2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
Good Reliability

This 2023 model shows good reliability, primarily driven by a below-average recall rate for the VOLKSWAGEN brand.

Key Factor:below-average recall rate

📋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.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

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

Safety & Reliability Score

90/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-8
Complaint Impact-2.35
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

Model Year2023
MakeVOLKSWAGEN
ModelTiguan
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan23
NEWProduction
Feb23
ISSUEFirst Report
Dec25
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

17 complaints (36% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 47 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
4(9%)
🟡Medium
13(28%)
🟢Low
30(64%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 0-20k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 18,441 miles.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 14 of 47 complaints (30% coverage)
0-20k
10 reports (71%)
20k-40k
1 reports (7%)
40k-60k
2 reports (14%)
60k-80k
1 reports (7%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* 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

BACK OVER PREVENTION

Official Safety Recalls (1)

Campaign: 25V082000

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

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 this recall are (Volkswagen) 91NY and (Audi) 90AV.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9153) or go to nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

47 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2023 Tiguan.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning36%
Acceleration Issues17%
Display11%
Noise9%
Crack9%
Stall9%
Accident9%
Hesitate9%
Crash/Accident6%
Jerk6%
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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 assuming the vehicle would keep the device charged.

Visibility⚠️ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER

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 looking around to see where the crackling noise was still coming from. I looked up towards my Sunroof and discovered that a large hole in my Sunroof. Fortunately, my sunshade was closed and shield the debris/glass from spraying my face and body. I took the car to the V.W. dealership and explained the infraction to them. They diagnosed the problem and contacted me later that day to let me know that they were sending the request to V.W. corporate to get authorization to repair under warranty. The dealership did not detect any signs of rocks or debris causing the explosion. Corporate denied the dealerships request to repair under warranty. I filed the damaged Sunroof under my auto insurance. Im currently awaiting for the adjuster to inspect the damaged Sunroof that is at the dealership. I feel that Corporate dud not even consider the fact that this could have been an exploding Sunroof...and im sure that they have encountered this defect before. There are articles on-line of others who encountered this problem.

Safety Systems🔵 Low
LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION

• 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 – Dealership Inspection: The vehicle was inspected at Volkswagen Bayside Service, where I was told no issues were found and that the camera and sensors were functioning properly. This assessment was conducted in controlled, non-real-world conditions, which I do not believe accurately replicate the environment in which the failure occurred. • Lack of Support from VW Customer Care: Reasons Volkswagen Should Cover the Repair Costs • Safety Feature Failure: The backup camera and parking sensors are critical safety systems required under FMVSS No. 111. These features are designed to work together as part of Volkswagen’s integrated Park Assist/Park Distance Control system. • Direct Causation: • Manufacturer Liability / Recall Acknowledgment: In April 2025, I received a notification from Volkswagen Customer Protection regarding “Compliance Recall 91NY – Camera Control Unit.” Warranty and Recall Coverage: I purchased the vehicle on July 26, 2023, and it remains under the 4-year/50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Steering/Suspension🔶 Medium
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

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 filed a complaint with the BBB and a represented from the service department called me and said , his boss said they will not work on my car unless I remove my complaint to the BBB . I find this very unethical and a bad customer service representation. This car has been diagnosed unsafe to drive . And even though I have a loaner it is not my car I am paying for . Like I had stated it has been in the shop 4 times and I have not missed a payment even though I have not had my car .The front strut is completely broke , the left one is in bad shape , needs a front end alignment and the front collision warning alert does not work . It has been confirmed these issues are there. They said they were going to take care of it until they noticed I filed a complaint to the BBB.

Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE

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 serviced multiple times under 10,000 miles. During my most recent service visit in June 2025, I was charged $9.48 for a minor oil top-off. When I contacted the service advisor afterward, I was advised to purchase 1-OW20 oil myself and manually add it whenever the warning appears, until the next 10,000-mile service interval. Following that advice, I have now purchased two bottles of oil out of pocket—the first cost $12, and the second $42—just to keep the vehicle running between service visits. This additional expense reinforces my concern about excessive oil consumption in a relatively new vehicle and may indicate a mechanical defect. Additionally, the brakes emit a persistent squealing noise, even though the dealership claims the brake pads are at 50% life. The noise affects driving confidence and may signal premature wear or improper installation. Despite these ongoing issues, no repairs have ever been performed under warranty. Each time I’ve taken the vehicle to Volkswagen service, I’ve been told that everything is functioning perfectly and that there is no problem to address. This repeated dismissal of the symptoms is concerning and leaves me without a clear resolution. My lease is scheduled to end in September 2026, but due to the unresolved mechanical concerns and the lack of meaningful support from the dealership, I would like Volkswagen to consider terminating the lease early. This would allow me to obtain a vehicle that does not present these recurring issues and restore my confidence in the brand’s commitment to safety and reliability.

Visibility🔵 Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER

Back up camera malfunction. Most of the time does not work. Gives message on screen

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

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 drivability may seem normal at times, these faults persist and clear/recur, raising concerns about fuel-vapor containment/emissions compliance and potential intermittent loss or limitation of vehicle electronic systems/driver-assistance functions due to CAN-bus communication errors. I’m reporting this because the condition is ongoing, produces a continual CEL, and may present safety and reliability risks if not addressed by the manufacturer.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

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 and gasket. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the vehicle was out of warranty and the previous oil changes were not performed by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE

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 between changes. This is not normal oil consumption. The effects of increased emissions and premature fouling of the catalytic converter system alone is cause for concern, or the possible loss of engine power on the highway due to failure from lubrication loss, resulting in an accident. The car will emit blue/white smoke from tailpipe and rough idle randomly when the cylinders are overloaded with oil.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan?

Yes, the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan has 1 recorded recall from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE.

Is the 2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan safe to drive?

The 2023 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan has 1 recall. 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 2023 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

📈Improving Trend

Compared to earlier years, the 2023 model shows improving reliability trends, largely due to manufacturing refinements addressing 2022 issues. Recall frequency decreased 80%.

🎯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 recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

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

Campaign:25V082000
💡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 1 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.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request the VIN before purchase and verify recall status at NHTSA.gov.
  • This model year shows favorable reliability metrics compared to alternatives.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

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