2016 Volkswagen Tiguan Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, and owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bag/restraint control module (air bags)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
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Latches/locks/linkages
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and…
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at…
96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 49,306 miles. Complaints peaked in 2022 with 28 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“* Purchase Date: January 23, 2016 * Current Mileage: Approximately 71,500 miles For the past several months, my vehicle has experienced continuous engine oil loss. The oil level drops approximately on”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 12, 2026 · Engine
“UNKNOWN INCIDENT. I had a 2016 VW Tiguan with just over 80k miles (approximately 80,200 mi). On 1/6/2026 about 10 min after driving home from the gym, I heard a small explosion from the garage where m”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 15, 2026 · Unknown or other
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan (Tiguan 4motion). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 22–23 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 20–21 / 26 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
Compare Volkswagen Tiguan model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Tiguan model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
How do I know if my 2016 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2016 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 16V464000).
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
- Jetta10,000 complaints
- Passat7,705 complaints
- Beetle2,596 complaints
- Atlas1,999 complaints
- Golf1,439 complaints
- GTI1,405 complaints
- ID.41,007 complaints
- Cc983 complaints
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.