NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 97 owner complaints for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Recalled components: air bags and latches, locks and linkages. Most-described problem: the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (24 complaints, 25%). Most-reported area: air bags (37 complaints, 38%).
One of the best Tiguan years by owner complaints
The 2016 drew 13 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 42 for a typical Tiguan year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
Years to avoid: 2018 and 2022; best years: 2016 and 2017. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
Risk: Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
Risk: If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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 listing: TIGUAN. Volkswagen campaign 58C9.
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's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.
What owners report
Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Tiguan. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: frontal, driver clockspring/spiral cassette (6)
Electrical system27 · 28%
Steering13 · 13%
Engine10 · 10%
Body structure6 · 6%
Most named: body (6)
Fuel and propulsion system4 · 4%
Brakes3 · 3%
Unknown or other23 · 24%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Volkswagen Tiguan recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2016 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 2016 drew 13.
Owner complaints
2016: 97 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
162
2012
153
2013
140
2014
84
2015
62
2016
97
2017
77
2018
296
2019
196
2020
141
2021
146
2022
281
2023
72
2024
80
2025
58
2026
38
Safety recalls
2016: 2 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 97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, the problems described most are the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (24), a shattered sunroof (8), and the check engine light coming on (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.
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 Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 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.