2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems and Top Complaints – Is your car a lemon?

Updated on May 1st, 2023 Author: Brian Jones

When it comes to driving a compact SUV, there are some things that drivers demand. While style and space are right up at the top of the list, durability is also vital. VW claims that the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan provides “bumper-to-bumper smiling” for owners. When we looked at what drivers have to say, smiling wasn’t one thing they expressed. Instead, they are quite disappointed at the faulty engine, electrical system and powertrain issues.

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NHTSA Complaints for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan

Problems with the electrical system

A high-quality electrical system is required to run the accessories in a VW SUV, but it also operates the essential parts as well. After all, the engine won’t start if there’s a problem with its electrical components.

In this first review from the NHTSA website, we see an electrical problem that can lead to a safety concern. “Front Collision Sensor and warning light goes on for no reason while driving at a low speed, disabling the sensor. This has happened about 5 to 6 times on various dates while driving in the city and I have to stop, turn the car off and on in order to reset the computer by itself. Sometimes it will turn off by itself too.”

What we see here is a significant amount of danger. It’s not much different from the threat posed by a recall labeled with NHTSA Campaign Number 18V824000. It appears that more than 70,000 vehicles don’t issue a warning when the key is left in the ignition. This leads to a heightened chance of having the car stolen. To fix the problem, technicians must reprogram the instrument cluster. With all the concerns caused by the SUV, some owners might wish it would get stolen.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 VW Tiguan Electrical Problems

PURCHASED CAR JUNE 30, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON WAY HOME FROM DEALER. NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFF, BRAKE POWER BOOST FAILURE FLICKER ON SCREEN, AUTO START/STOP NOT FUNCTIONING, RESTART CAR ALL GONE. NEXT TRIP TIRE PRESSURE WARNING, UNABLE TO RESET.HAD TO GO TO AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS HEADING TO DEALER ON THE WAY HOME, CAR WENT BLACK, LOST ACCELERATION, NO RESPONSE FROM THROTTLE WHILE DRIVING 75MPH ON BUSY FREEWAY. HAD TO COAST ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO BE SAFE.RESTART CAR, DROVE TO DEALER. TOTAL AMOUNT OF MILES ON CAR 152.

THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SENSORS WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. CAR STARTED BRAKING ON IT’S OWN. LUCKILY NO CAR BEHIND ME. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A 35 MPH PART OF ROUTE 30 IN INDIANA WHEN IT STARTED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. I SENT VOLKSWAGEN A MESSAGE AND THEY DIDN’T REPLY.

Problems with the engine

While there have been a lot of reports about this engine being underpowered, there have been larger concerns posed.

One Edmunds review states, “Bought the first car and two days later the engine light came on. Took it in and I was able to get a new one. 4 days later engine light turned on again. Haven’t made my first payment and been to the dealership 3 times already. The first car had under 100 miles and the second car had 5 miles.”

The automaker seems to have a lot of complaints regarding the engine. They do address some specific incidents with Service Bulletin #TT 27 19 01 that talks about a malfunctioning start/stop system. In the bulletin, VW suggests that the problems are related to a poor battery charge. They tell technicians to modify the start/stop module to resolve the issue. In the meantime, drivers just have to make sure that the SUV doesn’t stop in the middle of an intersection.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 VW Tiguain Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE THE CONTACT’S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, THE EPC, OIL, AND SYSTEM/POWER WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CAPISTRANO VOLKSWAGEN  WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 920.

NEW CAR, 2 MONTHS OLD, 3,000 MILES. ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 4X. FIRST INSTANCE, TURNING LEFT ONTO A MAJOR 3 LANE ROAD, CAR SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND THEN CHUGS TO CATCH SPEED LEAVING YOU POWERLESS WITH THE FOOT PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR. SECOND INSTANCE, EXITING A SHOPPING CENTER, LIGHT TURNED GREEN, STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL AND CAR BOGGED AND SPUTTERED AS IF OUT OF GAS AND STALLED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. ONCE I GOT IT STARTED AGAIN IT MOVED FORWARD. AT NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT IT SPUTTERED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT GO EVEN AFTER PUMPING GAS PEDDLE. CREEPS TO A ROLLING RUN AND THEN GOES. THIRD INSTANCE WAS ENTERING AN ON-RAMP FROM A STOP LIGHT, CAR SPUTTERED AS IF OUT OF FUEL AGAIN AND BARELY MADE IT OUT OF INTERSECTION WHERE I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO GET THE CAR GOING. 4X SAME AS ABOVE. I?M NOW AT DEALER FOR SECOND TIME- NO REPAIR AND THEY SAY VW IS AWARE OF SOME CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE NO FIX AT THIS TIME. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON ATLANTA CITY STREETS. I?M NERVOUS TO PUT MY FAMILY BACK IN THE CAR.

Problems with the transmission

For a smooth driving experience, you want a quality powertrain. That’s not what the VW Tiguan seems to come with.

One NHTSA user wrote, “Upon driving my new 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan this past winter. It was a very cold winter day, when starting my car it wouldn’t go in reverse, then started to go in reverse. I put it into Drive. It would putt (go and stop) like it was running out of gas. There was plenty of gas in it. It continued to display the EPC yellow warning light. The light signal is engine control malfunction. I have notified my dealership I purchased it from. They state it will do that when it is very cold out. Now spring time, it has done it twice.”

