2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Steering Problems

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

20Steering complaints

13.2%Of all 152 complaints

#4Most-reported category

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

How steering 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

“INTERMITTENTLY POWER STEERING WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED. TURNED THE CAR OFF AFTER GETTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK AND POWER STEERING…”NHTSA complaint 11254455 — filed 09/10/2019

“POWER STEERING RED LIGHT CAME ON COULDN'T MOVE CAR (WHILE PARKED) HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. TODAY STEERING WHEEL IS MOVING BY ITSELF.”NHTSA complaint 11233882 — filed 07/22/2019

“THE STEERING FELT UNUSUALLY LOOSE WHILE DRIVING ON A RAINY DAY, THEN AFTER PARKING THE CARE FOR SOME 30 MINUTES AND TURNING TI BACK ON…”NHTSA complaint 11221641 — filed 06/21/2019

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan have steering problems?

Steering is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan: 20 of 152 complaints on file (13.2%). 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 steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING 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.