Most common 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan problems
Share of the 62 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Tiguan complaints by model year
Best Tiguan years: 2015, 2014, 2017. Years to avoid: 2022, 2018, 2025, 2024, 2019. Compare all years →
2015 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (4)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Z5.
Unknown or other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Side/window
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles manufactured January 15, 2015, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 Audi Q5 vehicles manufactured January 13, 2015, to February 3, 2015.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 7, 2016.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Tiguan vehicles manufactured January 22, 2015, to March 20, 2015. These vehicles may be equipped with Certification labels that are missing the required tire pressure information and they may state incorrect weight and loading information.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will correct the information on the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on June 12, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
What 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan owners say
Air bags all 28 →
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel clock spring needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the parts for repair were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the horn became inoperable. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Electrical system all 23 →
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the horn became inoperable. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
While driving in a congested area of Jacksonville, FL a small child pulled bike from behind another vehicle, I attempted to sound my horn in an attempt to get the child's attention or that of the other driver. The horn failed. I continued to try and nothing. I noticed the airbag light on. I called the VW dealership and was told this is a problem with the clock spring in the steering wheel behind the airbag. This part controls all the functions of the steering wheel. He also mentioned NHTSA has several complaints and the warranty was extended to 120,000 miles. This is relatively a low threshold as more and more people are keeping cars longer with cost. I have 121,190 miles on my Tiguan and am told this is an $800 fix. It is only a miracle this child was not killed. I would be curious how many have been injured, or killed, and the faulty spring has not been pinpointed. …
Steering
Our 2015 Tiguan has consistently had issues with the clock spring. We are now needing a third clock spring only 6 months from the last warranty repair. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. This issue is serious due to the airbag being non operational until we get this fixed. Additionally, the horn ceases to work as well, which although its not as serious as our airbag not working, its still nice to have it as a safety tool to indicate your presence to other drivers on the road. I'm not sure if the component has been inspected by the manufacturer or anyone else. We have had a warranty repair on it through the dealership so they verified this was an issue that needed replacing. Until the issue occurs there are no warning lights or anything to notify you from the cars system. There is however an audible "clicking" sound as you turn the steering wheel. …
While driving in a congested area of Jacksonville, FL a small child pulled bike from behind another vehicle, I attempted to sound my horn in an attempt to get the child's attention or that of the other driver. The horn failed. I continued to try and nothing. I noticed the airbag light on. I called the VW dealership and was told this is a problem with the clock spring in the steering wheel behind the airbag. This part controls all the functions of the steering wheel. He also mentioned NHTSA has several complaints and the warranty was extended to 120,000 miles. This is relatively a low threshold as more and more people are keeping cars longer with cost. I have 121,190 miles on my Tiguan and am told this is an $800 fix. It is only a miracle this child was not killed. I would be curious how many have been injured, or killed, and the faulty spring has not been pinpointed. …
2015 Volkswagen Tiguan engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 26 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan a good car?
Based on 62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 Tiguan rates better than average: 43% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tiguan at the same age. It is one of the best Tiguan years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The air bags — 28 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › driver clockspring/spiral cassette. Next are the electrical system (23) and steering (9).
How many recalls does the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan, the most recent from July 17, 2019 (air bag/restraint control module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Tiguan?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2014 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2018, 2025, 2024 and 2019. See the full Volkswagen Tiguan years comparison.
At what mileage do 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.