The company has nothing to say about this or any other powertrain issues for that matter. It seems that they expect drivers to avoid reversing. Owners should only have to move forward when the weather is bad.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 VW Tiguain Transmission Issues

UPON DRIVING MY NEW 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN THIS PAST WINTER. IT WAS A VERY COLD WINTER DAY, WHEN STARTING MY CAR IT WOULDN’T GO IN REVERSE. , THEN STARTED TO GO, IN REVERSE . I PUT IT INTO D DRIVE .. I WOULD PUTT ( GO AND STOP) LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS . THERE WAS PLENTY OF GAS IN IT . IT CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THE EPC YELLOW WARNING LIGHT. THE LIGHT SIGNAL IS ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION . I HAVE NOTIFIED MY DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. THE STATE IT WILL DO THAT WHEN IT IS VERY COLD OUT. IT IS NOW SPRING TIME. IT HAS DONE IT TWICE

MY BRAND NEW 2019 VW TIGUAN FWD NEXT DAY AFTER BUYING SHOWED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS THAT RELATED TO TRANSMISSION AND BRAKING AND A UNKNOWN SOURCE OF RATTLING SOUND.

I NOTICED WHEN I COLD START THE TIGUAN AND LET IT IDLE FOR 3-4 MINUTES THE NORMAL ENGINE SOUND SLOWLY GOES DOWN BUT A LOUDER AND MORE NOTICEABLE RATTLING SOUND COMES UP. IT IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING ALSO. IT’S CONCERNING BUT WHAT IS MORE CONCERNING IS THE THAT THE TIGUAN HESITATES WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. I NOTICED IT HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NOT ONLY IT HESITATES TO ACCELERATE YOU’D FEEL THE CARS STRUGGLE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. EACH TIME THE GEAR IS SHIFTING YOU COULD FEEL THE CAR IS AT A CONFUSED STATE AND SO YOU FEEL IT THUMP.

Problems with the brakes

Brakes are designed to stop a vehicle and help drivers avoid a collision. When something becomes defective with this system, everyone is at risk.

Just look at this review on NHTSA, “The vehicles brake line that went into the ABS system was not tight enough and brake fluid leaked out resulting in the failure of the braking system. The loss of the braking system could be felt while driving, and eventually resulted in the vehicle not stopping. Fortunately, no one was injured. The vehicle was new and had 185 miles on it when the brakes failed.”

Again, there is nothing from VW discussing brake repairs or fixes. Just like before, it’s likely that there are some owners that might wish the Tiguan would just keep driving away so they can get a new vehicle.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 VW Tiguan Brake Problems

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET NO CARS IN FRONT OR BEHIND. THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKES ACTIVATED AND BROUGHT CAR TO FULL STOP FOR NO REASON.

THE CARS BREAKING ASSISTANCE BRINGS THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AT ANY SPEED. IT WILL BREAK WHEN NOTHING IS AROUND, WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY, AND PULLING OUT ONTO THE ROAD.

Problems with the vehicle speed control systems

One of the advanced features on the VW Tiguan is vehicle speed control. When this doesn’t function properly, it puts everyone at risk.

A review on the NHTSA website states, “I leased my 2019 Tiguan in March 2019. Shortly after (1,500 miles), I experienced my 1^st acceleration failure. While attempting to turn left with oncoming traffic (with my 4-year old in the back seat), my car would not accelerate although my foot was pressing the gas pedal to the floor. After multiple seconds and multiple attempts to accelerate forward, I put the vehicle in park, turned it off, turned it back on, put in Drive and was able to complete the turn. Thankfully, the vehicles coming toward me were paying attention and halted, or it would’ve resulted in a collision.”

There is information provided for the techs in Service Bulletin #45-18-03TT on how to diagnose the trouble. They don’t issue a direct fix or cause for the unwarranted autonomous braking event that many people are experiencing. It’s clear to see that this SUV is a rolling disaster, when it actually moves. Otherwise, it’s just waiting to be stolen; although there can’t be that many thieves that want to drive this vehicle.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 VW Tiguan Vehicle Speed Control Problems

I LEASED MY 2019 TIGUAN IN MARCH 2019. SHORTLY AFTER (~1,500 MILES), I EXPERIENCE MY 1ST ACCELERATION FAILURE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC (WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD IN THE BACK SEAT), MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ALTHOUGH MY FOOT WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. AFTER MULTIPLE SECONDS AND MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE FORWARD, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON, PUT IN DRIVE, AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THANKFULLY THE VEHICLES COMING TOWARDS ME WERE PAYING ATTENTION AND HALTED, OR IT WOULD?VE RESULTED IN A COLLISION

THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60MPH. ALL KINDS OF EMERGENCY LIGHTS CAME UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON, AND THE CAR BLOCKED. THE GEAR WAS LOCKED AND WOULDN’T RESPOND TO RESTARTING THE CAR. THE CAR HAD TO THE TOWED, AND AFTER GETTING IT IN THE TRUCK I REALIZED THAT ONE SIDE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WEREN’T WORKING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 1700 MILES.

Your Lemon Law Legal Rights

Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes VW pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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