YearToAvoid

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan has a complaint index of 0, the lowest of all 17 model years, and earns a Best verdict. It logged 84 complaints and 3 recalls, with airbags as the top problem area (55% of complaints).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
0/100
#17 of 17 Tiguan years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
84
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
2
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2015
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
20 city / 26 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags46 (55%)
  2. Electrical System22 (26%)
  3. Steering20 (24%)
  4. Engine12 (14%)
  5. Other9 (11%)
  6. Brakes5 (6%)
  7. Fuel System4 (5%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (4%)
  9. Seat Belts2 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body2 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Brakes and steering can both fail at once in cold weather along with an electronic stabilization control warning light, leaving the car without braking response.
  • Some owners report the emergency brake button near the cup holder gets pressed accidentally by objects like a coffee mug, engaging the brake at highway speed.
  • A brake pedal is described as feeling stuck, failing to stop the car on first and second presses before finally engaging.
  • The check engine light came on and the engine shut off briefly while slowing down, then restarted normally.
  • A fuel system recall (campaign 14V441000) was tied to a fuel smell and unexpected RPM increase at highway speed before repair.
  • Owners describe a steering wheel malfunction indicator with the wheel locking up intermittently on the highway, then temporarily returning to normal.
  • The rear backup camera has been reported as very dark, limiting visibility in reverse even though dealers found it operating normally.
  • Driver's side airbag and horn stopped working together, tied to the Takata airbag recall, with steering column communication also affected.
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints: complaints filed per quarter72014 Q22016 Q42018 Q22019 Q42022 Q12023 Q22025 Q2
84 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q4 (7).

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V329000May 16, 2018Other252 vehicles

    Unknown or other

    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.

    Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 15V483000Aug 4, 2015Airbags415,825 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.

    Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.

  3. NHTSA 14V441000Jul 21, 2014Fuel System151,389 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.

    Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan fuel economy and fuel cost

City
20 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2014 compared with other Tiguan years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Caution50152323
2013Good25139322
2014Best084322
2015Best662422.5
2016Best1996222.5

All Volkswagen Tiguan years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
Among the 17 Tiguan model years covered, 2014 has a complaint index of 0, the lowest of any year, and carries a Best verdict relative to other Tiguan years.
What are the main complaints on the 2014 Tiguan?
Airbags account for 55% of complaints (46 total), followed by electrical system issues at 26% and steering issues at 24%.
Does the 2014 Tiguan have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2014 Tiguan, covering airbag clock spring covers, fuel system software for winterized fuel, and a broader compliance campaign shared with other VW models.
What mileage do problems tend to show up at on the 2014 Tiguan?
The median mileage at failure across all problem areas is 50,000, with airbag issues showing up at a median of 50,500 miles and engine issues much earlier at 10,600 miles.
How does the 2014 Tiguan compare to the worst Tiguan years?
The 2014 Tiguan's complaint index of 0 is far below Avoid years like 2018 (94), 2022 (100), and 2019 (81), placing it as the least complained-about Tiguan year in the dataset.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.