2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Problems

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

77Engine complaints

28.1%Of all 274 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

ENGINE77 · 28.1%

Unspecified / other50 · 18.2%

POWER TRAIN48 · 17.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM42 · 15.3%

STRUCTURE:BODY38 · 13.9%

Share of the 274 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan overview page.

What owners report

“THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS! I HAD VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS AND HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 411 MILES CAR HAS STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO…”NHTSA complaint 11151863 — filed 11/15/2018

“CAR MAKES NOISE THAT IS AUDIBLE WITHIN THE CAR AND IS PARTICULARLY LOUD BY THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE.”NHTSA complaint 11145168 — filed 11/03/2018

“EVERYTIME I DRIVE WHEN ENGINE IS COLD, IT FEELS LIKE ENGINE IS GOING TO DIE. I CAN FEEL SMALL JERKING, LIKE CAR IS RUNNING OUT…”NHTSA complaint 11139961 — filed 10/12/2018

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

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: 77 of 274 complaints on file (28.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have in total?

274 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 11 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.