Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving approximately at 70 MPH, the power steering failed. The contact had to use arm strength to pull the vehicle safely off the road. The contact stated she noticed a red warning light illuminated on the left side of the instrument panel. The contact was able to return the power steering function after waiting for about 20 minutes with the engine off. The contact stated that the power steering failure had also occurred at street speeds of approximately 30 MPH. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that the failure was due to the vehicle battery and replaced the battery. The contact stated that the failure occurred again. The vehicle was not returned to the dealer and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
Steering of the vehicle, gets stiff and looses the ability to drive smoothly, this happened after driving the car a couple of minutes, this put other people at risk because it happens when you start the vehicle and makes the steering hard to steer, also when the steering light goes off the steering wheel feels very loose. it appeared on my dashboard about 2 months ago and took it to the shop and the mechanic told me that he couldnt find anything on it. re calibrate the steering and got the car back but the problem still continues, upon investigating this a very common problem among VW's and to fix it, it cost thousands of dollars
The clock-spring in our VW Tiguan broke/snapped disabling the electronics on the steering wheel - including the vehicles horn and airbag which are both safety features. There are numerous other people having a similar experience on Twitter. We are being told by VW that the vehicle is still safe to drive which is frankly, insulting. The VW dealership/Indigo Auto Group in San Rafael, CA has verified this as an issue and there is a clock-spring shortage with no ETA on resolution.
While driving on the freeway the red power steering warning light along with a loud warning signal came on and I could not steer the car anymore. The whole steering system broke down without prior warning or accident. Talking to Volkswagen the customer service told me while regrettable things like that could happen but I think this is a serious safety hazard that could have cost lives.
A few days prior to this incident, I noticed a crunching noise as I would turn the steering wheel every now and then. As I was turning right to pull into my driveway, I heard the clock spring crunch and finally give up. Airbag light on. Airbag error when I start the car. Steering wheel buttons and horn unresponsive.
When driving down the highway, my power steering went out with zero warning or indicators leading up to it going out. Upon researching, this is a problem that many people have experienced with this make and model of vehicle.
I parked to go shopping and when I got back and turned on the car, the steering warming light came on and the power-steering was disengaged. I was not able to drive it as the wheel was too heavy. The steering corrected after waiting for an hour to start the car. My wife had the same issue the next day after dropping off our daughter at school and had to wait 30 minutes before the problem corrected. We took the car the honolulu vw the next morning on 7/7/2020, and they said they could not find an error on the car diagnostic and therefore could not fix the problem, they said to bring it back when it happens again. They recommended we have the steering rack replaced for roughly 3K. …
I was driving my Volkswagen 2013 Tiguan down I-95 with my toddler daughter n the car when all of a sudden the steering wheel jerked very hard almost crashing us into another car. When I pulled over to safety the steering wheel light was on the dash lighting up along with a light that says epc. I did not feel safe driving the vehicle so I called a tow to come pick us up. About a few weeks later I was told my Volkswagen that they did not see the problem after coming there multiple times and having to pay the diagnostic fee each time that there was no issue because the light will go on and off. I told it to another shop where I paid 1,200 to replace the whole steering wheel. After that was fixed another problem just pops up out of the blue which is the airbag light. My horn no longer is working nor is my cruise control which is dangerous. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan. While driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a clicking sound that came from the steering wheel. All of the controls on the steering wheel failed to work, including the horn, and the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact pulled over and powered the vehicle off and back on; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V483000 (air bags), however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan. While driving, the contact heard a crunching sound coming from the steering wheel. In addition, the air bag warning indicator illuminated and all the control buttons on the steering wheel failed to function. The contact called mossy Volkswagen at [phone] (located at 1695 auto park way s, escondido, ca 92029) and was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 15V483000 (air bags) regarding the clockspring. The vehicle was later taken to city Volkswagen (located at 2205 morena blvd, san diego, ca 92110, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.
Steering complaints in other Tiguan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the steering of the 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan, 19% of the model year's 140 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2013 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 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.