Inquiries
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Volkswagen Tiguan airbags problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan have filed 30 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 79,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
30
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Tiguan | 8 |
| 2011 Tiguan | 13 |
| 2012 Tiguan | 25 |
| 2013 Tiguan (this page) | 30 |
| 2014 Tiguan | 21 |
| 2015 Tiguan | 14 |
| 2016 Tiguan | 21 |
| 2017 Tiguan | 24 |
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 30 airbags complaints filed for the 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
Of the 12 model years of Volkswagen Tiguan we track for airbags problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 30.
Owners have filed 30 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
VW contact when reporting a Airbag or Pyrotechnic safety belt deployment. Update to model year applicability.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Additional Safety Inquiry and Reporting instruction.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Additional Safety Inquiry and Reporting instruction.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Airbag Issues.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue is steering wheel clock spring failure. Owners hear clicking, snapping, crackling, or grinding sounds during steering, then the airbag light comes on. The driver-side airbag goes dead, the horn quits, and all steering wheel controls (cruise, radio, phone) stop working. Failures occur across the mileage spectrum—some as early as 23,000 miles, others past 100,000.
Volkswagen issued recall 15V483000 in August 2015 to address this, but many affected VINs were excluded. Owners complain that their vehicles exhibit identical symptoms to the recall notice yet were denied coverage. When owners pressed VW customer service, they got conflicting answers: some were told the recall had already been done, others that their car never got the faulty part, and others that repair is now out of warranty and costs $800 or more.
One critical problem: owners who had clock springs replaced under the recall report the same failure happening again within 15 months and 3,000 miles. A dealer told one owner the original recall "fix" was just adding a protective cover, not replacing the part—explaining why failures recurred.
One owner reported water intrusion from a leaky sunroof damaged both frontal airbag clock spring assemblies at 23,000 miles, resulting in a $4,700 repair bill. Another owner experienced unintended passenger-side airbag deployment with no collision.
Same Volkswagen Tiguan airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Steering wheel clock spring failure
The steering wheel clock spring breaks or tears, disabling the driver-side airbag and disabling horn and steering wheel controls. Owners report this occurs during normal turning or steering motions, and VW issued recall 15V483000 in August 2015, but many affected vehicles were not included in that recall. Some owners report the clock spring failed again shortly after recall repair, suggesting the original fix was inadequate.
When: Ranges from 23,000 to 139,500 miles. One owner reports failure 15 months and less than 3,000 miles after recall repair in July 2016. Another reports failure two years after recall repair in 2016.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates; Horn becomes inoperable; Steering wheel control buttons (cruise, radio, phone controls) stop working; Clicking, snapping, crackling, grinding, or popping sounds from steering wheel during turns; Driver-side airbag disabled
Codes mentioned: Airbag error warning, Driver side airbag not functional
Repairs/costs cited: Clock spring replacement. One owner paid $800 for repair. Another owner reports dealer initially cleaned the clock spring instead of replacing it (March 2016). One owner reports clock spring replaced 4 times, with part continuing to break. Part availability was an issue for some; dealers reported backlog of 11 months.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 15V483000 (Air Bags) issued August 2015. However, many affected VINs were not included in the recall. Owners report VW customer service initially denied inclusion or gave conflicting explanations, then stated recall repairs were out of warranty. Some owners report dealer said the original recall fix was only adding a protective cover, not replacing the clock spring. Manufacturer denied assistance or guarantee of recall coverage for out-of-recall VINs.
Water intrusion from sunroof causing airbag system failure
Water leaked from sunroof into the vehicle, which was diagnosed as a sunroof drain tube issue. The leak persisted after initial repair attempt. Water intrusion subsequently damaged both frontal airbag clock spring assemblies and the headliner, requiring replacement and causing airbag warning light illumination.
When: 23,000 miles; failure occurred over multiple visits spanning approximately 3 months
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaking from sunroof; Airbag warning light illuminated; Vehicle stalling at various speeds
Codes mentioned: Airbag warning
Repairs/costs cited: Sunroof drain tubes flushed (first repair, unsuccessful). Subsequently required replacement of headliner and both frontal airbag clock spring assemblies. Owner paid $4,700 for repairs. Vehicle returned not in same condition as prior to repairs. Owner paid out-of-pocket rental car costs ($3+ months of rental) after dealer did not provide rental vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall on leaky sunroof issued. Manufacturer was made aware. Owner noted class action lawsuit was active regarding this issue.
Unintended passenger-side airbag deployment
Passenger-side airbags deployed while vehicle was parked or moving on a city street with no collision or impact, posing safety risk to occupants.
When: July 13, 2020; specific mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deployed without impact or collision
Synthesized from 30 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the check air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, all the buttons on the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that he was unable cycle through the service screen options due to the steering wheel buttons not functioning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer,…
Airbag clock switch failed on my 2013 Volkswagen tiguan. The vehicle was in motion, turning a 45 degree corner, and a 'grinding' and 'popping' sound occurred.
Vw recalled this vehicle for a defect in the clockspring which controls the driver side airbag. This repair was made in july 2016. Just 15 months later and less than 3000 miles later the clockspring failed again in the exact same fashion. The same classic clockspring failure mode as reported by vw. I had it replaced again this morning.
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 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 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 30 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 20 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 38,000 and 104,222 miles, with the median around 79,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 38,000; a quarter make it past 104,222. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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/2013/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.