2013 Volkswagen TIGUAN: complaints, problems and recalls

THERE ARE 2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS. FIRST INCIDENT APPROX. NOV. 26. PROCEEDING UP A STEEP HILL WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED. PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL DID NOT RESULT IN INCREASED SPEED. NEEDED TO SHIFT TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. SECOND INCIDENT ON DEC. 27. PROCEEDING DOWN A STEEP HILL AT APPROX. 45 MPH. POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 45MPH. PAVEMENT IS DRY, VISIBILITY IS MILES. SKY IS OVERCAST. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HILL THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT INTO DECELERATION FROM 45 TO ~ 30MPH. PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL DID NO…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491854 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE BECAME STIFF AFTER PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL APPROX 1/3 OF THE WAY AND THE CAR DID NOT COME TO A FULL STOP. AT THIS POINT ONLY PRESSING DOWN WITH FULL STRENGTH FORCES THE PEDAL DOWN FURTHER AND STOPS THE CAR. THE USUAL OPERATION IS A SMOOTH BRAKE PEDAL WHICH CAN BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM INTERVALS, SOMETIMES ONE OR TWO TIMES A DAY, WITH OTHER TIMES GOING A FEW DAYS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS CANNOT FIND A FAULT WITH THEIR USUAL METHOD OF TESTING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503614 at NHTSA ↗

WE RENTED THE VEHICLE FROM HERTZ AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WHEN WE PARKED THE CAR TO GO TO A RESTAURANT, WE COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THUS COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. WE PHONED HERTZ AND WERE TOLD WE COULD EXCHANGE THE CAR FOR A DIFFERENT CAR AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT, WE KEPT SEEING SPORADIC WARNING SIGNALS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT VARIOUS DOORS WERE OPEN. THEY WERE NOT OPEN. THE ATTENDANTS AT HERTZ HAD TROUBLE UNLOCKING THE DOORS AS WELL. FORTUNATELY, WE CONTACTED OUR DAUGHTER BY CELL PHONE WHO DID SOME RES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10505891 at NHTSA ↗

I AM A STATE TROOPER WHO INVESTIGATED A CRASH. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED THE CRASH WAS A 2013 VW TIGUAN. THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED PARKING BRAKE. THE SWITCH, VERY SIMILAR TO A POWER WINDOW SWITCH, IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS ADJACENT TO THE CUP HOLDER. THE DRIVER, REACHING FOR THE CUP ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE PARKING BRAKE SWITCH ACTIVATING IT. THE CAR CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP IN A TRAFFIC LANE OF AN INTERSTATE AND THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING STRUCK IT IN THE REAR CAUSING EXT…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538012 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO ENGAGE. ALSO, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN IN PARK. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 28,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10541890 at NHTSA ↗

MY FIRST ISSUE WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 1 MONTH INTO MY 3+ YEAR LEASE WITH UNDER 1,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE TO DRIVE, AS THEY COULDN'T FIT ME IN FOR SERVICE WITH A LOANER FOR 2 WKS!! THE LIGHT EVENTUALLY WENT OFF IN 2 DAYS WITHOUT AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AT 5K MILES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOME. I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, ACCELERATED SLIGHTLY AND THE CAR DIED. THE CAR HAD A CHECK ENGINE (YELLOW LIGHT ON) AND A RED LIGHT. I HAD LITTLE TO NO CONTRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,838 miles reported. Look up ODI 10549968 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THAT VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566926 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE CUT OUT, AND ENGINE DIED. SOMETIMES THE EPC LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, OTHER TIMES IT IS SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER AND THEN ENGINE CUT OFF. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. OFTEN DURING ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567996 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-07-21 (July 21, 2014)

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.

Consequence: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2015-08-04 (August 4, 2015)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.

Consequence: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2018-05-16 (May 16, 2018)

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.

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

Remedy: 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.