2024 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints

During normal operation on a public road, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly began emitting smoke from the front of the vehicle. This occurred without any warning lights, messages, unusual smells, or symptoms beforehand. Within moments, flames became visible from under the hood. The occupants, including a child and an elderly family member, immediately exited the vehicle. The fire spread rapidly and resulted in a total loss. The fire department arrived and extinguished the flames, and both fire and police reports were created documenting the incident. The vehicle was nearly new, with approximately 7,000 miles on it, no mechanical issues, and no prior maintenance warnings. Nothing unusual occurred during the drive, and the vehicle had been used under normal, paved-road conditions. On November 5, 2025, Volkswagen conducted an inspection at the IAA facility in Puyallup, WA. Volkswagen later denied liability, stating that burned and unburned vegetation was found in the engine compartment and suggesting that external organic material may have caused the fire. This explanation appears unreasonable, as vegetation in the engine bay does not normally ignite spontaneously in a modern vehicle operating under standard conditions. The vehicle is currently with State Farm at the IAA facility in Puyallup, WA, and is available for further inspection by NHTSA if needed. This incident posed a serious safety risk to the occupants and to other motorists, and may reflect a potential safety defec

The fuel gauge does not read properly even after it has been replaced.

My car was less than a year old, had been at the dealership for routine maintenance on September 24th, and with no warning signals from the vehicle's electronics smoke started coming out from the hood while I was ~20 minutes into my drive to work. Within a short period of time there were flames, and ultimately the car was engulfed in flames, resulting in a total loss.

The entertainment screen/backup camera screen turns on and off constantly. It will not stay on and shuts off completely after so many times of it turning on and off and doesn’t turn back on unless you hold the power button down for 15 seconds but still continues the on and off. Nothing has been done to the screen for it to start doing this.

On 10/11/2025 while driving, the vehicle caught fire.

On 9/14/2025 my 2024 VW Tiguan failed to unlock while my two-year old daughter was inside. My keys were in my front passenger seat. The unlock/locking mechanism on the doors on the outside of the car did not work and my trunk would not open. My child was trapped in the vehicle for about 20 to 30 minutes in hot conditions until emergency help arrived. After inspection, Volkswagen stated there was “nothing wrong” with the vehicle; however, a locking system that prevents occupants from exiting or others from entering in an emergency presents a clear safety defect and risk of injury or death. My child was distressed and overheated but was evaluated at the hospital and is okay. Emergency help was needed to get the door open. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Windshield wiper motor damaged. Yes available for inspection. Preventable damage to wipers causing visibility issues. The damage was inspected by a Volkswagen service center. No one else has inspected it. The service center gave me an estimate to repair the windshield wiper motor for an estimate of $1100. When asked how to shut it off , they didn't know and had to go back to their colleagues, then he came back and gave me a 4-5 step process on how to shut off the wiper, similar to a combo on a playstation or sega remote. The failure happened due to my lack of knowledge on how to shut off the automatic wiper sensors off. The manual doesn't clearly state how to completely disable the automatic sensors. Due to this, the wiper was damaged in a car wash, ripping off one of the wipers and no both wipers not functioning. I took the quote for repair and called the corporate office of Volkswagen and they denied pick up any of the cost and said it was damage done to the car. But I argued that it was preventable and that it didn't clearly state in the manual (Owner's Manual Tiguan Edition 08/2023 United States version) how to shut it off completely. I asked for the call to be escalated, they refused, then I came back and said I wanted to know where in the manual does it clearly state how to disable the auto sensors. The leadership member couldn't tell me at first where it was documented, after a few minutes he finally gave me the page numbers were it DID NOT state HOW to completely disa

My 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan (purchased used) has a recurring and unsafe issue related to acceleration and the automatic start/stop feature. When accelerating from a stop or while maintaining slight pressure on the gas pedal, the vehicle lurches forward as if aggressively accelerating, even though my foot pressure has not changed. Additionally, when the start/stop feature re-engages after idling, the vehicle sometimes lunges forward despite my foot being firmly on the brake pedal. This behavior has occurred multiple times, creating near-miss situations that could have resulted in accidents. Service History: The issue was replicated by one Volkswagen technician during an overnight test drive but was not accurately reflected in the official service notes. A different technician (shop foreman) later claimed the concern could not be replicated and dismissed it as a “normal vehicle characteristic,” despite my report. The dealership performed a factory reset but the problem persists. Safety Concern: This is a serious safety risk that poses a danger to myself, my passengers, and others on the road. I am especially concerned because my teenage daughter is about to begin driving this vehicle, and I do not feel it is safe for her. Manufacturer Response: Volkswagen of America has declined my buyback request, stating that the situation “does not merit an offer.” I strongly disagree, as the vehicle’s behavior is not normal or acceptable, and could result in unintended acceleration accidents.

The rear camera has been inoperable since June 2025. VW have not issued a fix. This is a safety issue.

APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO DISCONNECTS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS WHILE DRIVING. IT IS DUE TO WIFI TURNING OFF AUTOMATICALLY. AND VEHICLE IS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 times. BUT NO RESOLUTION. WIFI TURNS OFF ITSELF AND CARPLAY OR NAVIGATION IS INTERRUPTED. EVERY-TIME THIS HAPPENS AND CAR NEEDS TO BE PULL OVER AND HARD RESET THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM TO GET THE WIFI BACK ONLINE. IT STARTED JUST AFTER TWO MONTHS OF PURCHASE.

