U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Volkswagen TIGUAN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

160 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

60,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 139 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 62 of 160 complaints (38.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	25	15.6%
Steering behavior	22	13.8%
Electrical and battery issues	13	8.1%
Engine operation	12	7.5%
Fuel system concerns	9	5.6%
Transmission and shifting	3	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Electrical System

Exterior Lighting

Air Bags

Steering

Unknown Or Other

Fuel/Propulsion System

Power Train

Engine: 62; Electrical System: 45; Exterior Lighting: 39; Air Bags: 29; Steering: 14; Unknown Or Other: 11; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Power Train: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 41; 50,000 to 74,999: 42; 75,000 to 99,999: 31; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 2

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (42). 21 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2024

2026

2011: 1; 2012: 4; 2013: 35; 2014: 14; 2015: 13; 2016: 19; 2017: 23; 2018: 23; 2019: 11; 2020: 9; 2021: 2; 2022: 3; 2024: 2; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10424855 · 2011-09-12 (September 12, 2011)

2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. CONSUMER STATES MALFUNCTION OF ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH. MOMENTS BEFORE, COFFEE FROM AN OVER-FILLED CUP HAD SPILLED INTO THE RECESSED AREA WHERE THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE SWITCH WAS LOCATED. WHEN THE CONSUMER REACHED FOR SOME NAPKINS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A SCREAMING HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CONSUMER THEN PULLED THE PARKING BRAKE SWITCH; AFTER A NUMBER OF PULLS, IT FINALLY RELEA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10424855 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10482584 · 2012-10-29 (October 29, 2012)

SPORADIC, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKES FAIL TO CATCH, PETAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR DOES NOT INITIATE ANY BRAKING. ONCE BRAKES ARE COMPLETELY RELEASED AND PUSHED AGAIN BRAKES FINALLY CATCH. THIS ISSUE OCCURS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, SOMETIMES RIGHT AFTER CAR IS STARTED, OTHER TIMES AFTER IT HAS BEEN RUNNING A WHILE. HAS OCCURRED 5-7 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. VW TECHNICIANS CANNOT REPRODUCE, SO WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX. LUCKY THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH STOPPING DISTANCE IN THE PREVIOUS INSTANCES TO PUS THE BRAKES TWICE, BUT THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482584 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10447167 · 2012-02-08 (February 8, 2012)

THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED SETTING, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, WILL INCREASE WHEN THE DECREASE SPEED BUTTON IS PRESSED. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WHEN REDUCING THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED USING THE TOGGLE SWITCH AT THE END OF TURN SIGNAL STEM ON THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN, THE CRUISE SPEED WILL INCREASE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED IF THERE IS ANY HESITATION IN RESETTING THE SPEED. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE SPEED IS SET AT 55 AND THE TOGGLE SWITCH IS PRESSED 5 TIMES TO SLOW THE CAR AND RESET THE SPEED TO 50, IF THERE IS A HESITATION OF A SECOND OR TWO AND THEN…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10483563 · 2012-11-07 (November 7, 2012)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHIN THE LIMITED SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SUDDENLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THE CAR MOVED LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT. I HIT THE BRAKE AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY HIT THE GUARDRAIL AFTER TURNING 180 DEGREE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WAS ON BUT DISAPPEARED AFTERWARDS. THIS WAS A REALLY SCARING EXPERIENCE. I COULD BE KILLED. AFTER COMPLAINING THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM TO VOLKSWAGEN, SINCE THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT (ORANGE) DISAPPEARED, THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE SAID IT WAS ME WHOM CAUSED T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10483563 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10490408 · 2012-12-28 (December 28, 2012)

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: CHECK FRONT RIGHT LOW BEAM, CHECK FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT SIDE LIGHT, CHECK LEFT FRONT SIDE LIGHT, NUMBER PLATE CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHTING, CHECK THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK REAR LEFT BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, AND CHECK REAR RIGHT SIDE LIGHT. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO EXAMINE THE CAR. ONLY ONE HEAD-LIGHT AND ONE TAIL-LIGHT WAS WORKING. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WERE OUT. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BA…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,920 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490408 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10501271 · 2013-03-04 (March 4, 2013)

ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. TURNING ON HEADLAMPS AND TURNING ON BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULD OFTEN FIX THE PROBLEM - HEADLIGHTS, BLINKERS AND FOG LAMPS WOULD WORK AGAIN. WHEN THIS WOULD NOT WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT TURNING THE CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. DEALERSHIP INITIALLY REPLACED A CONTROL MODULE IN JANUARY OF 2013. PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE. WHEN THE PROBLEM CAME BACK TODAY, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY HAD NOW HAD MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM AND SUSPECTED A MELTED FUSE BLOCK …

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10501271 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10552906 · 2013-11-19 (November 19, 2013)

I BOUGHT A NEW 2011 TIGUAN SE AND IT STALLS OUT AT AROUND 5 MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGERS IN PARKING LOTS ( ROLLED INTO LIGHT POST). VW SERVICE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO A BAD FUEL INJECTOR WHICH THEY REPLACED , WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER THEY SAID IT WAS A MELTED FUSE BOX ON TOP OF MY LIGHTS GOING OUT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552906 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10556781 · 2013-12-20 (December 20, 2013)

WHEN TRYING TO LEAVE A PARKING SPOT, CAR STALLED. WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND RESTART CAR. TOOK TO DEALER AND A FUEL SENDING RELAY WAS REPLACED. HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP 6 MONTHS PRIOR FOR THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE REPORTED MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS MODEL. DEALER SAID THEY REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN. CAR RETURNED TO SHOP AND THIS TIME THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN. THANKFULLY THIS DID NOT OCCUR ON HIGHWAY AS OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED, BUT NOW DON'T HAVE FAITH IN THIS VEHICLE. VW WOULD NOT HELP REPAIR CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556781 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10542745 · 2013-09-09 (September 9, 2013)

TRAVELING NORTH/WEST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 94 IN MAPLE GROVE, MN. CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER, STARTED STUTTERING, AND THEN SHUT OFF. WAITED 2 HOURS FOR A TOW ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WITH A 3 YEAR OLD IN 90 DEGREE HEAT. *TR WAS TOWED TO LUTHER WEST SIDE VW DEALER AND THEY FOUND A FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THERE HAS BEEN ONGOING ISSUES WITH THESE PUMPS IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS 2009 AND 2010. THOSE YEARS WERE INVESTIGATED BY THE NTSB PREVIOUSLY AND THE VW WARRANTY FOR THE PART WAS EXTENDED AS A RESULT. BUT AS OF NOW VW IS REFUSING T…

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10542745 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10794481 · 2015-11-17 (November 17, 2015)

WHEN I AM AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY TRANSMISSION TENDS TO BUMP LIKE IT IS GOING INTO ANOTHER GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN MY VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE.

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10794481 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11000433 · 2017-06-21 (June 21, 2017)

CARBON BUILDUP IN ENGINE AT 65K MILES, VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED AS RECOMMENDED BY VW. PCV VALVE COMPLETE FAILURE AT 88K MILES WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE REAR MAIN SEAL WHICH REQUIRES REMOVAL OF TRANSMISSION (ROUGHLY $2,000 OF REPAIRS). THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY DEALERS AND SERVICE CENTERS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OR IMPROPER APPLICATION OF SEALANT.

Owner-reported narrative. 88,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11000433 at NHTSA ↗