Volkswagen Tiguan Common Problems & Known Faults (UK)
If you are considering buying a used Volkswagen Tiguan, there are several major reliability issues worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 1 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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July 2017A 2012 VW Tiguan with the original EA888 2.0TFSI engine reported heavy oil consumption, using 1 litre every 2 to 4 weeks.
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What owners report on the Mk1
39 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Gearbox and clutch · July 2022A 2016 Tiguan with DSG 4Motion experienced a complete gearbox failure, requiring repair.
Bodywork · January 2020A 2008 Tiguan with a sunroof had a wet roof lining, leading to mould and an unpleasant smell inside the cabin.
Gearbox and clutch · October 2019A 2013 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4WD with 46,000 miles required a replacement propshaft, incurring a £1500 bill.
Gearbox and clutch · June 2019The mechatronics unit of a 2014 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 140 4Motion's 7-speed DQ500 DSG transmission failed at 34,000 miles.
Interior · June 2019The air conditioning compressor on a 2015 Tiguan sheared off its fixings at 30,000 miles, costing £836 to replace.
Suspension and steering · April 2019A 2012 Tiguan 2.0 TDI failed its MoT at 91,000 miles, needing new brake discs, pads, and front suspension bushes; a rear coil spring then failed.
Bodywork · December 2018A 2009 Tiguan with a factory-fitted sunroof developed a leak, initially flooding the footwell behind the driver, then all four.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2018The dual mass flywheel on a 2012 Tiguan 2.0TDi 140 DSG 4Motion BlueMotion failed when the car had covered 55,000 miles.
Bodywork · September 2018A 2012 Tiguan SE R-Line TDI with a panoramic sunroof developed a leak on the driver's side, with water seeping into the footwell.
Engine · January 2018A 2012 Tiguan experienced repeated issues with lumpy running and the engine management light after an emissions fix, due to sooted-up components.
Engine · October 2017A 2013 Tiguan TDI experienced repeated EGR valve failures after a NOx emissions fix; one repair cost.
Gearbox and clutch · September 2017The clutch slave cylinder on a 2011 VW Tiguan failed at 23,000 miles, with the dealer quoting £900 for replacement.
Electrics · August 2017A 2013 VW Tiguan 2.0TDI went into limp mode with dashboard lights illuminated after an emissions fix, traced to a wiring loom issue.
Engine · August 2017A VW Tiguan EA189 TDI lost power and went into limp home mode after an emissions fix, requiring an EGR replacement.
Exhaust · August 2017A VW Tiguan EA189 TDI returned to the dealer three times after an emissions fix because the catalytic converter light kept illuminating.
Engine · May 2017A 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced a coolant leak, then dashboard warning lights, leading to a full engine replacement, followed by further power loss.
Engine · March 2017A 2010 VW Tiguan 1.4TSI suffered loss of compression at 65,000 miles, requiring a new engine after an initial misdiagnosis.
Fuel system · February 2017A 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0TDI experienced increased fuel consumption after an emissions fix, possibly due to more frequent DPF regeneration.
Engine · February 2017A 2014 VW Tiguan 2.0TDI had reduced mpg, juddering, and EGR failure after an emissions fix, with the EGR replaced under warranty.
Suspension and steering · January 2017The rear nearside coil spring of a 56,000 mile 2011 VW Tiguan 2.0TDI auto 4WD shattered while parked, also needing front suspension bushes.
Gearbox and clutch · December 2016A 2011 Tiguan with 49,000 miles had clutch slipping and an oil leak from the transmission shortly after an emissions remap.
Engine · December 2016A 2009 Tiguan 2.0TSI experienced intermittent power reduction and warning lights, leading to an inlet manifold replacement for £840.
Engine · December 2016A 2012 Tiguan 2.0TDI 4Motion with 39,500 miles seized its engine after an emissions fix, following tapping and squealing noises.
Engine · November 2016A 2011 2.0TDI Tiguan 4Motion developed a growling engine noise, especially under load, after an emissions remap.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2016A 2014 VW Tiguan had a 'klunk' from the front driveshaft when reversing with full left-hand lock since new, which was never rectified.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2016A 2012 VW Tiguan 2.0TDI 4-Motion felt sluggish and noisy with increased fuel consumption after an emissions update; a clutch pump malfunction was found.
Engine · October 2016A 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0TSI experienced misfiring and juddering, requiring engine work costing £3,755.46 after no fault codes were found.
Engine · October 2016A 2013 Tiguan 2.0TDI developed an engine rattle, similar to 'pinking', after receiving the emissions software update.
Engine · October 2016A 2012 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 140 Bluemotion 4m developed a rattling engine noise after an emissions update, which became generally noisier over time.
Engine · September 2016A 2013 Tiguan 2.0TDI 4Motion BMT DSG with 21,500 miles developed a significant 'clatter' under load and loss of low-end power after a software update.