The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated, though the vehicle had previously been serviced within 1,600 miles. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the engine had consumed four quarts of oil within 1,600 miles. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to corroborate the independent mechanic's determination, instead finding that the vehicle was functioning normally. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,800.

The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while reversing, the back over prevention camera system failed to function as intended. The contact almost struck a pedestrian in a wheelchair due to the failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V082000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,500.

The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash that damaged the driver's side headlight. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for repair; however, the contact was informed that the headlight Part Number: 5NL-941-113-D was on a national back order. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted for assistance in shipping the part to the dealer, but no assistance was provided. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V082000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V082000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that while the transmission was shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera image was black and had since failed to provide an image of the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer three times however, the dealer denied the repair because the update was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

Low engine oil light appeared after 1000 miles. Car was topped off with oil and light appeared again. Oil consumption test was conducted car is burning 4.5 q per 1000 miles, results have not been consistent. VW claims this test is within their parameters but the car can longer travel 1000 miles until an oil change. More symptoms have appeared such as a decent size smoke cloud on engine startup. Both Volkswagen dealerships have said this is not normal to a new car and said you should contact customer service. It’s been 2 weeks and they have yet to respond.

My Tiguan has a feature called Auto Unlock. All four doors & the back lift gate are automatically unlocked when the car is put into park or the ignition is turned off. Anytime I pull into a parking lot, park on the street or even pull over to look at my phone the car unlocks. When I am concentrating on driving and parking safely I should not have to worry that all the doors are unlocked This option makes me feels unsafe driving my car - anybody can access any door & get in to the car &/or grab something from the car. How can this be considered a safety feature? It makes me feel so unsafe - I should not feel any trepidation when driving my car. In this era of car hijackings & theft - this is a feature that should be optional. I should be able to turn it off. I have researched how to disable this feature & it is not possible. Please let me know if the NHTSA can help me, & countless others who have this option on their cars, to feel safe when driving my car. I look forward to hearing a response. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am a passenger of a Volkswagen Tiguan and the owner ran into a store to pick something up and the vehicle shuts off, even when the keys are present in 80 degree weather. While it shouldn’t happen, what would happen if there were children present and an absent minded parent didn’t realize that the car would shut down and cook and kill their children?

The rear view camera only works half of the time and gives and error the camera is not available at this time. There was a recall but the VIN on this car was not included The transmissions revs high before shifting at times and at time when not pressing the gas, coasting downhill No check engine or warning lights come on Both issues have been recurring over the last couple of months

I am writing to formally express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the sudden failure of my Volkswagen Tiguan SE, a brand-new vehicle purchased just three months ago. While driving, the car abruptly stopped in the middle of the road, putting my entire family in grave danger. Fortunately, there was no vehicle immediately behind us, or this could have resulted in a serious accident. Safety Concerns: This incident raises serious questions about the reliability of this vehicle model and whether such a failure should ever occur in a brand-new car. A sudden breakdown in traffic is unacceptable, and I strongly condemn the presence of such cars on the road if they pose safety risks. Service & Response Issues: Following this incident, I contacted Volkswagen’s service team at Lewisville Volk Vogen ,893 S Stemmons Fwy Lewisville, TX 75067 to investigate the issue and provide urgent assistance. However, after completing the service I got the heating error again in the car. This puts me in very deep state about this car. I have the incident report with me with stale enginer issue and the service done by Volkvogen team and the issue still persists. Request for Immediate Action: I request Volkswagen to take urgent action to recall this kind of car which risks my entire family life into danger. If Car stops on highway, we all will die instantly along with others who will be behind us. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] Vehicle Details – VIN- [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM

The rear passenger door won’t latch when it is cold out. The dealership replaced the lock, but it is still happening. I have been stranded multiple times because my door is stuck open.

Front sensor for frontal collision, lane keep and adaptive cruise control. Warning lights including SOS will come on with a message saying no sensor view, and safety systems not available. Comes on randomly when driving.

When you need the navigation the screen will go black or keep buffering. Radio will not stay connected to my phone. Phone calls are very slow.

Driver side door randomly opens while driving! Then when the car detects the door is open it puts itself in park while driving no matter what speed you are going. Ive had this car for 2 months it has less than 1000 miles. Once home I finally inspected the latch area on the car side and the door and both areas were extremely hot. This is very much a safety issue!

An SOS error shows and when this occurs I am unable to use the SOS crash function, as well as navigation and calling. It has been back to the dealer twice for repair but it still occurs. Volkswagen states there is no fix at this time.

Since purchase, this vehicle has an SOS error that disables the SOS emergency assistance and communication functions. It has been back to the dealer twice and they are unable to repair. The manager has told be that VW is aware but there is no fix at this time. I suspect this disables crash detection and emergency functions as well.

Glass is broken

The car has built in NAV. It loses location. I was traveling in traffic in an unknown area. Nav started prompting to turn where there is no road. Looked at the screen, I was nowhere near the location showing. It was randomly moving to different locations. The dealer said it was a known issue and they have no fix. They are waiting for an update but no ETA on it. They have been saying this for years by my research. No warning lamps or errors show up. It poses a safety concern as it can tell you to turn down streets that are incorrect in traffic which is dangerous.