2010 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems, Recalls & Reliability
158 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 41/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 83,900 miles.
Below average
Where 2010 sits among all Tiguan years
What owners report
“Timing chain tensioner failure, causing catastrophic engine failure at 77,000 miles. A newer model of timing belt tensioner has been used since december 2011. Est. $5000 repair bill.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Tiguan
“I have been having this truck for 13 months now i have more than 20 payments still to make on this truck every time it rains the truck gets filled with water in the passenger side fills more than 5 gallons of water depending on how bad it rains my heated seats don't work am assuming it's due to the…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Tiguan
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 129 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 70,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 42,100 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the…
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 Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's…
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall number is 97Z9/2V.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and…
Led to recall campaign 13V569000.
Technical service bulletins
785 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2010 Tiguan TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
The 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan drew 158 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 41/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan problems?
The top reported problems for the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan are engine (55 complaints), electrical (50), and steering (13).
At what mileage do 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan problems show up?
Owners most often report 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan problems around 70,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 42,100 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.