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2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan, and owners have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
162
owner complaints to NHTSA
4 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
21–22
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 15V483000 Reported 415,825 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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…

    Remedy: 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…

  2. Fuel system, gasoline

    NHTSA 14V441000 Reported 151,389 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen of America, Inc.

    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.

    Remedy: 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…

  3. Fuses and circuit breakers (electrical system) and exterior lighting

    NHTSA 13V569000 Reported 62,155 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's exterior lights circuit may melt.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall number is 97Z9/2V.

162 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan have filed 162 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 67,547 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 35 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The brakes will completely fail. The peddle goes just about all the way to the floor when pressed. There still is a small amount of braking and the vehicle slows down but nothing like when the brakes”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Service brakes

“Car only starts when it wants to. Rpms dont go over 4,000. Low idle.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 9, 2026 · Engine

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan (Tiguan 4motion). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined21–22 mpg
City / Highway18–20 / 25–26
FuelPremium
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S6); Manual 6-spd

Compare Volkswagen Tiguan model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Tiguan model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan3168
2010 Volkswagen Tiguan2110
2011 Volkswagen Tiguan3162
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan3153
2013 Volkswagen Tiguan3139
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan384
2015 Volkswagen Tiguan462
2016 Volkswagen Tiguan296
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan476
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan14284
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan5192
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan3141
2021 Volkswagen Tiguan5142
2022 Volkswagen Tiguan5270
2023 Volkswagen Tiguan168
2024 Volkswagen Tiguan272
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan349
2026 Volkswagen Tiguan032

Checking a specific 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan

How do I know if my 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 13V569000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.