2015 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 30, 2025 · 62 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Tiguan years
Far fewer complaints than other years 16th of 18 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
4 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan. That ranks 16th out of 18 Tiguan model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (28 complaints, 45%), typically at around 65,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Volkswagen Tiguan
Volkswagen Tiguan III in Stuttgart. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags28 · ~65,500 mi
Electrical System23 · ~63,500 mi
Unknown or Other15 · ~44,262 mi
Engine9 · ~63,000 mi
Steering9 · ~64,500 mi
Service Brakes6 · ~15,250 mi
Structure4 · ~8,500 mi
Power Train2 · ~36,000 mi
Visibility2 · ~19,500 mi
Visibility/wiper2 · ~100 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags2845%65,500——
Electrical System2337%63,500——
Unknown or Other1524%44,262——
Engine915%63,000——
Steering915%64,500——
Service Brakes610%15,250——
Structure46%8,500——
Power Train23%36,000——
Visibility23%19,500——
Visibility/wiper23%100——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)12%44,500——
Fuel/propulsion System12%47,000——
Seat Belts12%75,000——
Seats12%52,000——
Suspension12%8,500——
Wheels12%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2022, with 13 complaints
2015: 3201532016: 3201632017: 5201752018: 7201872019: 102019102020: 4202042021: 7202172022: 132022132023: 4202342024: 4202442025: 220252

n = 62 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2015 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags: air bag/restraint control moduleJul 17, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V535000 · 27,822 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Unknown or otherMay 16, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V329000 · 252 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Fix: 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.

Air bags:side/windowJan 28, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V045000 · 734 vehicles

Problem: 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.

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.

Fix: 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).

Equipment:other:labelsMay 26, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V311000 · 2,957 vehicles

Problem: 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."

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.

Fix: 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.

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.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Epc light is on

Electrical System · received Aug 30, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11684071

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…

Steering · received May 7, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11659481

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…

Air Bags · received Nov 26, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11627405

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

Engine · received Oct 2, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11617789

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…

Air Bags · received May 9, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11587904

Other Volkswagen Tiguan years

← 2014 Tiguan · 2016 Tiguan →

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 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 28 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2015 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 2015 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.