2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Safety Report
2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2023 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 | Moderate (1) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (54) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 1 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Engine | Compare engine issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2026 | Compare against the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan with 5 complaints and 0 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2022 | Check the 2022 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan | 38 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan | 211 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan | 23 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan | 109 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan | 5 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan | 120 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2023 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.
Engine
12 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Volkswagen onlyUnknown Or Other
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Volkswagen onlyElectrical System
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Volkswagen onlyElectrical System,Unknown Or Other
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System,Unknown Or Other issues Volkswagen onlyVehicle Speed Control
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Vehicle Speed Control issues Volkswagen onlyForward Collision Avoidance
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Forward Collision Avoidance issues Volkswagen onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
Reliability Score
The 2023 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 2023 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 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Oil Consumption Several owners have reported high oil consumption, requiring frequent oil top-ups. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Air Conditioning System Fault The air conditioning system has been found to be faulty, leading to discomfort during hot weather. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Instrument Cluster Malfunction Owners have reported that the instrument cluster can become blank, affecting visibility and safety. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Back Up Camera Failure The rearview camera has been reported to malfunction, posing a risk during reversing. |
Low | 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 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan:
Issues with the air conditioning system are common, affecting passenger comfort.
Problems with the instrument cluster have been reported, impacting driving safety.
High oil consumption rates have been noted, requiring frequent maintenance.
Malfunctioning back up camera has been reported, posing a safety risk.
Recall Details for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan by NHTSA:
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Tiguan, 2023 Arteon, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 vehicles. An error may occur in the camera control unit at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners April 3, 2024, and Volkswagen owners November 18, 2025.Volkswagen owners will receive a second notice once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for t...
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1 complaint involved crashes. 1 reported injuries or fatalities.
Air conditioning system is faulty. Purchased a new Volkswagen Tiguan in 2023. The blower motor was faulty in 2024 and was replaced in 2025 the A/C began making noises again and stopped working off and on in September 2025 and now the unit does not work at all.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The failure persisted even after the vehicle had received several oil changes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that an oil change was completed; however, the failure persisted. ...
Currently in the 22-23 Tiguans they are experiencing an oil consumption issue. Where the engine is consuming oil at a fast rate. I am having to add oil to the car every 800-1000 miles. There’s several class action lawsuits against VW for this exact issue yet they refuse to fix the issue in our car even though it is still under warranty. In writing they told me it’s not consuming ENOUGH oil for VW ...
Rear view camera constantly faults, and fails to work, also accelerating issue, surges on take offs. Started in 2024, dealership will tell me they could not replicate, and deny issue.
The instrument cluster became blank suddenly and no longer displays any speed, mileage, temperature or any essential information. It is currently available for inspection. This is a safety issue as I don’t have any speedometer reading or any important vehicle information. This issue occurred without warning.
Oil light continues to come on after about 1,000-1,500 miles after an oil change. This has happen several times now and I have to put oil in it to keep it from ruining the engine. I see hat there have been complaints about this already with these models with excessive oil consumption and even engine failure. This needs to be fixed.
Within 2 minutes into my drive, accelerating from stopped to merging onto a road moving up to about 50mph, the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc) completely turned off and went black for 20 seconds before turning back on. It was only the instrument cluster - the infotainment screen did not turn off. Over the past year or so though, the infotainment center h...
The wireless phone charger in my 2023 VW Tiguan does not function as intended and consistently fails to charge any phone, regardless of placement, brand, or case. The charging pad repeatedly disconnects, overheats the phone, or never initiates charging at all, making the feature completely unusable. This is a safety concern because it encourages drivers to handle their phones while driving after a...
Driving long the interstate in South Carolina, all of a sudden there was a loud explosive sound and a crackling sound accompanied by the loud explosion. It startled me!! I gathered myself and put on hazard lights and got over on the far right lane to pull onto the shoulder of the highway. I thought that a tire or two had blown but was not the case. I got back into the car and started visually ...
• March 26, 2025 – Backup Camera & Sensor Failure: While reversing my Tiguan in a parking lot on a rainy day, both the rearview camera and parking sensors failed simultaneously. The screen did not display the rear view, and the sensors did not activate. Although I checked my mirrors, the low-lying wall on the left was not visible, resulting in damage to the left side of the vehicle. • July 9, 2025...
I purchased this vehicle on August 9th 2025 and it has been in shop 4 times . It is in the shop as I am writing this email. I have had nothing but issues with this vehicle and had to come out of pocket 308 dollars just to find out a problem that I told them that already was an issue the first week I had the car . I am a senior on a fixed income and I cant afford to pay anything more out of pocket ...
