What 160 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited

FUSE BOX MELTING CAUSING LIGHT SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. FAULTY DESIGN/METAL SCREW NEXT TO 30 AMP FUSE CAUSING ARC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10554647

LIGHTS STARTED RANDOMLY GOING OFF AND ON..IT WOULD BE LEFT FRONT LOW BEAM AND RIGHT FRONT HIGH BEAM THEN NO TAIL LIGHTS OR TURN SIGNAL, ETC. BUT AFTER A FEW MINS THEY WOULD COME BACK ON THEN GO BACK OFF. IT IS GWTTIN WORSE AND OCCURS MORE OFTEN NOW AND I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING IT AT NIGHT. *TR

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PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT NOT LIGHTING, THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE SAME SIDE DOES NOT WORK AND THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT DOES NOT WORK. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING I RECEIVED MULTIPLE ALERTS OF BULB FAILURES AND HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, TAIL LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. CAUSE WAS A FUSE AND SOCKET IN THE FUSE BOX THAT MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CHECKED THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED RECALL HOWEVER MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED SO I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. *TR

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ALERT MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION DISPLAY STATING THAT MULTIPLE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. I CHECKED AND THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY SIX EXTERIOR LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT WORKING. MY HUSBAND SUGGESTED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A FUSE. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH TO SEE IF I COULD DETERMINE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I FOUND ARTICLES ON SEVERAL REPUTABLE NEWS SITES STATING THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR 800,000 TIGUAN MODELS WORLDWIDE FOR LIGHTING ISSUES. WHEN I CALLED OUR LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS. *TR

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MY 2011 TIGUAN IS ERRONEOUSLY AND INTERMITTENTLY REPORTING THAT LAMPS ARE OUT. I WENT TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A MELTED FUSE BOX. I HAVE BEEN ON A LOT OF FORUM ONLINE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FINDING AMONG VW OWNERS,MORE SO TIGUAN. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY VWOFA HAS NOT LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE AS YET. MY BRAKE LIGHTS, MY TAIL LIGHTS, MY HEADLIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. THE IDEA THAT A FUSE BOX COULD BE MELTING UNDER THE HOOD IS QUITE DISTURBING. VW SHOULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THAT 3/36K MILES WARRANTY THAT WOULD POSSIBLY COVER IT, DOES NOT CUT IT, CONSIDERING THAT THIS ISSUE USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND 40K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553299

THE FUSE BOX IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MELTED. THIS CAUSED MY FRONT-RIGHT HEADLIGHT, REAR-LEFT BRAKE AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHT, AND MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT TO STOP WORKING. MY CAR IS ALL STOCK AND I'VE DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE IT TO EXERT EXCESS ELECTRICAL POWER. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VW AND IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553122

MY BOUGHT NEW 2011 TIGUAN SE LIGHTS WERE GOING OUT-!FRONT HEAD LIGHT, FOG LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS , LICENSE PLATE DUE WHAT VW SAID WAS A MELTED FUSE BOX. ALSO MY CAR WOULD STALE AT LOW MPH IN THE WINTER TIME SINCE I PURCHASED IT FEB 2011( VW SERVICE RESPONSE WHEN I INITIALLY CALLED " IT COULD BE DUE TO COLD WEATHERB" WHERE ( MICHIGAN FEBRUARY) KNOWING WE HAVE COLD WINTERS WHY WOULD THEY SELL THESE CARS IN THIS CLIMATE ?! SAID IT COULD BE DUE TO ONE PROBLEM WHICH THEY FIXED AND NOW IT'S CUZ THE MELTED FUSE BOX). *TR

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I BOUGHT A NEW 2011 TIGUAN SE AND IT STALLS OUT AT AROUND 5 MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGERS IN PARKING LOTS ( ROLLED INTO LIGHT POST). VW SERVICE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO A BAD FUEL INJECTOR WHICH THEY REPLACED , WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER THEY SAID IT WAS A MELTED FUSE BOX ON TOP OF MY LIGHTS GOING OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10552906

WHILE DRIVING... MULTIPLE EXTERIOR LIGHTS (BRAKELIGHTS. HEADLIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, FOG LIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS) FAILED... WOULD NOT FIX ITSELF AFTER SHUTTING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND WAS NOTIFIED IT WAS A MELTED FUSEBOX. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10552740

