How many recalls does the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan model year. Whether one car had the recall work done depends on that car, so check its VIN with NHTSA.

2009: 167 owner complaints, Maybe

Our take: only with records and an inspection. Owners filed more complaints than usual, mostly about costly parts.

Year verdict

Maybe

Above a typical year, mostly costly parts

More owner complaints than usual. Buy only with records and an inspection.

Confidence: Medium

NHTSA did not answer for 10 years, so the typical year may shift.

NHTSA did not answer for 10 years, so this may change.

Past 100,000 miles

Locked

How this year held up past 100,000 miles.

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How the dial was counted

Year verdict: Typical year: 65 complaints, the median of 8 nearby years. Each counted over its first 8 years from January 2008; this one had 93.

Same car, better year: 2010 or 2012 Tiguan (both Worthy)

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Odometer check

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WhipWorthy sticker

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan

Complaints167From owners
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Recalls3On file
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NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.
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MPG21Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

Complaints are unverified owner reports, not adjusted for how many were sold.

Compare this car Every Tiguan year

Car report

Park this car in My Garage and see its recalls at a glance.Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Value signals

We do not price cars.

These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.

Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Fuel: $3,800 a year.The EPA’s estimate for 15,000 miles a year, 55% in town, at its fuel prices. Each version
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
Have the VIN? Check it is this car, and see its open recalls at NHTSA.
VIN
On the dash at the base of the windshield, or on the driver’s door sticker.

What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

The full record

Tap to open

What owners complain about

167 complaints; the part named most is the engine

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Aug 11, 2008 to Sep 22, 2026. 60% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 4 crashes, 6 fires and 3 injuries in these complaints.

Engine88 · 53%Usually costly to fix
Electrical40 · 24%
Transmission and drivetrain20 · 12%Usually costly to fix

What one owner wrote about the engine

The car keeps throwing sensors (camshaft, crank sensors, throttle body etc) and the ECM needs to be updated. It keeps turning over. I checked the recall list of VINs and mine is within the range, however there aren't any recalls listed.

Filed Sep 9, 2024NHTSA complaint 116135961 of 18 owner quotes

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11 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Body and frame.

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SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Seller kit

Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points

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Walk up to the seller ready

Questions to ask the seller of a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.

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Write your offer

A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email

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Send the seller a fair offer

Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.

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When problems show up

Engine: the middle complaint around 75,000 miles

The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 42 complaints of 167 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.

EngineCostly50,000 to 100,000 mi
Half of these 34 complaints came between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, the middle one around 75,000.

SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

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1 problem zone to lay against your loan, 1 usually costly

See the month of your loan each one lands in, and what you would still owe then.

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Recalls

3 recalls on file

Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.

Fuel system
Jul 21, 2014 · Recall 14V441000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 to June 2014. When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling.
What can happen
A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to increase the fuel pump pressure, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 19, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24AV/2W.
Electrical
Nov 22, 2013 · Recall 13V569000
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tiguan vehicles manufactured July 2007 through June 2011. Due to a problem with the fuse for the exterior lights, the holder for the fuse that controls the vehicle's exterior lights circuit may melt.
What can happen
If the holder melts, there may be a partial loss of exterior lighting. Reduced vehicle illumination diminishes the vehicle's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall number is 97Z9/2V.
Engine
May 28, 2008 · Recall 08V235000
Volkswagen is recalling 4,079 my 2008 passat and 2,500 my 2009 tiguan passenger vehicles equipped with 2.0t fsi ulev ii engines. These vehicles have an engine control module (ecm) containing software that may not properly control engine idle with the air conditioning turned on. In rare cases, the ecm may unexpectedly increase engine rpm.
What can happen
An engine surge caused by an unexpected increase in engine rpm may surprise the vehicle operator and can result in a crash without warning.
The fix
Dealers will inspect and update the ecm software free of charge. The recall began on may 30, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

SourceRecalls listed by NHTSA for the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Crash ratings

NHTSA did not answer

NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.

NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings for this car. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.

Fuel economy

21 mpg combined, across 2 versions

The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in.

Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
Tiguan · Front wheel drive · Premium gas
City
18 mpg
Highway
24 mpg
Combined
21 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,800
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
Tiguan · Front wheel drive · Premium gas
City
19 mpg
Highway
26 mpg
Combined
21 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,800
This one on fueleconomy.gov

SourceEPA fuel economy data, fueleconomy.gov. EPA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

True cost to own

The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years

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What it really costs to own

What the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.

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Every year of the Tiguan

8 Worthy, 7 Maybe, 2 Pass, of 18 years on file

Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.

Best and worst years of the Tiguan

NHTSA did not answer for 16 years, so the chart may be missing some.

SourceNHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Tiguan. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Before you buy this one

5 checks, with a close look at the engine

Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.

Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 3 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the engine. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the engine. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the engine.
Start it cold if you can. Listen for knocking or ticking, and watch for warning lights and smoke.

Going to see it? Take the checklist52 checks with the bad signs to look for, saved on your phone.

Check this exact car

The verdict is about the model year. These checks are about the one in front of you. Most are free or a few dollars.

VIN for these checks

Copy it, then paste it into each check. Nothing is sent until you open one.

Official checks on this VIN

Open recallsFree
NHTSA
Safety recalls on this VIN that are not fixed yet, from the last 15 years.
A recall already fixed does not show.
Check recalls at NHTSAnhtsa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Theft and total lossFree
NICB VINCheck
Whether an insurer reported it stolen and not found, or wrote it off as a total loss.
Only insurer records. Five checks a day.
Open NICB VINChecknicb.org (opens in a new tab)
Title brandsA few dollars
NMVTIS, the federal title system
Salvage, flood, junk and rebuilt brands from any state, and the last miles on the title.
No repairs, service or recalls. Sold by approved sellers listed on the site.
See the approved sellersvehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov (opens in a new tab)
Title statusVaries by state
The state motor vehicle office
Whether the title is branded in that state and, where the state offers it, whether a lender still has a lien.
It will not name the owner. Each state asks its own way, and some only by mail. Ask to see the seller’s title too.
Find your state’s officeusa.gov (opens in a new tab)

What a paid report adds

A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:

Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.

It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.

Red flags in a history

Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.

Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.

Model year	Owner complaints	Verdict
2009	167	Maybe
2010	110	Worthy
2011	162	Maybe
2012	153	Worthy
2013	140	Worthy
2014	84	Worthy
2015	62	Worthy
2016	97	Worthy
2017	76	Worthy
2018	288	Pass
2019	196	Maybe
2020	141	Maybe
2021	144	Maybe
2022	274	Pass
2023	72	Worthy
2024	77	Maybe
2025	57	Maybe
2026	38	Not judged

The verdict on the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Fuel system

What can happen

The fix

Electrical

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

Fuel economy

Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo

True cost to own

Every year of the Tiguan

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Fuel system

What can happen

The fix

Electrical

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo