InsightArise CarsU.S. Owner Complaint Index
English

2023 Volkswagen Tiguan problems, complaints & recalls

Far fewer Rising

NHTSA has received 60 owner complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, or 16.3 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.39, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2023 vehicles we track, it ranks #37 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Volkswagen models its rate is 44% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 74% lower.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

Complaints filed between 2023-02-10 and 2026-08-06. Median delay from incident to filing: 9 days.

60Complaints
16.3Complaints per year on the road
0.39Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
1.7%Share involving a crash or fire
20Last 12 months

Analysis

The previous model year (2022) drew 55.8 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2024) drew 23.2 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2023 model collected 32 complaints, 61% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.

The most common problem area is Engine (36.7% of complaints), followed by Electrical (15.0%) and Interior & equipment (13.3%). Engine complaints are 1.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “oil”, “consumption”, “add”, “separator” and “low”. 1 reports (1.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 1 injury and 0 deaths.

Half of the reported incidents happened within 20 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the second year (32% of incidents). In the last 12 months 20 new complaints were filed, versus 14 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 15% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.

Complaint index

  • vs. all tracked vehicles0.39
  • vs. other Volkswagen models0.56
  • vs. other 2023 models0.39
  • vs. other Compact SUVs0.26
  • Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (32)0.39
  • #37 of 92 · 2023Rankings ›

1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.

Other model years

  • 201833.2 per year0.79
  • 201924.6 per year0.58
  • 202020.8 per year0.49
  • 202124.0 per year0.57
  • 202255.8 per year1.33
  • 202316.3 per year0.39
  • 202423.2 per year0.55
  • 202527.5 per year0.65

Volkswagen Tiguan problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›

What owners complain about

  • Engine22 · 36.7% · 1.65×
  • Electrical9 · 15.0% · 0.95×
  • Interior & equipment8 · 13.3% · 1.48×
  • Transmission / powertrain5 · 8.3% · 0.71×
  • Brakes3 · 5.0% · 0.82×
  • Fuel system3 · 5.0% · 1.16×
  • Driver-assist systems3 · 5.0% · 0.87×
  • Body & structure3 · 5.0% · 0.55×

vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average

Engine · Common terms in reports

  • oil15
  • consumption9
  • add6
  • separator3
  • low8
  • light13

Electrical · Common terms in reports

  • displays3
  • safety6
  • feature3
  • serious3
  • screen3
  • inspection3

Interior & equipment · Common terms in reports

Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Interior & equipment · Body & structure · Driver-assist systems · Transmission / powertrain · Brakes · Airbags & seat belts

When complaints were filed

2023: 15 15 2023 2024: 17 17 2024 2025: 15 15 2025 2026: 13 13 2026
  • Crashes reported: 1
  • Fires reported: 0
  • Injuries: 1
  • Deaths: 0

Vehicle age at incident

  • <1 yr30.0%
  • 1–2 yrs31.7%
  • 2–3 yrs23.3%
  • 3–5 yrs15.0%
  • 5+ yrs0.0%

Median age at incident: 20 months

What owners report

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · 2023 · Compact SUVs

ModelsComplaintsComplaints per year on the roadComplaint index
2023 Jeep Cherokee30.80.02
2023 Jeep Compass4512.20.29
2023 Volkswagen Tiguan6016.30.39
2023 Mazda CX-56116.60.39
2023 Subaru Forester7319.90.47
2023 Chevrolet Equinox9425.60.61
2023 Ford Escape12935.10.83
2023 Hyundai Tucson17447.41.13
2023 Toyota RAV422160.11.43
2023 Kia Sportage29780.81.92
2023 Honda CR-V626170.44.05
2023 Nissan Rogue698190.04.52

Safety recalls (1)

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE Campaign 25V082000 · 2025-02-12

Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Tiguan, 2023 Arteon, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 vehicles. An error may occur in the camera control unit at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners April 3, 2024, and Volkswagen owners November 18, 2025.Volkswagen owners will receive a second notice once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Volkswagen) 91NY and (Audi) 90AV.

How to check whether your car has an open recall ›

Investigations

No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints were filed for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

60 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, or about 16.3 per year on the road.

What is the most common problem reported for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The most common category is Engine, accounting for 36.7% of complaints.

Does the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall(s) for this model year.

Is the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan still generating complaints?

In the last 12 months 20 new complaints were filed, versus 14 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.

How does the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan compare with similar vehicles?

NHTSA has received 60 owner complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, or 16.3 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.39, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2023 vehicles we track, it ranks #37 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Volkswagen models its rate is 44% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 74% lower.