Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My Tiguan randomly shuts down or stalls while driving. I have come very close to accidents because It is in the middle of the road where I can't pull over, people coming around a curve behind me that may not have time to brake, specifically RV's and Semi-trucks. It is terrifying. I have maintained my vehicle meticulously and payed thousands in repairs only to be told by dealerships and VW corporate offices that there is nothing they will or can do and that there are no recalls and out of warranty. However...There WAS one in 2014 citing DANGEROUS to drive because of stalling. According to KBB. I don't know what else to do and I am not able to get a new vehicle.
The clock spring is broken in my 2011 VW Tiguan at 114,000 miles. Therefore, the driver airbag on the steering wheel does not work. Therefore, there is a safety issue if one drives the car. The problem is not fixed because there are no parts to fix it. Apparently there is a chip in the clock spring and there are no chips available to manufacture replacement springs. I was told that the part has been on back order since October 2021. I was told that the part may be available in July 2022, but there are no guarantees. Until a replacement part is available, the vehicle is potentially unsafe to drive.
Vehicle just under 45K and was told the clockspring shorted with no real reason as to why this would happen so early in the vehicle life. The impact of the failure from what I can visually tell is that I have no horn, the electronic console does not function and all buttons on the steering wheel do not work. The console also displays an airbag error, which the dealer cannot confirm if this impacts my actual airbag system. I'm told the part costs $290 plus $400 in labor costs. Given the potential safety impact of this device, I find it ridiculous that one it shorted, two the price in labor to replace and the dealership / vw corporate unwilling to address the concern, other than to say I am out of warranty. This was a real problem with other models in the vw line up, including a huge recall for Chrysler. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 13V569000(exterior lighting). The contact took the vehicle to leith Volkswagen of cary (2300 autopark blvd, cary, nc 27511, [phone]) for the recall repair. While driving 55 MPH, the exterior lighting failed and turned off without warning. After the lighting failure, several error messages appeared on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle back to the same dealer and was informed that the fuse box needed to be replaced, which was not covered in the initial recall. The contact was informed that he would have to pay out of pocket to have the vehicle repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed that they could not assist because the vehicle had previously been serviced per the recall. The vehicle has been repaired. …
Last week my wife told me that she could smell an electrical short and feel a burning sensation coming from her vw driver?s seat while she had her seat warmer on. I immediately had her take it in to the local vw dealership service center for diagnosis. This issue is a fire hazard and safety issue as we could not drive the car for fear that the short in the electrical system could cause a failure of the power assisted systems while in motion rendering the car unmanageable in traffic. Additionally, we could not drive the car because the burning pain transmitted through the driver?s seat to my wife?s flesh was painful enough to potentially distract her full attention from driving. Because of the potential fire hazard and safety failure?s we must insist that vw take full responsibility for the repair of our vehicle and reimburse us promptly for our costs and expenses.
Vw has recognized a defected part in the steering wheel clock spring. We took our vehicle to have the repair, dealership said that the previous owner had the vehicle repaired and a dust cover was put on 7/20/16. Well the dust cover has broke and the air bag light is on and horn is not working. Service department said it wasn't covered because of previous fix, mind you they said dust cover and not a new part. We called vw and they will not honor the repair for the defected part. The part was never replaced, just a band aid put on the problem. Vw said they only had to honor their repair for 1 year. How is this possible when they never really replaced the part????? The dust cover they previously put on snapped when I was turning into a parking spot, airbag light immediately came on. The part cost $348.08 and $170.00 in labor.
Vehicle just over 45K and was told the clock spring shorted with no real reason as to why this would happen so early in the vehicle life. The impact of the failure from what I can visually tell is that I have no horn, the electronic console does not function and all buttons on the steering wheel do not work. The console also displays an airbag error, which the dealer cannot confirm if this impacts my actual airbag system. I'm told the over $750+ to service. Given the potential safety impact of this device, I find it ridiculous that one, it shorted, and two, the cost and the dealership / vw corporate unwilling to address the concern, other than to say I am out of warranty. Its very dangerous not knowing if the clock spring impacts the air bag system in my vehicle, let alone not having a functioning horn.
Defective fuse link in wiring harness melted together rather than separating causing very high voltage damaging the cpu and ignition coils causing piston misfiring and possibility of engine fire. I have retained the defective part. Mechanic reports both fuse links connecting to two coils are melted and 30,000 volt power bridged these links to damage the other electrical components. Repair was over $2700. Fire was avoided by taking vehicle out of service but severely melted links and high voltage feeding back into electrical system caused very high potential of electrical fire in vicinity of fuel sources. Vw notice to mechanics about problem has been issued but no recall.
We have a 2011 Tiguan and the steering wheel clock spring has failed (per the vw dealer), initiating the airbag monitoring indicator light to illuminate. Also, due to the clock spring failure, the horn, the airbag, and all electronic controls on the steering wheel do not work. This is the same reason as for an active recall involving 420,000 volkswagens, but this VIN is not included in that recall. There were no accidents with the vehicle, and nothing done to have caused this failure. The vehicle was stationary when the airbag warning light came on.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan. While driving 45 MPH, the power steering warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electrical system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.
NHTSA investigations
Partial Loss of Exterior Lights
Volkswagen Group of America (VW) is conducting a safety recall of approximately 62,155 model year (MY) 2009-2011 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles to address a partial loss of the exterior lighting (see NHTSA recall 13V-569 for more information).These vehicles' exterior lighting system is protected by two separate fuses contained in a fuse box located in the engine compartment.According to VW, high thermal cycling and…
Electrical complaints in other Tiguan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan, 29% of the model year's 162 complaints. The component named most often is horn (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.