Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine54
- Unknown or other30
- Electrical system25
- Fuel/propulsion system12
- Forward collision avoidance11
- Structure11
- Power train11
- Visibility/wiper8
- Exterior lighting5
- Service brakes5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 19 2021 Tiguan vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan failed the safety check 1.01% of the time — 7% more often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 26,449 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
133,058 new Volkswagen Tiguan cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Germany (55,627), Italy (16,028), France (15,055).
- Average mass
- 1,657 kg
- Average CO₂
- 151 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 118 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 55% · Petrol 37% · Petrol/electric 8.8%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
49,871 Volkswagen Tiguan cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel versions use 6.8 l/100 km on the road against 6.1 in the WLTP test (+12%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 17,112 | 8.1 | 7.4 | +10% |
| Diesel | 31,776 | 6.8 | 6.1 | +12% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 983 | 5.3 | 1.8 | +198% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan cars on Dutch roads are the 1.5 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp), 1.4 hybrid (110 kW, 148 hp) and 1.5 petrol (96 kW, 129 hp), out of 8 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 4,046 |
| 1.4 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 2,537 |
| 1.5 petrol | 96 kW 129 hp | 348 |
| 2.0 diesel | 110 kW 148 hp | 156 |
| 2.0 petrol | 140 kW 188 hp | 123 |
| 2.0 petrol | 235 kW 315 hp | 111 |
| 2.0 diesel | 147 kW 197 hp | 63 |
| 2.0 petrol | 180 kW 241 hp | 42 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
7,460 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 71% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €49,033.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,904
- Band onvoldoende profiel637
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld596
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm438
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht198
- Band beschadigd133
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage127
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd116
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
23,018 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 61 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 1,090 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 92% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Visibility | 2.1% | 1.6% |
| Brakes | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.2% | 2.9% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.6% | 0.1% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
983 of these cars first registered in 2021 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 75,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,390 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register; 1% arrived as used imports, 99% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 0.0 % |
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.4–9.9 L/100 km (about 24–25 mpg US), CO₂ 219–232 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiguan · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Tiguan 4MOTION · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 8.6 | 9.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan.
| 2022382 20 Jul 2022 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center screen. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display whe… |
| 2022170 6 Apr 2022 | Structure Issue: This recall is for accessory rear hatch spoilers that were installed on a new vehicle or sold as an accessory part at a Volkswagen dealership. On ce… |
| 2022132 23 Mar 2022 | Suspension Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear suspension knuckles could crack and/or break. A rear knuckle that breaks while driving could cause a sudden loss of vehic… |
| 2021031 27 Jan 2021 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the driver's seat frame may not have been properly welded. As a result, the seat frame could fail and move in a crash. Safety … |
| 2021014 20 Jan 2021 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, a front brake hose may be too long and could rub against the steering mechanism. This can cause damage to the hose that could resu… |
| 2020556 18 Nov 2020 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or cause it to freeze. Canadian regulations require the re… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan, Taos, and 2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. The left or right rear suspension knuckles may corrode, crack, and break.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta vehicles. Bolts may be missing from the front seat tracks.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011380 | Volkswagen Warranty has extended the coverage for the overhead console on 2019-2022 Tiguan Vehicles for 2 years 24,000 from the expiration of NVLW |
| 11011379 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the keyless start system. 00B7 - Interface for Access/Start: U101300: Control module not coded & Software Configuration incorrect coding hotfix |
| 11011375 | moisture witin rear tail lamp assembly |
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11010028 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during ECM Component Adaptation Test after component replacement. |
| 11010025 | Green Light Does Not Illuminate |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11008845 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided. |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007396 | Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)