2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Tiguan years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 141 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. That ranks 8th out of 18 Tiguan model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (52 complaints, 37%), typically at around 3,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 7 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 141owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 52 | 37% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 34 | 24% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 26 | 18% | 31,070 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 16 | 11% | 5,241 | — | — |
| Structure | 16 | 11% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 7% | 7,310 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% | 20,850 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 2% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 1,953 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 1,953 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Risk: An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The third row seat belt anchor bolts may not have been properly torqued.
Risk: Improperly torqued bolts may prevent the third row seat belt from performing as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. Owners are advised: No one should occupy the third row seat due to the safety risk. The recall began October 7, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen number for this recall is 69BA.
Seats
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Risk: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
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.
While driving my 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan (equipped with approximately 39,000 miles), the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic total engine failure without prior warning, resulting in an immediate loss of power and propulsion while in motion. This sudden stall on an active roadway created a…
Vehicle threw SOS emergency call feature error two years ago. I replaced the module at the dealership. Today, the same SOS emergency call feature again showed up and I am unable to make an emergency call. This is a known and common issue with VW.
I was driving the car it died while driving. The dealership canât figure out whatâs going on. And it will die WHILE driving and then say check starter ignition system. I open the door it says the engine is on but it is not. This vechicle had a physical key and you have the press the breaks to…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while the outside temperature was cool, the vehicle operated normally. However, when the heat index was high, the message that the starter was hot was displayed. Shortly afterwards, the instrument cluster went black, and the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, upon entering the vehicle, the contact became aware that the dome light had detached and fallen. The contact stated that the electrical wiring was hanging down. The dealer was made aware of the failure…
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 | 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 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 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners most often report unknown or other, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 52 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 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 2020 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.