2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 3%of 144 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 53,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, 3% of the 144 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 53,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed blue smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11677046, filed 2025-07, 46,000 miles“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing power and was unable to drive uphill. The contact also stated the engine was consuming an excessive amount of oil; however, the dealer had informed her that the oil consumption was normal. The check engine and electronic power control (EPC) warning lights were illuminated. …”
NHTSA complaint #11653523, filed 2025-04, 200,000 miles“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's dad who was following behind the vehicle noticed oil splashing onto the front windshield of his vehicle. The contact's dad then noticed while the contact was driving uphill, oil was splashing out of the oil pan. In addition, the contact's dad noticed smoke coming out of the exhaust. The check engine and PCV warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. …”
NHTSA complaint #11705953, filed 2025-12, 93,000 miles“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive. The low oil level warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who observed a crack in the oil pan. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who then diagnosed a failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000. The VIN was not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11592186, filed 2024-06, 50,000 miles“The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve cover needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. There was gray smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve stem seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. …”
NHTSA complaint #11618683, filed 2024-10, 53,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10251632Mar 11, 2024Unnecessary replacement of ECM. Updated to include additional model year applicability.
- 10250798Feb 22, 2024VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10250766Feb 22, 2024Engine Crank, No Start or No -J623- ECM Communication with DTC U0100 Stored in ECM Fault Memory
- 10249140Jan 2, 2024Customer states rattle from below the vehicle Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory Customer states Mill-on, P0462 and/or P0463 stored in ECM memory Customer states…
- 10247539Dec 12, 2023Remote Engine Start and/or Lock/Unlock does not work with "myVW" smart phone app.
- 10247178Dec 7, 2023Customer states rattle from below the vehicle Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory Customer states Mill-on, P0462 and/or P0463 stored in ECM memory Customer states…
- 10245619Nov 29, 2023Customer states rattle from below the vehicle Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory Customer states noise while…
- 10245607Nov 22, 2023VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10245618Nov 20, 2023Customer states rattle from below the vehicle Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory* Customer states MIL-on, fault P04F0 stored in ECM memory Customer states noise…
- 10244312Oct 16, 2023Customer states rattle from below the vehicle Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory Customer states MIL-on, fault P04F0 stored in ECM memory Customer states noise…
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 3% |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 | 6 | 2% |
| 2021 | 5 | 3% |
| 2020 | 4 | 3% |
| 2019 | 2 | 1% |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% |
| 2016 | 2 | 2% |
| 2012 | 2 | 1% |
| 2010 | 4 | 4% |
| 2009 | 10 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan
54 complaintsOther or unknown
30 complaintsElectrical system
25 complaintsFuel system
12 complaintsForward collision avoidance
11 complaintsBody and structure
11 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
11 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
9 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaintsVehicle speed control
5 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology