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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan is associated with 96 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 18 reports (19% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 22 to 23 MPG combined. The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan belongs to the 1st generation (Typ 5N) Tiguan platform spanning model years 2015–2018.

Platform Architecture: 1st Generation (Typ 5N) • Production Span: 2015–2018 • Platform Code: PQ35 • Lifecycle Note: Facelift (2015–2017) / Tiguan Limited (2017–2018)
Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 96 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Air Bags (18 / 19%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 4 crash / 2 fire / 3 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 22–23 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Tiguan 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 21 MPG 26 MPG 23 MPG — $3,300 / yr
Tiguan 4motion 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 26 MPG 22 MPG — $3,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 17.4%
SUV AWD 18.5%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan models.
View complete 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Summary of 96 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
96
Crash Reports
4
Fire Reports
2
Complaints w/ Injury
3
Total Injuries
3

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Air Bags 18 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS 7 complaints
Engine 5 complaints
Electrical System 4 complaints
Steering 4 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan problems & component breakdown (39 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V535000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #16V464000 Active Recall
Affected Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Defect Summary: Volkswagen 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan

How many safety recalls does the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan have?

The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

NHTSA records list 96 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Air Bags, appearing in 18 filings (19% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan range from 22 to 23 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.