I am submitting this report to express serious concerns regarding my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, currently under a lease agreement and serviced exclusively at South Motors Volkswagen in Miami, Florida. The vehicle was originally delivered as a loaner with approximately 1,000 miles and now has 24,000 miles. Since early in the lease, the car has repeatedly displayed low oil warnings, despite being servi...
Back up camera malfunction. Most of the time does not work. Gives message on screen
I own a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan (EA888 2.0L). The Check Engine Light has repeatedly illuminated, and multiple scans show recurring EVAP/emissions and network communication faults: P04F0 (EVAP purge line A performance) and P0451 (fuel tank pressure sensor range/performance), along with U1111 00 (“function limitation due to missing message”) and U1123 00 (“databus error value received”). While drivab...
The contact's granddaughter owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence, where oil was added to the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where an oil change was performed. Additionally, the dealer replaced the oil separator an...
I am experiencing a high oil consumption rate on my 2023 VW Tiguan. VW claims that the rate of consumption is within the 1 Quart every 1200 miles limit, but 3500 miles after an oil change, the check engine oil light came on and I had to add oil. 2000 miles later, it came on again and I had to add oil again. In a 10,000 mile oil change rated car, this would equate to adding 8-9 quarts of oil betwee...
Extreme oil consumption would cause a catastrophic engine failure. Low oil warning light going off (3 times within 3000 miles) requiring the need to add oil. Oil on dipstick is down to the bottom. Had local Big O check it out - oil had been lost. Currently doing a 1000 mile oil consumption test through dealer. Started at around 48,000 miles. Currently have 52,000.
The vehicle experiences intermittent (but daily) accelerator lag or failure to respond when the gas pedal is pressed from a stop. There is a significant delay—sometimes several seconds—before the car begins to move, even when the accelerator is fully depressed. This appears to be related to the power train and/or engine system. The hesitation in acceleration has created multiple unsafe situation...
System: The rearview camera system on my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan failed and has not worked reliably since shortly after lease. The camera intermittently displays a black screen or fails to activate when the vehicle is placed in reverse. This issue has persisted despite normal vehicle use. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This defect presents a serious safety risk....
My Rava car seat was recalled voluntarily due to an issue with the harness tether loosening from debris getting into the latch secondary to a manufacturer design flaw. When replacing my car seat cover as per the recall instructions, I discovered the impact foam on my Rava was completely cracked down the middle. The car seat has never been moved out of my vehicle since the initial install other tha...
Showing 20 of 54 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
Has the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN been recalled?
Yes, the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 1 recall on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
The 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 54 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 1 involved crashes. 1 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN involve engine (12 complaints), unknown or other (6 complaints), electrical system (4 complaints). Other affected components include electrical system,unknown or other, vehicle speed control, forward collision avoidance.
How many crash reports does the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
There are 1 crash reports associated with the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN out of 54 total complaints (1.9% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN have?
There are no fire reports for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN.
How many injuries are reported for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
1 injury has been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN is acceptable with caveats. It has 54 complaints, 1 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The components with the most failures on the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN are: 1. ENGINE (12 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (6 complaints), 3. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4 complaints), 4. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2 complaints), 5. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2 complaints). ENGINE is the single most-reported problem area with 12 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Be cautious of potential electrical system and engine issues, and regularly check the air conditioning and instrument cluster for proper functioning. The 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN has 54 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
The 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN receives a reliability score of 55/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 54 owner complaints, 1 recalls, and 1 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine Oil Consumption and Air Conditioning System Fault.
What are the known issues with the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN?
Known issues with the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN include: Engine Oil Consumption, Air Conditioning System Fault, Instrument Cluster Malfunction, Back Up Camera Failure. These are based on patterns found across 54 NHTSA complaints. 1 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Common issues include engine oil consumption, air conditioning system faults, instrument cluster malfunctions, and back up camera failures.
Are there any recalls for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes, there is a recall for the back over prevention system in certain 2022-2024 Tiguan and 2023 Arteon models.
How often do owners need to service their Tiguan due to these issues?
Owners have reported frequent service visits, with some vehicles requiring service multiple times within a short period.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of potential electrical system and engine issues, and regularly check the air conditioning and instrument cluster for proper functioning.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The data includes 54 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 1 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 1 reported crashes, 1 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan an overall safety rating of 4 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