AutoUtility currently tracks 280 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 63 complaints (22.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 5 filings cite a crash, 3 cite a fire, 6 report one or more injuries. The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan belongs to the 1st Generation (Typ 5N) platform.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 280 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Engine & Cooling (63 reports • 22.5% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Powertrain & Transmission (49), Electrical System (43)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 5 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 3 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 6 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Engine & Cooling
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #18V159000 ENGINE
Powertrain & Transmission
Electrical System
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #18V824000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Fuel & Propulsion System
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.
Loss of Motive Power While Driving
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"I began intermittently noticing a gasoline/fuel odor shortly after taking possession of the vehicle in June 2026. The odor became significantly worse, and I formally reported it to the selling dealership on July 9, 2026. The vehicle was subsequently taken to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for..."
"While I was driving down a flat road this past week, the front left coil spring on my 2018 VW Tiguan S spontaneously broke, causing a large chunk of the coil spring to bounce around in the wheel well of the car and ultimately flying out into oncoming traffic as well as the left front end of my car..."
"I purchased this 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan in September 2019 and began noticing an intermittent rearview-camera problem around that time. I do not remember the exact date of the first occurrence because the problem initially happened only occasionally and was not persistent. When the vehicle is placed..."
"I discovered a potential safety defect while inspecting and preparing my Graco Turn2Me child restraint for eventual forward-facing use. The seat is Model 2170122, manufactured 08/26/2024. The physical SnugLock/LATCH configuration of my seat appears inconsistent with Graco’s published Turn2Me..."
"The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, there was an engine failure, and internal parts fell apart and started grinding into the oil pan. The message "LIMP Mode” and the vehicle failed to exceed 4,000 RPM. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The..."
Complaint History for Volkswagen Tiguan
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan | 62 | 1 | 4 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan | 96 | 4 | 2 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan | 73 | 6 | 4 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Current Page | 280 | 5 | 13 | Current |
| 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan | 188 | 6 | 5 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan | 138 | 5 | 3 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan | 133 | 2 | 5 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan | 254 | 3 | 5 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan | 60 | 1 | 1 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan | 59 | 2 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan | 46 | 1 | 2 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 89 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 21 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Warning NHTSA category: LANE DEPARTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SEAT BELTS,INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TETHER, LOWER ANCHOR (ON CAR SEAT OR VEHICLE),OTHER/I AM NOT SURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Seat Belt Webbing Failure
In December 2017, NHTSA conducted two (2) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests on the Model Year (MY) 2018 Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan. Both tests were 35mph full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-belted in the right front passenger position. The tests were conducted on December 8, 2017, at MGA Research Corp. (MGA) in Wisconsin and December 13,...
Seat Belt Webbing Failure
In December 2017, NHTSA conducted two New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests on the 2018 MY Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan. Both tests were 35 mph, full frontal impacts into a rigid barrier with a 50th percentile male dummy seat-belted in the driver position and a 5th percentile female seat-belted in the right front-passenger position. The tests were conducted on December 8, 2017 at MGA Research Corp. in Wisconsin (MGA) and December 13, 2017 at the Tran...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.