2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
288 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 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. 2018 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 288 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Volkswagen Jetta and Passat: the years the record favours, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 288 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 36.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Was traveling at 70 mph and applied the break and engine rpm went up to 3500-4000 and I was in D. The dealership couldn’t replicate the issue and claims nothing is wrong. Also when you put the ac or heater on floor the air still blows out the top vents.
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, upon attempting to slow the vehicle, the RPM's increased rapidly up to 3,000 RPM; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The failure prompted the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After resuming driving, the RPM's increased rapidly, but the vehicle failed to accelerate above 30 MPH. No w…
1. The lower corner of each front door (both driver's and passenger's) has cut my leg, each side, right and left. The edge is sharp. It has cut my skin through jeans both times, requiring bandage, leaving scars. 2. The sharp metal cuts skin. 3. The issue has not been reproduced or confirmed yet by our VW dealer, though we will report it the next time we are there for service. 4. The vehicle has not been inspected…
Recalls: 12 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V188000 | Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. |
| 18V375000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. |
| 18V159000 | Engine | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. |
| 18V102000 | Air Bags:Frontal | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. |
| 18V467000 | Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles. |
| 18V324000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan and Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. |
| 17V662000 | Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. |
| 20V724000 | Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan LWB vehicles. |
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 24 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,600
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.
- Engine82 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other52 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train51 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System45 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System41 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Structure39 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Volkswagen Tiguan years
Volkswagen Tiguan years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (82 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 48/100, computed from 288 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan's most common problem?
82 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan cost to run per year?
About $5,074 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,370 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 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/03/2019. 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 2018 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.
Strong evidence — 288 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 288 NHTSA complaints on record (36.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (22.0/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems