2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Problems
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (26% of reports).
- 50engine complaints
- 50,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 28%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 13 of 50 complaints (26%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 43 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 50 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Volkswagen Tiguan engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tiguan | 14 | 41% | 2,809 |
| 2025 Tiguan | 10 | 19% | 7,500 |
| 2024 Tiguan | 18 | 24% | — |
| 2023 Tiguan | 24 | 35% | 66,000 |
| 2022 Tiguan | 112 | 41% | 47,000 |
| 2021 Tiguan | 54 | 38% | 50,000 |
| 2020 Tiguan | 26 | 18% | 31,070 |
| 2019 Tiguan | 41 | 21% | 1,200 |
| 2018 Tiguan | 82 | 29% | 8,198 |
| 2017 Tiguan | 15 | 20% | 33,500 |
| 2016 Tiguan | 10 | 10% | 80,800 |
| 2015 Tiguan | 9 | 15% | 63,000 |
| 2014 Tiguan | 11 | 13% | 11,000 |
| 2013 Tiguan | 29 | 21% | 32,550 |
| 2012 Tiguan | 50 | 33% | 50,000 |
| 2011 Tiguan | 63 | 39% | 76,159 |
| 2010 Tiguan | 50 | 45% | 86,000 |
| 2009 Tiguan | 80 | 48% | 88,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. Additionally, while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart. The check engine, EPC…
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Defective Primary Engine Water Pump, yes. The original primary engine water pump system for a 2012 VW Tiguan 2.0 was replaced under the VW extended warranty in 2020 by an authorized dealer as a the…
The engine could not be started after 13 years and 103,000+ miles. I had to get the car towed to my garage at night, after several prior trips same day. There were no check engine lights or any other indicators. The engine had newer spark plugs, ignition coils and pcv valve installed as well as…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Volkswagen Tiguans have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan (33% of the 153 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 50,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 13 of 50 complaints.
See all 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan problems or engine problems across all Tiguan years.