2016 Volkswagen Tiguan reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 145
- 88 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS
- 31 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 2
- see below
- Reported harm
- 6 reported crashes · 5 injuries · 2 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#3,278
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Volkswagen median
-104
median 249 across 119 Volkswagen records
Vs 2014-2018
-152
median 298 complaints in 596 records
Top component share
21%
Air Bags: 31 complaints
What owners report fails — 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
- AIR BAGS 31
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23
- STEERING 12
- ENGINE 9
2 recalls on record for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
- NHTSA 19V535000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODU Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 16V464000 · 2016 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
NHTSA has 145 consumer complaints on record for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan and 2 recalls. The most-reported problem area is air bags (31 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags (31), electrical system (26), unknown or other (23), steering (12). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.