2011 VW TIGUAN - LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, SIGNALS) ALL RANDOMLY TURN OFF FOR VARYING PERIODS OF TIME. THE WARNING INDICATOR IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR INDICATES A LIGHT IS OUT. RESEARCH INDICATED POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX ISSUE, FURTHER INVESTIGATION CONFIRMED THIS. A FUSE IN THE ENGINE FUSE BOX APPEARS FAULTY AND HAS BEGUN MELTING THE FUSE BOX ITSELF. IT APPEARS THERE ARE NUMEROUS TIGUANS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2009 AND 2011 WHICH ARE AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. I AM CURRENTLY PLACING MYSELF AND OTHERS AT RISK ON THE ROAD. I WILL SEEK TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED BUT WOULD LIKE VW OF AMERICA AND OTHER DRIVERS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT POSES MORE OF A SAFETY CONCERN, OR AN INJURY. *TR

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AFTER DRIVING THREE HOURS I STOPPED TO GET FUEL. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR TO LEAVE THE GAS STATION I SAW AND HEARD THE DIRECTIONAL FLASHER SPEED UP. I TURNED OFF THE DIRECTIONAL ONCE I EXITED THE STATION. I THEN SIGNALED TO TURN RIGHT AND THE FLASHER INCREASED FLASHING SPEED AFTER 5 SECONDS. I THEN RECEIVED NUMEROUS DIFFERENT BULB OUT MESSAGES ON THE MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAY. I GOT OUT AND LOOKED AND FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT OUT AS WELL AS NUMEROUS AMBER AND RED LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. THE DIRECTIONAL ON THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY IS WORKING THEN WHEN I PARKED THE CAR IT SHOWED THE REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHT IS OUT. I CONFIRMED THIS LIGHT IS OUT NOW. THIS WAS NIGHT DRIVING AND THIS VEHICLE HAD A MAJOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING MULTIPLE LIGHTS INCLUDING HEAD LAMPS TO BE OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE SCHEDULED TO BE SERVICED AND DIAGNOSED SHORTLY AT A VW DEALER. *TR

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I WAS AT WORK WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF A PARKING GARAGE. WHEN I CAME OUT TO LEAVE FOR HOME, I STARTED THE CAR AND IT IMMEDIATELY INDICATED VIA CENTER MFD DISPLAY THAT ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS NEED TO BE CHECKED. LEFT LOW BEAM, RIGHT LOW BEAM, LEFT TURN SIGNAL, RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, ETC. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT SEE ME UNTIL 5 DAYS LATER. THE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS WERE BACK ON. I MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR 5 DAYS LATER AND THE DEALER, UNDER WARRANTY, REPLACED A MELTED FUSE AND FUSE BLOCK UNDER THE HOOD. I ASKED IF THEY CORRECTED ROOT CAUSE AND THEY SAID, "NO! WE JUST REPLACED THE BAD PARTS." *TR

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WHILE OPERATING THE 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN, ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 65MPH, EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE THAT CAUSED A HEADLIGHT / DRIVING LIGHT / TURN SIGNAL / BRAKE LIGHT / MARKER LIGHT AND PLATE LIGHT FAILURE. THE FAILURE BECAME INTERMITTENT UNTIL TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. DEALER STATED "LOOKED UP WIRING DIAGRAM AND TRACED TO A FUSE IN ENGINE FUSE BLOCK. / FUSE NOT BLOWN, BUT HAS CORROSION. REMOVED FUSE AND FOUND FUSE BLOCK MELTING. NEEDS FUSE AND BLOCK. REPLACED BOTH AND LIGHTING OK NOW. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS, BRAKE, AND TURN SIGNALS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A MELTED FUSE IN THE FUSE BOX AND AS A RESULT, THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ODI 10551953

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUSE UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE LIGHT AFTER THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI 10551979

WHEN STARTING MY CAR (AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR OVER 24 HRS) I IMMEDIATELY GOT A "CHECK LEFT FRONT LOWBEAM" WARNING PLUS A WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH. TURNED OFF THE CAR, TURNED IT BACK ON TO SEE IF IT CLEARED. THEN I GOT THE SAME WARNING PLUS "CHECK LEFT FRONT FOG LIGHT". GOT OUT OF THE CAR, SURE ENOUGH, THEY WERE BOTH OUT. I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THEY WERE BOTH OUT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT POSSIBLY JUST A BULB OR FUSE. STARTED TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND MORE WARNINGS FOR DIFFERENT LIGHTS KEPT COMING UP. I TURNED AROUND AND WENT HOME (HAD GONE MAYBE A .25 MILE). MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER, AND BY THE TIME I DROVE MY CAR IN (5.5 MILES DOOR TO DOOR) ALL OF MY EXTERIOR LIGHTS HAD THROWN A WARNING AND WERE NO LONGER WORKING (HIGH BEAMS, LOW BEAMS, FOG LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHTS, ETC. ETC.). THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ALL OF MY LIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUSE PANEL AND MELTED FUSE, WHICH WAS REPLACED (THANKFULLY) UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY (WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER $600 TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT FAILED 1100 MILES AFTER MY FACTORY WARRANTY OTHERWISE). DEALER TOLD ME THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUSE PANEL WITH A REDESIGNED ONE. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE THEY WERE AWARE OF OF THIS HAPPENING, BUT INDICATED NO RECALL HAD BEEN DECLARED. I AM HOPEFUL THIS FIX ELIMINATES THE ISSUE FROM HAPPENING IN ANOTHER 30-40K MILES, AND THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER FAILURES OR PERFORMANCE DEGREDATION IN OTHER COMPONENTS AS A RESULT. HOPEFULLY THIS PART WILL BE RECALLED BEFORE THIS ELECTRICAL GREMLIN HITS TOO MANY OTHER VEHICLES. I'M LUCKY THIS HAPPENED DURING THE DAY IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON A SNOWY MOUNTAIN PASS AT NIGHT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE HEAD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10551509

