2019 Volkswagen TIGUAN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
189 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
2,891 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2019 model year. Data snapshot: . 63 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 55 of 189 complaints (29.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 45 | 23.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 30 | 15.9% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 7.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 4.8% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 55 |
| Engine | 39 |
| Unknown Or Other | 38 |
| Service Brakes | 24 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 18 |
| Power Train | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 |
Electrical System: 55; Engine: 39; Unknown Or Other: 38; Service Brakes: 24; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 18; Power Train: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Exterior Lighting: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 53 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 53; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (53). 126 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 30 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 29 |
| 2024 | 26 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 | 25 |
2018: 2; 2019: 30; 2020: 22; 2021: 16; 2022: 17; 2023: 29; 2024: 26; 2025: 22; 2026: 25
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 14 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 11229296 · 2019-07-03 (July 3, 2019)
PURCHASED CAR JUNE 30, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON WAY HOME FROM DEALER. NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFF, BRAKE POWER BOOST FAILURE FLICKER ON SCREEN, AUTO START/STOP NOT FUNCTIONING, RESTART CAR ALL GONE. NEXT TRIP TIRE PRESSURE WARNING, UNABLE TO RESET. HAD TO GO TO AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS HEADING TO DEALER ON THE WAY HOME, CAR WENT BLACK, LOST ACCELERATION, NO RESPONSE FROM THROTTLE WHILE DRIVING 75MPH ON BUSY FREEWAY. HAD TO COAST ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO BE SAFE. RESTART CAR, DROVE TO DEALER. TOTAL AMOUNT OF M…
Owner-reported narrative. 135 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229296 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11229998 · 2019-07-08 (July 8, 2019)
MY WIFE WASDRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET NO CARS IN FRONT OR BEHIND. THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKES ACTIVATED AND BROUGHT CAR TO FULL STOP FOR NO REASON.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229998 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11329287 · 2020-06-17 (June 17, 2020)
I WAS BEGINNING TO MERGE SOUTH ON I75 BUT PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER BEFORE MY SPEED REACHED APPROX 50 MPH AND I WAS LESS THAN .2 MILES ON THE RAMP. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER WHEN I COULD SMELL AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE VENTS ON THE DASH. UPON EXITING THE CAR I SAW FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. WHILE I WAS GETTING MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR, A FEW MEN HAD STOPPED TO HELP WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FIRE CHIEF THOUGHT THAT THE CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SOME SOFT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11329287 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11389191 · 2021-01-21 (January 21, 2021)
SUNROOF LEAKED WHILE CLOSED FILLING THE CAR WITH GALLONS OF WATER, CREATING WATER DAMAGE AND RISK OF ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY. THERE IS AN EXISTING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE OWNERS WERE NOT MADE AWARE, AND THE SOONEST DEALERSHIP APPOINTMENT TO REMEDY THE ISSUE WAS 1 WEEK FROM THE CALL, WITH NO SENSE OF URGENCY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A VEHICLE UNDER MFG WARRANTY, WHICH IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE MEAN TIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389191 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11208380 · 2019-05-18 (May 18, 2019)
MY BRAND NEW 2019 VW TIGUAN FWD NEXT DAY AFTER BUYING SHOWED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS THAT RELATED TO TRANSMISSION AND BREAKING AND A UNKNOWN SOURCE OF RATTLING SOUND. I NOTICED WHEN I COLD START THE TIGUAN AND LET IT IDLE FOR 3-4 MINUTES THE NORMAL ENGINE SOUND SLOWLY GOES DOWN BUT A LOUDER AND MORE NOTICEABLE RATTLING SOUND COMES UP. IT IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING ALSO. IT'S CONCERNING BUT WHAT IS MORE CONCERNING IS THE THAT THE TIGUAN HESITATES WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. I NOTICED IT HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NOT ONLY IT HESITATES TO AC…
