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2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
Solid pick — the complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
95 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (39% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (37) · Electrical system (27) · Steering (12) · Engine (9)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
39%37 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Airbag error light on dashboard, passenger seat shorted out water pooled under passenger seats front and rear soaking wet coming up through carpets with moldy smell. Y…”
Electrical system
28%27 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“Electronic Power Steering fails and there is a loss of control with turning the wheel (left/right). This is a hazard especially on the road as it not only puts myself …”
Steering
13%12 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“I’ll be driving for 2-10 minutes and power steering cuts out. Wheel will jerk a little and alarm will sound with the alert light remaining red through remainder of dri…”
Engine
9%9 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I had a coolant leak and needed to replace the water pump. My control arms were corroded out at 67k miles and needed to be replaced.”
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 19V535000
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.
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.
Latches/locks/linkages · 16V464000
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.
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.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Volkswagen TIGUAN beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Tiguan model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.