Car · Volkswagen problems

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan problems

288 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (28% of them). NHTSA also lists 458 service bulletins and 14 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 11. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 288 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling82 · 28%
• Other or unknown53 · 18%
• Power train (transmission and drive)49 · 17%
• Electrical system46 · 16%
• Fuel system41 · 14%
• Body and structure39 · 14%
• Speed control and throttle21 · 7%
• Service brakes20 · 7%

15 smaller areas not shown (113 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 458 repair bulletins from Volkswagen for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. V0116152014815_20Received October 6, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Suggested fuel additive.

2. V0026012081638_2Received September 4, 2026

   Differences between a leak and seepage.

3. V4015022033347_8Received September 4, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Replacement instruction.

4. V4622022067177_5Received September 4, 2026

   Service brakes

   Repair or Replace Information.

5. VOS-26-47Received September 4, 2026

   Electrical system

   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: Part number...

6. V1718062017813_24Received August 5, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement.

7. TT 10-18-02_2Received July 7, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Lubricating engine components before reassembly.

8. TT 13-20-01_3Received July 7, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. Recall repairs are free at a Volkswagen dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 18V159000March 8, 2018

   Engine

   The engine support bolts on these vehicles may not have been properly tightened.

2. 18V824000November 26, 2018

   Electrical system

   The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open.

3. 18V324000May 16, 2018Do not drive notice

   Suspension

   The nut that holds the lower ball joint of the front wheel on each side of the vehicle may be loose or improperly tightened.

See all 14 recalls for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Tiguan will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 82 complaints · 28%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 49 complaints · 17%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 46 complaints · 16%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Fuel system 41 complaints · 14%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Of the 288 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, 82 (28%) name engine and engine cooling, and 49 (17%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 5 of the 288 complaints as involving a crash and 3 as involving a fire. They also reported 11 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have?

NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. Recall repairs are free at a Volkswagen dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 458 repair bulletins for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.

More

• 2022 Tiguan problems
• 2018 recalls
• All Volkswagen recalls
• Volkswagen problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.