2011 Volkswagen Tiguan problems and complaints
Owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan. The most-reported areas: Engine (63), Electrical System (47), Exterior Lighting (39).
Key takeaways
- 162 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 1 reported injury.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 63 | 39% |
| Electrical System | 47 | 29% |
| Exterior Lighting | 39 | 24% |
| Air Bags | 30 | 19% |
| Steering | 14 | 9% |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 | 7% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 | 5% |
| Power Train | 8 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 2% |
| Fuel System | 3 | 2% |
| Gasoline | 3 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV AWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
| 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-10-02
The brakes will completely fail. The peddle goes just about all the way to the floor when pressed. There still is a small amount of braking and the vehicle slows down but nothing like when the brakes work right. Now this happens at the most random times. It won’t do it for months then start doing it out of the blue. Wh...
Electrical System,unknown Or Other,engine - filed 2026-09-09
Car only starts when it wants to. Rpms dont go over 4,000. Low idle.
Air Bags - filed 2026-01-22
My 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan was included in the Volkswagen clock spring safety recall. According to Volkswagen’s records, the recall repair was completed in 2016. The same defect has now reoccurred: the steering wheel controls, horn, and driver airbag are disabled again due to a failed clock spring. This is a reoccurrin...
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More for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.