2018 Volkswagen Tiguan engine problems
83 of the 290 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 263 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 83 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 27 · 2019: 19 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 6
Half of the 47 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 4,000 and 18,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
290 complaints in all about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, 6 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Volkswagen Tiguan engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Was traveling at 70 mph and applied the break and engine rpm went up to 3500-4000 and I was in D. The dealership couldn’t replicate the issue and claims nothing is wrong. Also when you put the ac or heater on floor the air still blows out the top vents
Guess i'm having the same issue a lot of others are having. Sitting at a red light and hit the gas and nothing happens. Smells like gas inside the cabin. It's been in service at the dealership for 15 days and they have no idea what the problem is and no eta on the fix. I purchased the car in december 2017
Engine on this vehicle is very slow to respond. When I give gas, it struggles to start moving, feels like it is carrying 10k LBS of load behind. I push gas peddle to the floor at a signal light to get away from traffic. Car won't respond for about 1 or 2 seconds, then starts to move, but very slow, crawling, then starts to speed up.
Engine on this vehicle is very slow to respond. When I give gas, it struggles to start moving, feels like it is carrying 10k LBS of load behind. There are only two passengers, not pulling anything. Push gas peddle to the floor at a signal light to get away from traffic.
There is weird turbo/engine sound coming from engine compartment. When engine is cold, cold start, you hear grinding type of noise. It is very loud. Once engine is driven for about 20 minutes, noise is reduced, but still there. The transmission shift has clicking noise.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 18V159000 HighMar 8, 2018 · 4 vehicles
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. The engine support bolts on these vehicles may not have been properly tightened.
263 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- V1718062017813_24 Service bulletinJul 9, 2026
- Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
- TT 13-20-01_3 Service bulletinJun 18, 2026
- Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 83 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (29% of everything owners filed about it), and 263 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 18V159000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 9,000 miles; half of them between 4,000 and 18,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.