Engine · September 2016A Tiguan 2.0TDI 4Motion DSG experienced engine knock at low revs, power loss, and vibrations after two emissions software updates.
Engine · September 2016A 2012 Tiguan Sport 2.0 dci 4 Motion Automatic with under 30,000 miles developed an unacceptable 'pinking' engine noise after a software update.
Engine · September 2016A 2012 Tiguan experienced a noticeable reduction in engine power after receiving the emissions fix.
Engine · August 2016A 2014 Tiguan 2.0 TDI started rattling on the drive home after the EA189 emissions fix, despite performing perfectly beforehand.
Engine · August 2016A 31,000 mile 2012 Tiguan 2.0 TDI became a noisy, unresponsive machine after an emissions modification, completely changing its driving experience.
Engine · August 2016A 2013 Tiguan 2.0TDI developed a knocking noise from its engine after the EA189 emissions software fix.
Engine · August 2016A 2012 Tiguan TDI developed a horrible engine rattle when changing up between second and fourth gears.
Fuel system · July 2016The high-pressure diesel injection pump of a Tiguan 2.0TDI 4WD failed at 50,000 miles, sending metal shards into the injectors.
Engine · July 2016A 2014 Tiguan 2.0TDI 140 DSG developed a noticeable engine noise under acceleration at lower speeds after a NOx software update.
What owners like about the Mk1
4 notes
July 2016A Tiguan 2.0 TDI DSG 4WD showed no loss of performance or fuel economy after an emissions remap, with only a slight increase in engine noise.
The Tiguan achieved a 5-star NCAP rating for adult occupant protection, with good scores for child and pedestrian safety.
The Tiguan won its class in the annual Towcar Awards for vehicles weighing between 1575 and 1724 kg.
The most comfortable and sensible wheel and tyre combination for the Tiguan is 16-inch wheels with 215/65 R16 tyres.
Generation 2 of 21 known fault · 30 owner reports · 7 good notes
Volkswagen Tiguan Mk1-Mk2 (2013 to 2020) problems
Transmission/ClutchMedium severity📝 Editorial
Haldex AWD pump failure due to blocked intake strainer screen (friction material debris)
Rough guide
£300-800
Typical symptoms
front wheel spin under hard acceleration (loss of AWD)
traction control light flashing constantly
pump fault codes via OBD
Affected vehicles
Engines:
4Motion / R Models
Typical mileage:
30000-60000 miles
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What owners report on the Mk1-Mk2
30 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Electrics · March 2023A Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace experienced several software faults, including dash display changes, cruise control speed jumps, and volume control issues.
Gearbox and clutch · October 2021A 2017 Tiguan experienced a gearbox control unit failure, with the owner quoted £1100 for the necessary repair.
Electrics · May 2021A 2021 Tiguan 1.5TSI 150 Elegance DSG7 had its adaptive cruise control display and navigation switch to European speed limits.
Electrics · August 2020The infotainment system on a 2016 Tiguan failed, with the dealer offering only 10% towards the £1950 repair cost.
Electrics · February 2020The touchscreen function of the media infotainment system on a 2016 VW Tiguan failed at 37,000 miles, freezing or switching functions randomly.
Gearbox and clutch · December 2019A 2018 VW Tiguan TDI needed its gearbox dropped to fix an oil leak from a loose bolt, repaired under warranty.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2019A 2019 Tiguan 1.5TSI with a DQ381 7-speed wet clutch DSG gearbox displayed hesitation and jerky acceleration at 1,800 miles.
Brakes · September 2019The auto braking system of a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan was spuriously triggered on multiple occasions.
Engine · September 2019A 2018 Tiguan 2.0 TDi 150 4Motion occasionally failed to start, with the engine turning over but not igniting.
Electrics · August 2019A current model VW Tiguan had poor headlights, with the specific type of headlights not mentioned.
Engine · July 2019A July 2019 VW Tiguan 1.5TSI pulled unevenly ('kangarooing') from a cold start, with a software update failing to resolve the issue.
Electrics · June 2019A 2016 VW Tiguan SEL had inadequate satnav updates, with map details and speed information being incorrect and outdated.
Brakes · May 2019A June 2017 VW Tiguan developed corroded and scored rear brake discs, first noticed at its initial service.
Electrics · April 2019A 2018 VW Tiguan's stop/start system failed to restart the car due to a known software issue, leaving the car at the dealer for weeks.
Engine · March 2019A new VW Tiguan 1.5TSI Evo 150 stalled numerous times, feeling unresponsive when pulling away and jerky in lower gears.
Bodywork · February 2019A 2018 VW Tiguan's sunroof was found to be leaking, with water collecting around the edge and entering through the passenger side sun visor.
