Vehicle repaired under recall 15v483000 on 5/2015. However, the repaired/replaced part appears to have failed again (clicking noise when turning wheel, air bag light on, complete loss of power in steering wheel). Airbag light came on after starting the car while parked on side of city street and merging into traffic at low speed.
2011 Volkswagen Tiguan airbags problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 13 airbags complaints filed for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Takata recall, I called the vw dealer at greenwood, in dreyer&reinbold, 317-527-4845,,,and I was told 3 times that my vehicle was not on the recall list, yet the airbagrecall web site confirms that it is on recall and to contact the dealer, how do I safely resolve this ???
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 90,148 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Volkswagen/Tiguan.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.