NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 84 owner complaints for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan. It has 1 open investigation that names this model year.
Recalled components: air bags and fuel system. Most-described problem: the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (30 complaints, 36%). Most-reported area: air bags (46 complaints, 55%; median mileage when it happened: 50,500).
Fewer complaints than a typical Tiguan year
The 2014 drew 8 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 42 for a typical Tiguan year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.
Years to avoid: 2018 and 2022; best year: 2017. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016e-Golf,2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.
Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations that name the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan; 1 is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Air bag clockspring failure
Engineering analysis EA18003Open since Apr 18, 2018
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: TIGUAN. Component: Air bags (frontal, driver clockspring/spiral cassette).
Air bag clockspring failure
Recall query RQ17009Closed May 4, 2018 (opened Nov 13, 2017)
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: TIGUAN. Component: Air bags (frontal, driver clockspring/spiral cassette).
Air bag clockspring failure
Preliminary evaluation PE15010Closed Sep 28, 2015 (opened Mar 24, 2015)
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of steering wheel clock spring/steering column control module (SCCM) failures in model year (MY) 2012 Volkswagen Passat… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA ties this investigation to recall 15V-483, listed above.
NHTSA listing: TIGUAN. Components: Air bags; Electrical system.
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. A recall query is a review of whether a recall covered the right vehicles or whether its fix works. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Tiguan. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Airbag warning light or airbag fault30 · 36%
Median 51,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Check engine light9 · 11%
Power steering problems or locked steering5 · 6%
Stalling or shutting off4 · 5%
Timing chain or belt problems4 · 5%
Suspension parts (struts, ball joints, control arms)3 · 4%
Most named: frontal, driver clockspring/spiral cassette (4) · Median 50,500 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
Electrical system22 · 26%
Steering20 · 24%
Engine11 · 13%
Brakes4 · 5%
Fuel and propulsion system3 · 4%
Suspension3 · 4%
Unknown or other9 · 11%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Volkswagen Tiguan recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2014 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Tiguan drew the most (179) and the 2014 drew 8.
Owner complaints
2014: 84 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Volkswagen Tiguan
Model year
Complaints
2010
110
2011
161
2012
153
2013
139
2014
84
2015
62
2016
96
2017
75
2018
290
2019
192
2020
140
2021
141
2022
269
2023
68
2024
71
2025
49
2026
30
Safety recalls
2014: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Volkswagen Tiguan
Model year
Recalls
2010
2
2011
3
2012
3
2013
3
2014
3
2015
4
2016
2
2017
4
2018
14
2019
5
2020
3
2021
5
2022
5
2023
1
2024
2
2025
3
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan, the problems described most are the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (30), the check engine light coming on (9), and power steering problems or locked steering (5). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes. NHTSA has 1 open investigation that names the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan: air bag clockspring failure (EA18003, opened Apr 18, 2018). It has closed 2 others. An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
How do I check if my Tiguan has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Volkswagen dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: TIGUAN.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.