen Tiguan years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tiguan | 35 | 0 |
| 2025 Tiguan | 52 | 3 |
| 2024 Tiguan | 74 | 2 |
| 2023 Tiguan | 69 | 1 |
| 2022 Tiguan | 272 | 5 |
| 2021 Tiguan | 143 | 5 |
| 2020 Tiguan | 141 | 3 |
| 2019 Tiguan | 193 | 5 |
| 2018 Tiguan | 286 | 14 |
| 2017 Tiguan | 76 | 4 |
| 2016 Tiguan | 96 | 2 |
| 2015 Tiguan | 62 | 4 |
| 2014 Tiguan | 84 | 3 |
| 2013 Tiguan | 139 | 3 |
| 2012 Tiguan | 153 | 3 |
| 2011 Tiguan | 162 | 3 |
| 2010 Tiguan | 110 | 2 |
| 2009 | 168 | 3 |
See all Volkswagen Tiguan problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 80 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Tiguan model years, the 2009 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.