AI Damage2009 Volkswagen Tiguan: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan filed 168 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 168
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 48% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- Engine: 80 complaints (48% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 40 complaints (24% of all).
- Powertrain: 20 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 15 complaints (9% of all).
- Steering: 15 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 168 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 80 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I crashed due to brake failure on 10.31.2019. I made a right turn from a light. Traffic came to a stop. I pushed the break and it did not hold. It felt bumpy. Breaks did not hold even when I pushed it all the way to the floor. I ended up rear ending the car infront of me going 15mph. What's going on there?
The car slid with total loss of steering and brakes, smashing into the curb, breaking the axle, control arm, steering knuckle, etc... There was no control whatsover. This was not ice. This has never ever happened before with any other vehicle we have ever driven.
I was in the far left lane, and the engine failed and I was not able to move to the right shoulder. I put my hazards on and called for assistance. While on the phone it was clear that I was not in a safe position, so myself and my passenger exited the vehicle when there was a break in traffic.
On june 13, 2008 I was traveling west bound on a typical south florida day, very hot and humid clear day. Just then a pick-up truck put out very fast in front of me. I slammed on my brakes with plenty of time to stop, but just before I came to a complete stop, the engine roared and I hit the truck very hard.
Power steering goes out randomly after cold weather, even while driving. There is no warning before the power steering goes out. I have almost crashed into another car several times because of this. Many people have had this exact problem with this make and model.
There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted.
The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil pressure warning light illuminated and a message to stop the vehicle immediately was displayed. AAA arrived on the scene and diagnosed the vehicle with oil sensor failure.
The steering wheel light comes on and the steering gets hard and it's dangerous because it's happening while my wife drives it. Please give me some information on what could possibly be happening or if u guys can let me know if there is a recall on it. I know your busy but please get back to me as soon as you can
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,387 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tiguan has 123 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 168, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
- Tiguan 2010110 sources
- Tiguan 2011162 sources
- Tiguan 2012153 sources
- Tiguan 2013140 sources
- Tiguan 201484 sources
- Tiguan 201562 sources
- Tiguan 2016526 sources
- Tiguan 2017452 sources
- Tiguan 2018727 sources
- Tiguan 2019686 sources
- Tiguan 2020622 sources
- Tiguan 2021639 sources
- Tiguan 2022733 sources
- Tiguan 2023415 sources
- Tiguan 2024351 sources
- Tiguan 2025203 sources
- Tiguan 2026133 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 168. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (23%), headlights and tail lights (11%), engine failure or replacement (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.