The 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan is associated with 62 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 11 reports (18% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 22 to 23 MPG combined. The 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan belongs to the 1st generation (Typ 5N) Tiguan platform spanning model years 2015–2018.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 62 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (11 / 18%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 1 crash / 1 fire / 2 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 22–23 MPG (2 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Tiguan | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 21 MPG | 26 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $3,300 / yr |
| Tiguan 4motion | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 20 MPG | 26 MPG | 22 MPG | — | $3,450 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 18.5% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 17.4% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan models.
View complete 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan problems & component breakdown (31 categories) →
Affected Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
Affected Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles manufactured January 15, 2015, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 Audi Q5 vehicles manufactured January 13, 2015, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with driver and front seat passenger seat-mounted air bag inflators that may rupture in the event of a crash.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 7, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69M1 (for Audi) and 69L9 (for VW).
View all 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →