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2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
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2016 Volkswagen Tiguan — Safety Summary
The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan has 2 NHTSA safety recalls and 96 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 3 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is air bags. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 4 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as medium. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for a buyer analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
Should you buy the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan in Canada?
The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan shows a moderate amount of recall or complaint activity in public data. It can still be a solid choice, but it is worth checking a few specific areas before you commit.
The best next step is to run the exact VIN and, if the car still looks promising, get a Smart Buyer Report for a model-specific reliability read and an inspection checklist before you visit the seller.
What owners complain about most
The complaint categories reported most often for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, based on owner reports in the public NHTSA data.
Complaint patterns suggest where to look — they are not proof any specific vehicle has that issue. Treat them as inspection prompts.
What to check before buying a used 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
- Owners report air bags concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report unknown or other concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report electrical system,air bags concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report engine concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Confirm any open recall work was completed by running the exact VIN.
Canadian ownership considerations
General things worth checking on a used Tiguan in the Canadian climate — winter, road salt, and cold-weather wear.
- Check AWD or 4WD operation if equipped — driveline components are costly to repair.
- Road salt drives corrosion on underbody and subframe points; inspect the undercarriage on salt-belt vehicles.
- Verify heater, defroster, and rear demister all work ahead of winter.
- Battery and cold-start reliability are worth confirming for Canadian winters.
Pre-purchase inspection priorities
- Bring a qualified mechanic or book an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Check the undercarriage for rust and corrosion, especially on salt-belt vehicles.
- Confirm all open recalls have been repaired using the VIN.
- Review maintenance records and look for gaps in servicing.
- Test all winter-critical systems: heater, defroster, battery, and (if equipped) AWD/4WD.
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Unlock the full buyer reportNHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
2 recall(s) for this year/model
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
17/07/2019Volkswagen 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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
24/06/2016Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 CC vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016, to February 3, 2016, Golf R and Tiguan vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 28, 2016, and e-Golf vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to January 11, 2016. Vibrations, such as those created by opening and closing a vehicle door, may cause the rear child door locks to disengage, allowing a child to open a rear door while inside the vehicle.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.
Transport Canada Recalls
3 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Structure
2016-06-22On certain vehicles, rear door child safety locks could disengage due to external vehicle vibration (such as when closing a door). This would render it possible for a child to unintentionally open a door, increasing the risk of injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the child locks. Note: This recall affects Golf R models only.
Airbag
2019-07-17Issue: On certain vehicles, the airbag control unit may contain a defective capacitor. If the capacitor fails, it could result in a deployment of the airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners without a crash. This could also cause the airbag system to not deploy in the event of a crash. Safety Risk: Airbags or seat belt pretensioners that deploy without a crash could create a risk of injury and also increase the risk of a crash. Airbags that do not deploy in a crash could create an increased risk of injury. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to have updated airbag control unit software installed and, if necessary, the airbag control unit will be replaced.
Lights And Instruments
2020-10-06Issue: On certain vehicles, the ESC warning light may not remain on if a fault was detected on the previous key cycle. Instead, the warning light does not turn on until the vehicle starts to move. Canadian regulations require that the ESC warning light must turn on when the vehicle is started (under these conditions). Note: This problem can only happen if there is a fault related to the power steering system. The power steering warning light would stay on to advise that there is a fault with the steering system. Safety Risk: This small error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. The company has made changes to the vehicle software to correct this issue on all new vehicles.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
96 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
Want the full picture?
The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds buyer analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.