Owner-reported narrative. 26 miles reported. Look up ODI 11208380 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246675 · 2019-08-27 (August 27, 2019)
NEW CAR, 2 MONTHS OLD, 3,000 MILES. ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 4X. FIRST ISTANCE, TURNING LEFT ONTO A MAJOR 3 LANE ROAD, CAR SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND THEN CHUGS TO CATCH SPEED LEAVING YOU POWERLESS WITH THE FOOT PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR. SECOND INSTANCE, EXITING A SHOPPING CENTER, LIGHT TURNED GREEN, STEPPED ON GAS PEDDLE AND CAR BOGGED AND SPUTTERED AS IF OUT OF GAS AND STALLED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. ONCE I GOT IT STARTED AGAIN IT MOVED FORWARD. AT NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT IT SPUTTERED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT GO EVEN AFTER PUMPING GAS PEDDLE. CREEPS TO A ROLLING…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11232134 · 2019-07-15 (July 15, 2019)
VEHICLE FREQUENTLY SHAKES/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UNDER LIGHT/NORMAL ACCELERATION IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD AND EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING SITUATION. I PURCHASED IT A FEW WEEKS AGO AND HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1300 MILES ON IT - THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY. UNDER LOAD, SHORTLY AFTER THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AND AS THE VEHICLE REACHES APPROXIMATELY 9-11 MPH AT 2000RPM, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AS IF THE ENGINE IS BEING LUGGED OR IS MISFIRING. THIS REALLY ONLY OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS HAD SUFFICIENT TIME T…
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11232134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11389854 · 2021-01-25 (January 25, 2021)
KESSI KEY FOB LOSES POWER/CONNECTIVITY IN COLD WEATHER. OCCURRED TWICE IN 20-25 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. UNABLE TO UNLOCK WITH REMOTE KEY. REQUIRES POPPING OFF LOCK CYLINDER COVER, USING KEY BLADE TO OPEN DOOR, SETS OFF ALARM, MUST HOLD KEY CLOSE TO A DESIGNATED AREA ON STEERING COLUMN TO START..IF THERE IS ENOUGH POWER/TRANSMISSION LEFT IN KEY FOB. COULD BE LEFT STRANDED & HAVE TO BE TOWED. KESSI KEY FOB NO LONGER OPERABLE. MUST GO TO DEALER TO GET NEW BATTERY. STORE BOUGHT BATTERIES DO NOT WORK IN MOST CASES. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE VW'S WITH KESSI …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11389854 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11429634 · 2021-08-18 (August 18, 2021)
I was involved in a collision where I hit another vehicle with the front passenger side. The air bags did not deploy on mine, and the seat belt did not lock into place causing me to hit the steering wheel. The police verified this upon inspection immediately after the accident happened. I have spoken with Volkswagen many times about the transmission lagging and requiring excessive acceleration. Because of the lag I have almost been hit many times, as well as almost hit others due to the increase in speed after the lag.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11429634 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11530340 · 2023-07-04 (July 4, 2023)
When I turned the car on to leave work, the Check Engine and EPC lights came on, the car went into "Limp Home" mode and a warning came on the dash saying "Max Speed 4000 RPMs". Immediately, I could smell fuel, so I turned the vehicle off and exited. I noticed the ground under the car was wet. My husband came to check it out and the same thing happened. We saw that fuel was flooding out from underneath the engine. As he drove the vehicle to an adjacent lot to be able to be towed, fuel spewed out from underneath the engine. We had the veh…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11530340 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11663877 · 2025-05-30 (May 30, 2025)
Was driving on the freeway in my 2019 VW Tiguan when I experienced a sudden unexpected loss of power. Warning lights came on and the car went into a "limp mode" not allowing the engine to rev past a certain RPM. I took the car to be serviced at a local dealership where it was determined that the Fuel Injector Harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. When I informed the dealer that there was an extended warranty on the harness (2018-2019 model years within 10 years/120 miles) and the part should be covered, the dealer and later VW of Americ…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11663877 at NHTSA ↗