SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. PASSENGER NOTICED THEIR SEAT WAS HOT. DISCOVERED BURN SPOTS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. *TR
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan electrical problems
severe 36 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850
Complaints
36
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$850
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
THE FRONT RIGHT HEADLAMP AND THE REAR RIGHT BACKUP LIGHT ON OUR 2009 TIGUAN HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER SAYS THE FUSE BOX IS MELTING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT THEY CCANTGUARANTEE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. ! THIS IS A FIRE HAZZARD AND RIDICULOUS THAT VW WONT FIX IT !! HELP ! *TR
HELLO - I STARTED MY 2009 VW TIGUAN ON NOV. 9, 2013. AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE, ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR "LIGHTING FAILURES" CAME ON, A TOTAL OF 8 DIFFERENT ERROR MESSAGES - LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER TAILLIGHTS, BACKUP LIGHTS, FRONT HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS. AT THIS POINT I WAS ON THE ROAD, AND QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO THE CLOSEST PARKING LOT I COULD FIND. I WAS ABOUT …
CAR WOULD NOT START OR EVEN TURN OVER. BATTERY WAS FINE AND FIRMLY CONNECTED. LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. NO ERROR MESSAGES. ON THIRD OR FOURTH TRY, IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF DRIVEWAY ONTO MY STREET WITH DISTANT APPROACHING TRAFFIC. I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND LEFT, THEN WITH A LOUD CLUNK IT DIED COMPLETELY, ENGINE OFF, ALL LIGHTS DARK. NOW IN D…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE FUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 4…
DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX WAS MELTING AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WE DID SO THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT CATCH ON FIRE AT A COST OF OVER $500.00. *TR
LIGHTING FUSES MELTED - HAD THE VEHICLE IN MULTIPLE TIMES FOR LIGHT BULB ISSUES, ETC AND HAD THE RADIO SWAPPED OUT AND IT STILL CONTINUES TO GO OFF AND ON. LIGHTS WORKED HERE AND THERE BUT SEEMED TO ALWAYS GO OUT AFTER DRIVING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND USUALLY AT NIGHT AND THEN AFTER SITTING WOULD WORK AGAIN IN THE MORNING *UNTIL IT WAS DRIVEN A BIT* - LIGHTING MELTED TO THE ENGINE AND WAS…
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN DARK, SNOWY, AND ICY CONDITIONS WITH MEDIUM TRAFFIC, SOME OF THE VEHICLE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND VW WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON SAYING MULTIPLE LIGHTS WERE OUT. AFTER PULLING OVER IN A SAFE LOCATION, FOUND RIGHT HIGH BEAM, RIGHT LOW BEAM, RIGHT FRONT BLINKER, RIGHT FOG LAMP, RIGHT REAR BLINKER, AND TAILLIGHT OUT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH AND TROUBLESHOOTING, FOUND 30…
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan?
It's a meaningful issue. 36 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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