2016 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tiguan years
- Fewer complaints than other years 11th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. That ranks 11th out of 18 Tiguan model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (37 complaints, 39%), typically at around 58,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 96owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 37 | 39% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 27 | 28% | 46,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 23 | 24% | 30,005 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 13% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 10 | 10% | 80,800 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 6% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 4% | 44,850 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 48,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 6,290 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 83,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 34,100 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 6,290 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
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.
Latches/locks/linkages
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
Risk: If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.
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
- Air Bag Clockspring Failure (EA18003) — opened Apr 18, 2018, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
* Purchase Date: January 23, 2016 * Current Mileage: Approximately 71,500 miles For the past several months, my vehicle has experienced continuous engine oil loss. The oil level drops approximately one gallon every two months, and the engine oil warning light has illuminated on multiple occasions…
UNKNOWN INCIDENT. I had a 2016 VW Tiguan with just over 80k miles (approximately 80,200 mi). On 1/6/2026 about 10 min after driving home from the gym, I heard a small explosion from the garage where my car was parked. The garage was filled with smoke and large flames were visible from under the…
The contact's friend owns a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test showed that the…
Iâll be driving for 2-10 minutes and power steering cuts out. Wheel will jerk a little and alarm will sound with the alert light remaining red through remainder of drive. Sometimes it will not work at all while driving, but Iâve found the it usually works for the first few minutes until I speed…
My car has never been in an accident. One day while turning into my driveway, I heard a large clicking sound. Since then, my airbag malfunction light is on and my car horn does not sound/work. All steering wheel controls are broken. This has been an issue for about 6 months. I've been waiting on a…
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 | 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 Tiguan | 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 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 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 2016 has 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.