FIRST NOTICED HEADLIGHT OUT, CHANGED IT AND STILL DID NOT WORK. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL ALSO DID NOT WORK. I WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT NOT ONLY DID THE FRONT HEADLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL NOT WORK BUT ALSO THE OPPOSITE REAR BRAKE AND TURN SIGNAL AS WELL. CLEARLY SOMETHING IS WRONG. I WENT TO CHECK THE FUSE IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AS WAS THE BOX ITSELF! YOU CAN NOT JUST REPLACE THE FUSE BECAUSE THE BOX IS DAMAGED AND YOU CAN'T JUST REPLACE THE BOX BECAUSE THERE IS TO MUCH AMPAGE GOING TO THE BOX THAT WILL CAUSE IT TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN! VW NEEDS TO MAKE THIS WRONG, RIGHT! *TR

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LOST HALF OF ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTING WHEN THE FUSE BOX MELTED AT A 30 AMP FUSE. BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEAD LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549584

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AS THE LIGHTING MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MAIN FUSE PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

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MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ITEMS WERE REPORTED AS FAILING BY THE VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER (LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT, BACKUP LIGHT, SIDE MARKER LIGHT, FOG LIGHT, THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, ETC.) AND CONFIRMED BY PERFORMING A WALK AROUND OF THE VEHICLE. AN ONLINE SEARCH PROVIDED INFORMATION RELATING TO SIMILAR ISSUES FOR OTHER VW OWNERS. THE ISSUE WAS A FUSE, LOCATED IN A FUSE BLOCK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, THAT HAD MELTED ON ONE SIDE OF THE FUSE ENOUGH TO TEAR THE FUSE LINK FROM THE FUSE BLADE. THE FUSE WAS REMOVED, HOWEVER, ENOUGH DAMAGE HAS BEEN SUFFERED BY THE FUSE SOCKET THAT A NEW FUSE CANNOT BE INSERTED. A NEW FUSE BLOCK ASSEMBLY WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. THERE IS CLEARLY AN UNDERLYING ISSUE WITH THE FUSE BLOCK DESIGN. OVERHEATING OF THE FUSE BLADE, CAUSED BY A POOR CONNECTION, IS DESTROYING THE FUSE BODY AND SOCKET. THIS ISSUE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE LIGHTING COMPONENTS ARE RENDERED USELESS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

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TRAVELING NORTH/WEST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 94 IN MAPLE GROVE, MN. CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER, STARTED STUTTERING, AND THEN SHUT OFF. WAITED 2 HOURS FOR A TOW ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WITH A 3 YEAR OLD IN 90 DEGREE HEAT. *TR WAS TOWED TO LUTHER WEST SIDE VW DEALER AND THEY FOUND A FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THERE HAS BEEN ONGOING ISSUES WITH THESE PUMPS IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS 2009 AND 2010. THOSE YEARS WERE INVESTIGATED BY THE NTSB PREVIOUSLY AND THE VW WARRANTY FOR THE PART WAS EXTENDED AS A RESULT. BUT AS OF NOW VW IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PART UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10542745

INTERMITTENT CHECK LIGHTS CYCLES THROUGH AND SHOWS HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, THEN BRAKE LIGHTS. WHEN I TAKE INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CHECK THE COMPUTER AND SAY THAT THERE IS NO HARD RECORDED ERROR. THE DANGER IS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND ONCE AT NIGHT TO WHERE MY CAR WAS LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE BLINKING ON AND OFF. I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED WHEN BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING CAN BE FOUND. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE PASSENGER SEAT FROM THE RECLINED POSITION BUT THE SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT WAS INFORMED THE SEATS WERE DESIGNED NOT TO RAISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN UNLESS THE DRIVER PHYSICALLY LIFTED THE SEAT FOR THE PASSENGER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ALSO STATED THE SEAT WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

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