2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

5RecallsNHTSA Verified100ComplaintsNHTSA Data1InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

This 2021 model shows concerning reliability, primarily driven by 5 recalls—above the VOLKSWAGEN average—centered on the back over prevention.

Key Factor:elevated back over prevention issues

📋Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Given this model year's elevated concern level, budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Focus Area:general reliability
📊

Expert Analysis

  • 📈
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • ⚠️
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • ⚖️
    Vs Brand: Worse than avg (3.0)
    📝
    Summary:
Critical Component: Warning

Safety & Reliability Score

50/100
Below Average

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-40
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

Model Year2021
MakeVOLKSWAGEN
ModelTiguan
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more →
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Aug21
ISSUEFirst Report
Jun22
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

18 complaints (18% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
✅

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
10(10%)
🟡Medium
16(16%)
🟢Low
74(74%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 40k-60k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 42,424 miles.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 30 of 100 complaints (30% coverage)
0-20k
9 reports (30%)
20k-40k
6 reports (20%)
40k-60k
10 reports (33%)
60k-80k
2 reports (7%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
3 reports (10%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

SEATSBACK OVER PREVENTIONSUSPENSIONSTRUCTURE

Official Safety Recalls (5)

Campaign: 21V038000

SEATS

Summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta vehicles. Bolts may be missing from the front seat tracks.

Consequence

The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat tracks and, as necessary, install the bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72L6.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 20V716000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 22V176000

SUSPENSION

Summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan, Taos, and 2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. The left or right rear suspension knuckles may corrode, crack, and break.

Consequence

A broken rear suspension knuckle can cause a loss of stability, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace one or both rear suspension knuckles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 13, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42L8.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 22V226000

STRUCTURE:BODY

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Campaign: 22V514000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. 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 reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Tiguan.

INV-2021-1000🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Tiguan performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 6,246

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Tiguan.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning18%
Leak17%
Crack12%
Check Engine Light11%
Accident11%
Display5%
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My fuel system level indicator does not work properly when the tank is below 1/2 full, and the check engine light comes on. It does not correctly deplete, instead leaving me with no gas when it shows it still has gas available. This has left me stranded in various locations as my car runs out of gas, but doesn't show me that until it is completely empty. Most recently, it was on a very busy road in the middle of traffic. The gas gauge went from 1/2 full to empty while I was driving. Upon taking it to the dealer, they said to replace the 1 sensor, which is a very small, simple piece, they have to replace the entire fuel system, which is over $5000 in repairs. My car is only 4 years old and only out of warranty by 6 months. Further research shows this is a common issue with the make and model of my car. Many seem to happen under warranty, but with the age my car is now, many of these warranties will expire, leaving owners to have to pay to fix this outrageous, costly repair.

Dec 22, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE

I am experiencing severe oil consumption and leakage with my 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The low oil level light began coming on weekly, and I have had to add oil nearly every week to keep the engine from running dry. Recently, I noticed oil leaking underneath the vehicle and immediately parked it. After parking, the vehicle began leaking oil excessively. The problem appears related to PCV system failure, which has caused multiple oil seals to rupture. After researching online, I found many other Tiguan owners reporting the same issues — including PCV valve failure, cracked oil pans, damaged valve seals, and crankshaft seal failures. My vehicle is no longer under the manufacturer’s warranty, and the dealership has not provided a fix. This defect presents a major safety concern because the engine can suddenly lose oil pressure or seize while driving, leading to sudden loss of power or control, which could cause an accident and potential injury. It appears Volkswagen has been aware of similar issues in other model years, but has not issued a recall or permanent repair for this problem. There is currently a class action lawsuit for the exact same issue for 2022 - 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan but doesn't currently include the 2021 Tiguan that I have. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate these widespread PCV and oil consumption failures in 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles.

Dec 19, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's dad who was following behind the vehicle noticed oil splashing onto the front windshield of his vehicle. The contact's dad then noticed while the contact was driving uphill, oil was splashing out of the oil pan. In addition, the contact's dad noticed smoke coming out of the exhaust. The check engine and PCV warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact's dad noticed that the oil pan was completely empty. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked oil pan. The contact was informed that the oil pan, gasket, and filter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's dad noticed the oil splashing underneath the vehicle again. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact noticed that oil was spilling out onto the road. The oil pan was empty. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic contacted the dealer. The independent mechanic was informed that this was a known failure with the vehicle. The independent mechanic was informed that the failure was that the PCV valve had either failed or was clogged. The independent mechanic was informed that the failure normally occurred between 60,000-100,000 miles. The contact was informed that the failure might recur after the repair, however there was no recall for the failure. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

Dec 18, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

The 2021 Tiguan, R-Line that I own now requires a new engine after roughly 70,000. The engine is no longer under warranty, According to the VW Dealership, this is what is wrong with the engine - Based on our observations and diagnostic review, we have determined that damage to the rotating assembly was caused by the presence of one or more metal objects entering the engine. This type of foreign-object intrusion can lead to significant internal impact, which is consistent with the damage we found during our assessment. Also, if you do a search on Reddit and other public forums, there are a lot of 2021 VW Tiguan's with similar issues.

