Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine25
- Electrical system13
- Unknown or other12
- Forward collision avoidance9
- Power train8
- Fuel/propulsion system6
- Service brakes4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Visibility/wiper3
- Back over prevention3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 2023 Tiguan vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them. 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 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan failed the safety check 0.46% of the time — 34% less often than the average 2023 passenger car (0.69%). Median odometer at inspection: 13,137 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Real-world fuel consumption
60,971 Volkswagen Tiguan cars first registered in Europe in 2023 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel versions use 6.7 l/100 km on the road against 5.9 in the WLTP test (+14%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 18,555 | 8.0 | 7.3 | +10% |
| Diesel | 34,448 | 6.7 | 5.9 | +14% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 7,968 | 6.1 | 1.5 | +306% |
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 2023 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 5 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 2,831 |
| 1.4 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 1,995 |
| 1.5 petrol | 96 kW 129 hp | 146 |
| 2.0 diesel | 110 kW 148 hp | 47 |
| 2.0 petrol | 140 kW 188 hp | 44 |
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
5,106 first registered in 2023 are on Dutch roads; 44% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €53,941.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde83
- Band onvoldoende profiel26
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld20
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht15
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm12
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage5
- Slijtage/beschadiging wiellager hoorbaar of voelbaar3
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
27,962 cars built in 2023 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 63 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
In Finland
732 of these cars first registered in 2023 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 42,000 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
732 2023 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; 0 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 15.5 % |
| 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | 16.9 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 4 / 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 9.4–9.8 L/100 km (about 24–25 mpg US), CO₂ 222–229 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiguan 4MOTION · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.6 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| Tiguan R-Line 4MOTION · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 8.3 | 9.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan.
| 2026242 20 May 2026 | Visual System Issue: On a small number of vehicles, a problem with the camera control unit could cause the rearview camera image not to display after shifting into reverse … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Tiguan, 2023 Arteon, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 vehicles. An error may occur in the camera control unit at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. 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 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 11011376 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states coolant leak/coolant light on; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states the seat cover has discoloration (usually yellowing) stains; Customer states MIL-on, U01B000 stored in ECM memory; Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication |
| 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. |
| 11010027 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states coolant leak/coolant light on; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8 |
| 11010026 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8398624] active DTCs;Customer states MIL-on, U01 |
| 11010025 | Green Light Does Not Illuminate |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010023 | Replace Steering Wheel Steering Wheel Sensor Mat |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008867 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8398624] active DTCs; Customer states Automatic |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008864 | The purpose of this Technical Bulletin is to inform Volkswagen dealerships that beginning on 10/1/2024, replacement of any of the following components will require specific Guided Fault Finding (GFF) direction where the test plan(s) explicitly states replacement of the part is necessary. |
| 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)