- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 96
- Complaints citing a crash
- 4
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 19V535000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Consequence
Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
- 16V464000high
Latches/locks/linkages
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
Consequence
If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 3 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 4 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 18.5%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 5 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 18.5% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
21
City
26
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 393 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan ranks 4th of 5 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2016 — 2 MPG short of the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the lower third of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $3,300, $850 more than the $2,450 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $16,500, a $4,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 393 grams per mile — about 5.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
96 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 96
- Total
- 4
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
Most reported components
- AIR BAGS37
- OTHER15
- ENGINE13
- ELECTRICAL8
- STEERING6
Notable Issues
96 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve injuries. 4 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, newest first.
- Recall
Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA18003
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
- Recall
If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
21
City
26
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $3,300
- Fuel
- Premium Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA18003
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
- Recall
If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.