Dec 16, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

In July, Chicagoland was very hot and my car stays in the garage. The piece that holds the sun roof control panel on the ceiling melted and came partially off. It’s been hanging since then since I was told it wasn’t ready to be fixed yet since there is no recall. I’ve been waiting but now my SOS feature is inoperable.

Nov 29, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

I’ve had my Volkswagen Tiguen since 2021 fresh off the lot. I have been the only owner of the car at about 30,000 miles my head gasket blew, causing the engine to go into default after weeks in the dealer. They replaced the head gasket and stitched it up, the head gasket blew again at this point I was still under warranty so they agreed to replace the engine. It drove fine after the engine was replaced this year 2025. I started to have a whole host of problems. It began to jerk and hesitate at acceleration. My engine light came on with continuous jerking upon acceleration for weeks until I started to lose power in my engine. I couldn’t go over 50 60 mph. I would always pull the car over power it off and power it back on just to see if it would change and it didn’t do much I had a local mechanic add oil to each tire also drain the engine, which had shards of metal in it. And basically stitch the car back together until we can figure out the bigger issues. It’s only been a day since the oil was added to each tire. I had a very violent jerk of the engine, which made it feel and sound like I blew a tire I got out to look at the tire and it was just fine. It was the backfire of the engine going into the exhaust that caused such the violent jerk. Happy that no one was on the road. If somebody was behind me it would’ve easily been an accident. Most of these dealerships know exactly what’s going on and have been avoiding the big conversation of what to do next they rather just replace and Band-Aid these things into the consumer just gives up. I have two small children and this is the only means of transportation. I’m fearful that I’ll be stuck with a car note for a car. I can’t drive.

Nov 16, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

Check engine light came on with excessive oil leaking from engine. Dealer inspected and diagnosed the PCV/Oil separator had failed, multiple valve stem seals had failed, and valve stem guides were worn causing excessive crankcase pressure. Dealer recommended cylinder head replacement. Vehicle has been at the dealer a month with the cylinder head on backorder and no timeline for resolution. Dealer indicated thousands of cylinder heads in the queue, with tens of units being distributed per month.

Nov 14, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE

Mechanical trunk lid emergency release will not release from the rear of the vehicle. The locking mechanism failed and lid will not open.

Nov 13, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE

2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, Approximately 40,000 miles
Date of failure: Oct 12th, 2025
Component(s): Engine, Powertrain, Vehicle Speed Control, Throttle body Description of the problem:
My 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan experienced a complete engine failure despite having multiple prior service visits for engine-related issues while it was still under warranty. During the warranty period, I brought the vehicle to Grand Junction Volkswagen (Grand Junction, CO) several times for problems including: * Excessive oil consumption * “Check coolant” warning light turning on * EPC (Engine Power Control) mode activating and loss of power The dealership performed an oil consumption test and told me the results were “normal,” but they did not address the coolant light or EPC issues, stating these conditions were within normal limits. The same problems continued after each visit. At approximately 40,000 miles, the engine failed completely while driving, leaving the vehicle inoperable and creating a significant safety risk. The vehicle had to be towed. Volkswagen is now denying liability, claiming the vehicle is out of warranty, even though the same engine problems were documented repeatedly while it was still under warranty. I have opened a case with Volkswagen of America Customer Care (Case #07085098), but there has been no resolution so far. Safety concern:
This issue poses a serious safety hazard. The vehicle can lose power suddenly and stall while in motion, which could lead to a crash or leave occupants stranded in unsafe conditions.

Oct 14, 2025Open
Other🔵 Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The overhead console has come disconnected inside of the vehicle. I am seeing countless comments and posts online, both on Volkswagen site as well as other automotive sites, that also report this same issue for Tiguan autos from the 2020 through 2022 years. My car is a 2021 VW Tiguan. I am calling the Perrysburg Auto Mall VW Dealership located in Perrysburg, OH to request full service and that this should be covered under the extended warranty that I have seen is a part of this automobile. I wanted to make sure I reported this incident to this governing board.

Oct 6, 2025Under Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan?

Yes, the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan has 5 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SEATS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, SUSPENSION.

Is the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan safe to drive?

The 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan has 5 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2021 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local VOLKSWAGEN dealer.

📊Year-over-Year Context

📉Elevated Activity

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows declining reliability trends, largely due to new back over prevention components introduced in this generation. Recall frequency increased 67% versus the 2020 version.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Back over prevention

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm back over prevention recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all back over prevention recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaigns:20V71600022V514000
2

Seats

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seats recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seats recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V038000
3

Suspension

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

✅

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm suspension recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all suspension recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:22V176000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your VOLKSWAGEN dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 5 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your VOLKSWAGEN dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
🛒

If You're Buying Used

  • Request full service history and documentation of all recall completions.
  • Consider whether adjacent model years (2020 or 2022) show better safety metrics.
  • Budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on known problem areas.
⚖️

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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.