2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#4 most-complained of 16 Tiguan years
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan has a Complaint Index of 80 with 191 complaints and 5 recalls, ranking 4th worst of 16 model years. It carries an "Avoid" verdict versus other Tiguan years, driven mainly by Electrical System (32%) and Engine (27%) problems.
- Complaints
- 191
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes / fires
- 6 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24.5
- 21.5 city / 29 hwy
Top 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System61 (32%)
- Engine52 (27%)
- Other39 (20%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras26 (14%)
- Brakes25 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain17 (9%)
- Fuel System10 (5%)
- Structure & Body9 (5%)
- Visibility & Wipers9 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (4%)
What owners report
- Electrical systems fail and lock the car into gear or cause a total loss of acceleration while driving on the freeway.
- Headlights and turn-signal housings develop condensation shortly after delivery, even overnight in a closed lot with very low mileage.
- The forward collision prevention system fails to warn or brake, leading to rear-end crashes without airbag deployment.
- Sudden unintended acceleration or lack of throttle response has been reported from a stop, followed by unexpected lurching forward.
- Front suspension struts have sheared, causing sudden loss of steering control and tire contact with the fender well.
- Electrical wiring issues have produced smoke and flames coming from the dash vents and engine bay while driving.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V815000Oct 31, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires296,044 vehicles
Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or AudiÂs customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
- NHTSA 22V226000Apr 6, 2022Structure & Body6,553 vehicles
Structure:body
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Risk: An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
- NHTSA 19V241000Mar 27, 2019Other8 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The tire information label contains inaccurate tire dimension and inflation pressure specifications. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: The incorrect specifications can result in improper tire inflations or to installing a tire of the wrong size on the vehicle. Either of these situations can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D2.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21.5 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 24.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,650
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- 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.
2019 compared with other Tiguan years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
- Compared with other Tiguan model years, the 2019 ranks 4th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and an "Avoid" verdict. NHTSA lists 191 complaints and 5 recalls for this year.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2019 Tiguan?
- The top problem area is the Electrical System, accounting for 32% of complaints, followed by Engine issues at 27%. Median mileage at failure for electrical problems is 2,259 miles.
- Does the 2019 Tiguan have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2019 Tiguan, covering suspension/TPMS software, structure (rear spoiler installation), tire label accuracy, rear coil springs, and an instrument cluster chime issue. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2019 Tiguan compare to the 2018 and 2020 models?
- The 2018 Tiguan has a higher Complaint Index of 93 and 283 complaints, making it worse. The 2020 Tiguan has a lower Complaint Index of 73 with 140 complaints, a slightly better result but still rated "Caution."
- What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Tiguan?
- The 2019 Tiguan gets 24.5 mpg combined (21.5 city / 29 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,650 according to the EPA.