2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Safety Report
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (5) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (170) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 6 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Unknown Or Other | Compare unknown or other issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2017 | Compare against the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan with 70 complaints and 4 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2018 | Check the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan before buying across this generation. |
Volkswagen Tiguan Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Volkswagen Tiguan years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan | 120 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan | 269 | 13 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan | 109 | 5 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan | 70 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan | 211 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan | 95 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Unknown Or Other
20 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Volkswagen onlyElectrical System
18 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Volkswagen onlyForward Collision Avoidance
13 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Forward Collision Avoidance issues Volkswagen onlyEngine
12 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Volkswagen onlyService Brakes
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Volkswagen onlyPower Train
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Volkswagen onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
Reliability Score
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan receives a reliability score of 55 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates average reliability — some notable concerns exist that prospective buyers should be aware of.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System Multiple recalls have been issued for electrical system issues, including instrument cluster problems and starter system failures. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Recalls have been issued for forward collision avoidance system malfunctions, which can affect safety during driving. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Engine Engine issues have been reported, including delayed acceleration and sudden loss of power, which can be dangerous. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Car Shutting Off While Driving There are numerous reports of the car shutting off while driving, which can be extremely dangerous and lead to loss of control. |
High | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan:
Issues with the electrical system, including instrument cluster and starter system failures.
Problems with engine performance, including delayed acceleration and sudden loss of power.
Reports of the car shutting off while driving, which can be dangerous.
Issues with the forward collision avoidance system, which can affect safety during driving.
Recall Details for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
The following 5 recalls have been issued for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan by NHTSA:
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirem...
Consequence: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Consequence: An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The tire information label contains inaccurate tire dimension and inflation pressure specifications. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: The incorrect specifications can result in improper tire inflations or to installing a tire of the wrong size on the vehicle. Either of these situations can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D2.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
Consequence: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Consequence: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1 complaint involved crashes.
The starter system failed & yes it is available for inspection. Others & my safety was put at risk, as the car shut off while I was driving. The gauges turned off, I could not see how fast I was going and the turning and brake lights did not work either, the radio & a/c all turned off. The problem has been reproduced while the vehicle is parked on hot days and in the winter when the the heater is ...
Car turns off while driving and says to check starter system when sitting in the sun, mechanics can not find anything wrong. Has happened twice in a two week period
Relates to the Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch that for some reason is only applied to Jetta's but needs to be expanded to include 2019 Tiguans . In vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch, the polyfuse can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high temperature environments. If the polyfuse fails, it can result in the engine stalling while driving and failure of ...
When it is hot out, while i am driving the car will say "pull over, shutting down" and then it says "please check the starter system." The car will just shut off This was SOO dangerous. This happened on the highway, with my two kids in the car and nothing worked. everything black and my blinkers and lights werent working and just stopped in the middle of the street and wouldn't turn on. VERY UNSA...
Experienced water leaks due to improperly routed sun roof drains. Experienced air bag electrical malfunctions, locking doors and unlocking doors, and air bag sensor/wiring harness inside passenger door.
Well driving on highway, front portion of sunroof shattered. Very loud, exploding sound.
Parking brake would not disengage and the shop told me it was because water was in the floor pan behind the passenger seat and it’s causing shorts In the electrical system. The cause of the water was diagnosed as a leaking sunroof. This has caused me loss of vehicle, time and too much money!
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that after a heavy rainstorm, approximately 4-inches of water was discovered in the rear driver’s side floor and on the rear driver’s side seat. Upon inspection, the contact discovered mold inside the vehicle due to the rainwater entering the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was due to a faulty drainage from the sunroof. Th...
My 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan suddenly shut off on the highway with my children in the car. The vehicle lost all power, including steering, air conditioning, radio, navigation, and windows. I was barely able to coast to safety. The dealership diagnosed the issue as the ignition switch, part number 5Q1 905 865. This is the exact same part number included in Volkswagen’s current recall of nearly 50,000 ...
