Does the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, the most recent reported on July 17, 2019 (Air bags: air bag/restraint control module). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (37 complaints), followed by electrical system (27).

How many 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints mention a crash or fire?

4 of 97 complaints report a crash and 2 a fire; 3 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2016 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls and problems

2 recalls and 97 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan.

recalls

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2016 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls

Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

NHTSA campaign 19V535000 · reported July 17, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 27,822 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
The 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

NHTSA campaign 16V464000 · reported June 24, 2016 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 5,658 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
The 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Air bags37
Electrical system27
Unknown or other23
Steering13
Engine10
Structure6
Fuel/propulsion system4
Power train3
Service brakes3
Vehicle speed control3

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 19, 2026 · Steering
Steering failure all of a sudden safety concern steering became very difficult the steering wheel became stiff and felt really unsafe. Red light for the steering turned on.

Jul 12, 2026 · Engine
* Purchase Date: January 23, 2016 * Current Mileage: Approximately 71,500 miles For the past several months, my vehicle has experienced continuous engine oil loss. The oil level drops approximately one gallon every two months, and the engine oil warning light has illuminated on multiple occasions. Because of this…

Feb 15, 2026 · Unknown or other · fire reported
UNKNOWN INCIDENT. I had a 2016 VW Tiguan with just over 80k miles (approximately 80,200 mi). On 1/6/2026 about 10 min after driving home from the gym, I heard a small explosion from the garage where my car was parked. The garage was filled with smoke and large flames were visible from under the front end of the…

Nov 3, 2025 · Engine and engine cooling · 88,000 miles
The contact's friend owns a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test showed that the vehicle and…

Oct 26, 2025 · Steering
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 drive. Sometimes it will not work at all while driving, but I’ve found the it usually works for the first few minutes until I speed up a little more.

Tiguan model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2013	3	140	2	1
2014	3	84	2	0
2015	4	62	1	1
2016	2	97	4	2
2017	4	76	6	0
2018	14	288	5	3
2019	5	195	6	1

Across all years, the 2018 Tiguan has the most complaints (288). All Volkswagen Tiguan years →

Questions

Does the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, the most recent reported on July 17, 2019 (Air bags: air bag/restraint control module). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?: Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is air bags (37 complaints), followed by electrical system (27).
How many 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints mention a crash or fire?: 4 of 97 complaints report a crash and 2 a fire; 3 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 19, 2026.