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ProblemsByVin File / 2014-VOLKSWAGEN-TIGUAN NHTSA data synced 1 day ago
Volkswagen

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan problems

The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan has 84 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.

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The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan has 84 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 21 complaints (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

Volkswagen Tiguan owner complaints by model year
Model yearOwner complaintsRecalls
2011 Tiguan 161 3
2012 Tiguan 152 3
2013 Tiguan 139 3
2014 Tiguan (this page) 84 3
2015 Tiguan 62 4
2016 Tiguan 96 2
2017 Tiguan 75 4
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
Photo: Alexander-93 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · representative photo of the Volkswagen Tiguan
0 5 10
Reliability score
7.2 / 10

Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.

0
Critical
3
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2014 Tiguan?
Acceptable — with caveats

Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.

Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.

NHTSA crash-test safety ratings 4 / 5 overall

Overall 4/5
Frontal crash 3/5
Side crash 5/5
Rollover 4/5

Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.

Buying a used 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan? Check these first

Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.

What to inspect on this specific car

Recalls to confirm are done

Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.

Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.

We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.

See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →
✦ Ask the data · AI

Ask anything about your 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan

A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.

Dash light, leak, worn part — snap it and we'll read it against this car's record.

Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.

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<iframe src="https://problemsbyvin.com/embed/reliability/2014-volkswagen-tiguan/" width="100%" height="340" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;max-width:640px" title="2014 Volkswagen Tiguan reliability snapshot" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#64748b;max-width:640px;margin:6px 0 0">Source: <a href="https://problemsbyvin.com/2014-volkswagen-tiguan/" style="color:#b8540a;font-weight:600">2014 Volkswagen Tiguan reliability snapshot — ProblemsByVin</a></p>

Top trouble spots 5 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
21 reports · avg $1,100
moderate
steering
20 reports · avg $700
moderate
electrical
16 reports · avg $850
moderate
engine
8 reports · avg $3,100
moderate
suspension
3 reports · avg $900
moderate
Buyer's checklist
Going to look at one? Use the pre-purchase inspection list.
Generated from this 2014 Tiguan's actual NHTSA complaint history — every item points at a documented failure pattern on this exact vehicle, not generic walkaround filler.
See the checklist ->
Honest Calculator
Should you buy an extended warranty on this 2014 Tiguan?
We pulled the math: risk-weighted exposure, typical contract cost, and our verdict on whether coverage pencils out for this specific vehicle.
See the calculator ->

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2014 Tiguan · visibility
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen tiguan. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the moon roof suddenly exploded and glass fell into the vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to emich Volkswagen (1260 s. Colorado blvd, denver, co) and the moon roof was…
12/31/2018 · NHTSA ODI #11164211.0
2014 Tiguan · airbags
Airbag warning light on, horn not functional and control buttons on steering wheel not working. Occurred suddenly on city road. Broken clock spring - existing recall but my cars VIN not covered under the recall.
2014 Tiguan · visibility
On december 7th, 2018 I was driving about 65 MPH when I heard an explosion load enough to make my ears ring. I looked up and discovered that the sunroof had exploded and fine particles of glass were raining down on me through the sunroof sunshade. Nothing hit the sunroof…
12/27/2018 · NHTSA ODI #11163756.0
2014 Tiguan · steering
The clock spring in the steering column deteriorated and became nonfunctional in a car that is only 3 years old and with only 17000 miles on it. This is not an old car, to spend about $800 to repair a part that is still this new is ridiculous. There are past and current…
View all 84 owner complaints →
Had a problem with your 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 3

severe NHTSA 18V329000 May 16, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
severe NHTSA 15V483000 August 4, 2015

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
severe NHTSA 14V441000 July 21, 2014

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.

Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA

EA Air Bags › Frontal · opened April 2018

NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA18003 on NHTSA →

How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →

Common questions

Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

Should you avoid the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

What should I check before buying a used 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 21 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.

Is the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan a good used car to buy?

It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 84 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.

What's the most common problem on the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 21 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Volkswagen Tiguan has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 84 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.

Related

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 1 day ago. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Volkswagen/Tiguan. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Volkswagen. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
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