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2014 Volkswagen Tiguan problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 84owner complaints
- 2crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 23%fail the UK MOT
84 complaints, against an average of 128 for the other 14 Volkswagen Tiguan model years.
Every Volkswagen Tiguan model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The components named most often in the 84 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 84 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?25 owners · 29.8% · Recall 15V483000
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?8 owners · 9.5%
- Why does my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan stall, lose power or shut off while driving?4 owners · 4.8% · Recall 14V441000
- What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan engine?3 owners · 3.6%
Has the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Unknown Or Other Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Air Bags: Frontal Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel System, Gasoline Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.
Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.
Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSASteering rack bolt replacement
Risk: On vehicles of a limited production period corrosion can cause a tear of a bolt head on the steering rack. This can result in a loss of steering functionality.
Fix: On the affected vehicles the affected bolted connection of the steering rack is replaced on the right-hand side of the subframe.
UK DVSATakata Front airbag
Risk: The function of the driver airbag inflators can degrade due to air and moisture ingress.
Fix: Replace airbag
EU Safety GateMoisture ingress could lead to corrosion of a steering rack bolt, which may result in a fracture of the bolt and a loss of steering…Moisture ingress could lead to corrosion of a steering rack bolt, which may result in a fracture of the bolt and a loss of steering capability, increasing the risk of accidents.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 07/10/2026
EU Safety GateThe propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.If the airbags deploy, it can result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateCars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general…Cars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general public. There is a possibility that certain safety systems of these cars are not correctly modified for street use.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe airbag may deploy incorrectly as a result of defective welding of the gas generator.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2014, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan owners report?
12 of the 84 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
My vehicle stalls and completely stops at red lights, stop signs, and low speeds. Currently my vehicle is stalling and stopping at accelerated speeds at 20 mph.
My 2014 Tiguan, VIN [XXX], has been serviced at an authorized VW dealer since I purchased it. From 2014 to December 2025, the vehicle was serviced at a VW dealer and March 2026 to present at a service facility that only works on VWs and is owned and operated by a prior VW certified technician who only works on VWs. My vehicle has been serviced at all the VW recommended maintenance mileage. Looking back at the maintenance records, I can see that in March and August 2025, my vehicle experienced a check engine light issue that resulted in EVAP system small leak fault and vibration at start up…
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while reversing, the steering wheel became locked and failed to steer in the left or right direction. No warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact managed to temporarily unlock the steering wheel; however, after driving at approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel suddenly became difficult to steer. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained for further investigation. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000.
Check engine light came on, related to the thermostat and faulty water pump. My car’s make and model was part of a settlement for this issue but VW corporate will not cover costs to repair.
My vehicle keeps losing power steering, often during operation.
Clock spring broken when my wife turned her steering wheel leaving a parking lot. Airbags no longer work, along with anything electronic within steering wheel.
Clock Spring in steering wheel is broken. Driver Airbag is non-functional, as are the controls on the steering wheel. No Driver air bag is a huge safety issue! We immediately "scheduled" an appointment to have this issue repaired. At the appointment, a VW dealer (VW Castle Downers Grove IL) confirmed the issue and noted that this was the subject of a recall (15V483000) with an ongoing & perpetual duty to repair. Despite the recall, the dealer does not have the parts, nor can they provide a date when they might be available (they are "backordered"). We checked with another dealer, and this…
I was turning into a parking spot and heard a loud “snap” coming from my wheel. The “error: airbag” light came on and all electrical on my wheel stopped working. And the horn does not work. I googled it and my year and model has a recall for the clock spring. It says my airbag will not deploy. I have no way to change the computer screen. So I can’t digitally see my speed and I can’t update my tire pressure amongst other things.
Airbag light came on. At the same time we lost all of our steering wheel controls as well as our horn. Some vehicles are covered by a recall but supposedly this yr and model isn't covered for some reason
We were driving on a highway and all of a sudden felt/heard a loud bang causing the car to swerve. We slowed down and there was a continuous loud rattling sound. We brought the car to the dealership and they told us the coil springs were fractured. Had to pay for the replacement- $2,825.73. Then we learned that the later models were recalled, but not this one. Then I heard that there was a recall from 2019 onwards, but nothing for our model year. We asked them to talk to Volkswagen and they said it was not worth it as they would not do anything about it. Something is not right.
i Was Driving my Vehicle and suddenly the Air Bag and ABS lights went on my dashboard
TAKATA RECALL I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON 2015,USED WITH 35,000 MILES,AND I GOT WARRANTY. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TO TAKE MY LITTLE KIDS -18 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER,AND 2 MONTHS OLD BOY,ON THE DAYCARE,I HEARD NOISE,LIKE CLICKING ,AND LIKE A BROKEN THING.I TRIED TO USE THE HORN.IT DIDN'T WORK.AND ON MY DASHBOARD I SAW THE WARNING LIGHT OF AIRBAGS.AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL WAS NOT WORKING.I STOPPED IN ONESIDE OF HIGHWAY AND CALLED MY HUSBAND.IT WAS REALLY SCARY SITUATION. THE STEERING WHEELS IS TO HARD TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT. I PANIC ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I HAVE LITTLE KIDS THAT I HAVE TO TAKE AT DAYCARE…
Volkswagen guides on CarHooq
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan: questions owners ask
Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan; the most common categories were air bags (46, 54.8%), electrical system (22, 26.2%), steering (20, 23.8%). There are 3 safety recalls. 2 complaints mention a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Across 84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (54.8% of complaints), electrical system (26.2% of complaints), steering (23.8% of complaints), engine (13.1% of complaints), service brakes (4.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan; the most recent (campaign 18V329000, 2018-05-16) concerns Unknown Or Other. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
25 of the 84 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan (29.8%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. A related recall exists: campaign 15V483000 (air bags: frontal). The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. One owner wrote: "Airbag light came on. At the same time we lost all of our steering wheel controls as well as our horn. Some vehicles are covered by a recall but supposedly this yr and model isn't covered for some reason" (NHTSA complaint 11496664, December 2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
8 of the 84 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan (9.5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Check engine light came on, related to the thermostat and faulty water pump. My car’s make and model was part of a settlement for this issue but VW corporate will not cover costs to repair." (NHTSA complaint 11726729, March 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
4 of the 84 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan (4.8%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. A related recall exists: campaign 14V441000 (fuel system, gasoline). The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. One owner wrote: "My vehicle stalls and completely stops at red lights, stop signs, and low speeds. Currently my vehicle is stalling and stopping at accelerated speeds at 20 mph." (NHTSA complaint 11761342, September 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan engine?
3 of the 84 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan (3.6%) describe a knocking, ticking or rattling engine noise. One owner wrote: "Timing chain “extended” during driving resulting in the car to start to shudder and shake violently during movement. Had to force the vehicle off the side of the road. Car is 66k miles, timing chain is rated at 120k+. Engine block is now totaled." (NHTSA complaint 11497105, December 2022). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Tiguan
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2014 only.