2017 Volkswagen Tiguan: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
75 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2018 and 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, which have 283 and 252 complaints and scores of 45 and 40, and treat the 2019 car (188 complaints, score 69) with caution. Buy a 2014 to 2017 car, which score 86 to 89 on 62 to 96 complaints, or a 2023 car, which has 60 complaints and scores 84. Read the full note on the model page. 2017 specifically: a year the record favours — 75 complaints, score 86/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Volkswagen Jetta and Passat: the years the record favours, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 75 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 8.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Ive had every now and then a steering wheel light come on then come off. Well today 9/1/26 I had lost all steering to my 2017 vw tiguan. The electronic power steering has failed and I believe this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. And push for a recall to be made on these vehicles.
A/C has been a consistent issue since I purchased this from Columbia SC- CarMax's dealership in 2022. I've replaced the compressor and valves, and no resolve. The car sucks up oil and the electrical system is wacky!
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Steering rack and pinion, yes. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? There is no power steering and unable to make a quick turn to maneuver the car around a potential hazard in the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, two independent servi…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V321000 | Unknown Or Other | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. |
| 18V102000 | Air Bags:Frontal | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. |
| 18V329000 | 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. |
| 16V955000 | Seat Belts:Pretensioner | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 22 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,500
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags30 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Engine15 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Steering12 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System12 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other9 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System6 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Volkswagen Tiguan years
Volkswagen Tiguan years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (30 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 86/100, computed from 75 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan's most common problem?
30 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan cost to run per year?
About $5,588 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,940 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/05/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 75 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 75 NHTSA complaints on record (8.3/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (22.0/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems