2023 Volkswagen Tiguan problems & reliability
59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles were involved in 6 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 20 | 34% |
| Electrical System → | 10 | 17% |
| Unknown OR Other | 10 | 17% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 | 12% |
| Power Train | 7 | 12% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 7% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“XXX my Tiguan was serviced at Byers VW and received the recommended 80k maintenance. During this recommended service my vehicle passed the multi-point inspection except tires and brakes. On XXX I contacted your service department because as I was driving to [XXX] my check oil level came on. An appointment was…”
Engine · filed Jul 16, 2026
“Excessive oil consumption. Check Oil Level light comes on repeatedly between oil changes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealer has now looked at the issue 2x. Potential safety issue should the engine be affected while driving. The problem has not been reproduced by the dealer. The vehicle…”
Engine · filed Jul 15, 2026
“23 Tiguan..been having to top off oil every couple thousand miles sometimes up to a quart and they tell me it's within "tolerance" to lose oil. Bad pcv caused leak at timing seal and oil pan, oil everywhere needs extensive cleanup. This consumption has happened consistently since buying the vehicle and am being told…”
Engine · filed Jun 1, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
340 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The 10 most recent:
MIB3 Recovery Solution
V9123042071790_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 20, 2026
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery…
VOS-26-42 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 15, 2026
Over-the-Air Software Update Dealer Recovery Process
V9126042082628_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
V1718062017813_24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
Replace the steering column switch for Ghost (mystery) activation.
V9426012082648_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2026
Over-the-Air Software Update Dealer Recovery Process
V9126042082628_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 6, 2026
Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
TT 13-20-01_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
TT 10-18-02_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
This OTA update addresses a potential issue with special characters being broadcast over HD radio.
Dealer 91UB · Over The Air · issued Jun 15, 2026
Your vehicle is currently eligible for the 91UB software update designed to:
Customer email_91UB · Over The Air · issued Jun 15, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.