2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

50Engine complaints

32.9%Of all 152 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE50 · 32.9%

AIR BAGS30 · 19.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 15.1%

STEERING20 · 13.2%

Unspecified / other20 · 13.2%

Share of the 152 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan overview page.

What owners report

“VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY WHILE STOPPED AT CITY STREET INTERSECTION. WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE STILL FELT ROUGH AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY STOP RUNNING. AFTER…”NHTSA complaint 11218449 — filed 06/07/2019

“THE TIMING CHAIN & TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MALFUNCTIONING PRIOR TO 93,000 MILES, BELOW THE PROJECTED OWNERS MANUAL 120,000 MILES, CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO FAIL…”NHTSA complaint 11194867 — filed 04/09/2019

“WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONS AND OIL LEAKS LEADING TO WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONS THAT OVER HEAT THE ENGINE AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ENGINE DAMAGE. THREE WATER PUMPS IN…”NHTSA complaint 11193943 — filed 04/04/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan: 50 of 152 complaints on file (32.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan have in total?

152 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.