Gearbox and clutch · January 2019The clutch and dual mass flywheel of a leased VW Tiguan completely failed at 17,257 miles, with the dealer quoting £2240 for replacement.
General · November 2018A VW Tiguan purchased new in September 2018 was returned to the dealer twice for unspecified faults.
Brakes · September 2018A new 2018 VW Tiguan diesel manual had its 'brake hold' system stick on, causing holdups in traffic.
Engine · July 2018A 2017 VW Tiguan 1.4TSI 150 produced a high-pitched metallic rattling noise from its engine, which the dealer deemed acceptable.
Brakes · January 2018A November 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced several involuntary, sudden applications of its Autonomous Emergency Braking System for no apparent reason.
Electrics · January 2018A 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan DSG felt sluggish on acceleration, and a computer module failure affected the blind spot indicator.
Gearbox and clutch · December 2017A new 2017 VW Tiguan 2.0TDI with a DQ500 7-speed wet clutch DSG transmission exhibited a metallic grating noise at low speed.
Electrics · November 2017A new 2017 Tiguan's satnav would not boot from the SD card, and map data jumped or showed incorrect directions.
Electrics · November 2017A 2016 Tiguan's infotainment system and auto sensor functions for headlights and wipers failed after a routine oil service.
Gearbox and clutch · October 2017A 2017 Tiguan 4Motion developed a horrendous metallic grating noise from the drivetrain from new, which the dealer stated was a characteristic.
Gearbox and clutch · August 2017A new 2017 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4Motion with a DQ500 DSG transmission had an audible mechanical grating noise when changing down gears.
Gearbox and clutch · June 2017A new 2017 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 2WD with a DQ500 DSG transmission developed a clonking noise after 1,500 miles, leading to a gearbox replacement.
Electrics · October 2016A new 2016 Tiguan had several issues including a crunching door mirror, a motor sound in the dash, a non-working front air blower, and an airbag warning.
Suspension and steering · September 2016The optional Dynamic Chassis Control system fitted to a new Tiguan did not appear to be functioning correctly.
What owners like about the Mk1-Mk2
7 notes
July 2019The 1.5 TSI DSG model uses the DQ381 7-speed wet clutch DSG, which performs well without hesitation or kangarooing.
This model is noted for being extremely quiet and very easy to drive, enhancing the overall user experience.
The Tiguan offers a practical back row and a large boot, providing ample space for passengers and luggage.
The Active Info Display, Volkswagen's digital cockpit, functions effectively and enhances the driver's information access.
The Tiguan achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating, with high scores for adult occupant, child, pedestrian, and safety assist protection.
The 2.0 TDI DSG model is equipped with a durable seven-speed wet-clutch automatic transmission, designed for high torque applications.
The stop/start system allows the engine to stop without the foot on the brake when in brake hold, though brake lights remain illuminated.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 5 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Volkswagen Tiguan advert and we check it in seconds.
Volkswagen Tiguan service intervals: cambelt, chain and gearbox oil
An overdue cambelt is the most expensive thing a seller can fail to mention on a used Tiguan. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Haldex AWD Oil
Mk7, Mk1, Mk2, 4MOTION
30,000 miles or 3 years, whichever comes first
Official VW interval is 30,000 miles or 3 years. Haldex specialists are considerably stricter, recommending oil at 30,000 km (about 18,600 miles) with the filter at 60,000 km, and explicitly removing and cleaning the pump strainer to prevent pump failure.
Timing chainChain
Mk6, Mk7, Mk1, 2.0 TSI, EA888
No fixed replacement interval
EA888 timing chains are notorious for stretching and tensioner failure leading to engine damage. No official interval, but frequently replaced by specialists before 80,000 miles. Listen for rattle on cold start.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: June 2026
Volkswagen Tiguan buying questions
Is a used Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
The Volkswagen Tiguan has 2 known faults in our database across 2 generations, 1 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (timing chain tensioner failure causing engine destruction) and gearbox (haldex AWD pump failure due to blocked intake strainer screen (friction material debris)). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
Which Volkswagen Tiguan years should I avoid?
No Volkswagen Tiguan year is a write-off, but the Mk1 (2009 to 2013) carries the most serious faults: engine. The Mk1-Mk2 (2013 to 2020) has none rated high severity. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Volkswagen Tiguan?
Ask the seller about the engine and gearbox faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for burning 1L of oil every 500 miles and front wheel spin under hard acceleration (loss of AWD). Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Volkswagen Tiguan advert →
What is the real MPG of a Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners report 41.1 mpg on average across the Volkswagen Tiguan engines with data, about 88% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 1,242 owner submissions. Volkswagen Tiguan Real MPG by engine →
Where this Volkswagen Tiguan fault data comes from
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Volkswagen Tiguan owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Volkswagen Tiguan goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.