When it’s hot outside I get a warning about the starting system then all the electronics shut off including all dash, radio, and exterior lights
My car has delayed acceleration issues of between 3 - 6 seconds. The last one that was 6 seconds ore more was on June 29. In addition it's happened several times. I took the vehicle in for its last service and was told the issue was my battery. Battery was replaced and issue not resolved. The service before that I was told it was a carbon build up. Continues to happen sporadically.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 68 MPH, there was a booming sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stopped to inspect the vehicle and discovered that the rear glass sunroof panel had shattered from the inside and shards of glass were ejected from the sunroof panel. The contact wrapped the roof with plastic to secure the damaged sec...
I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing safety concern regarding my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, with VIN [XXX] . Despite reaching out to Volkswagen of America on August 18th, 2025, and visiting my local dealership multiple times, the issue remains unresolved. The problem is with the gas pedal, which fails to accelerate properly when starting from a standstill, such as when reversing or dri...
When trying to accelerate from a full stop the car is not accelerating when pressing the gas pedal. It happened at a stop light, I pressed the gas, the car went nowhere, pressed the gas harder until gas pedal was floored and then the car accelerates forward very quickly. Also happened when i was making a left turn crossing 2 lanes of traffic. Stepped off the gas to make a left turn, car begins to ...
When the car is at a complete stop such as at a light or pulling onto a street, when you press the gas there will be a delay before it lurches forward. This becomes a very real safety risk trying to pull onto busy roads or even at lights. This car has been taken into multiple shops without it being fixed, the last one kept saying they had no idea why since there are no warning lights. They said th...
Water pump leak/failure
High oil consumption
On three (3) separate occasions, my 2019 VW Tiguan has produced an error stating "Check Starter System" on the console and shut down electrical systems such as instrument panel, brake lights, headlights, taillights, back up camera, and other electrical systems while driving. All three (3) situations followed the same series of events whereas the car was out in the sunlight on warmer days (70+ degr...
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving in extremely hot weather, the fault code message stating that the ignition was switched off, check the starter system, and to please pull over to the side of the road was displayed, while emitting a beeping sound to alarm the driver. The electrical systems, excluding the engine, became disabled. The c...
My vehicle will have a slow start when I start the car and also a delay when it is at a stoplight. I took it in for service twice and they told me it was because I had an after market battery. However - yesterday my car completely went dead at a stop light and I had to turn the engine off and in. It often lags or stops at a light. According to Reddit it seems it’s a crank start issue.
Showing 20 of 170 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
Has the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN been recalled?
Yes, the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 5 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
The 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 170 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 5 involved crashes. 4 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN involve unknown or other (20 complaints), electrical system (18 complaints), forward collision avoidance (13 complaints). Other affected components include engine, service brakes, power train.
How many crash reports does the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
There are 5 crash reports associated with the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN out of 170 total complaints (2.9% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN out of 170 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN.
How many injuries are reported for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
4 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN is acceptable with caveats. It has 170 complaints, 5 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The components with the most failures on the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN are: 1. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (20 complaints), 2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (18 complaints), 3. FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (13 complaints), 4. ENGINE (12 complaints), 5. SERVICE BRAKES (10 complaints). UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the single most-reported problem area with 20 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Be cautious of electrical system and engine issues, and be prepared for the car to shut off while driving. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 170 NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN receives a reliability score of 55/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 170 owner complaints, 5 recalls, and 6 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Electrical System and Forward Collision Avoidance.
What are the known issues with the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Known issues with the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN include: Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance, Engine, Car Shutting Off While Driving. These are based on patterns found across 170 NHTSA complaints. 5 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most common issues include electrical system failures, engine problems, and the car shutting off while driving.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes, multiple recalls have been issued for electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and engine issues.
What should I do if my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan starts shutting off while driving?
If your car shuts off while driving, pull over safely and contact a mechanic to diagnose and repair the issue.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of electrical system and engine issues, and be prepared for the car to shut off while driving. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The data includes 170 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 5 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 5 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 4 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16