NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
56 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Aug 31, 2026
Electrical System
On unusually hot days, my VW Tiguan 2019, pops up a Check Start system and shuts down the dash and all electrical components (speedometer, A/C, infotainment system, blindside monitors, brake lights etc.) Car still runs but everything does not work. On searching, there are other VW users complaining about this issue as well makin…
Read full complaint
On unusually hot days, my VW Tiguan 2019, pops up a Check Start system and shuts down the dash and all electrical components (speedometer, A/C, infotainment system, blindside monitors, brake lights etc.) Car still runs but everything does not work. On searching, there are other VW users complaining about this issue as well making it a known manufacturer defect/issue. I called my local VW dealer letting them know that this is a safety issue and to find out if there is currently a recall for this issue but was told there is none. As this is a massively known safety issue. I think the NTHSA must mandate Volkswagen to do a complete recall for all VW vehicles they know are affected by this issue on their own budget without having consumers have to pay for this repair. Thank you.
NHTSA ODI #11761079
Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2026
Electrical System
During Hot weather the vehicles electrical will shut down while driving displaying a message saying check starter system and I will loose all lighting and brake lights and turn signals and HVAC systems and engine will shut off also I was going down the highway when this happened to me and it only happens in hot weather. This has…
Read full complaint
During Hot weather the vehicles electrical will shut down while driving displaying a message saying check starter system and I will loose all lighting and brake lights and turn signals and HVAC systems and engine will shut off also I was going down the highway when this happened to me and it only happens in hot weather. This has been happening since we purchased the vehicle Volkswagen refuses to fix it and the 2020 models are on recall for this same issues.
NHTSA ODI #11748835
Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2026
Electrical System
When driving car will read error code that states there is problem with the starter and shuts off all electric components while engine is still running. Has happened multiple times since initial incident.
NHTSA ODI #11743905
Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2026
Electrical System
While driving my car, I get a loud beep and all of a sudden it says system switch failure pull over safely. It seems to do this on hot days. We thought it was maybe the battery and replaced that at $280. It was fine for about a week and then started doing it again. Everything on my dashboard goes completely blank my AC stops wor…
Read full complaint
While driving my car, I get a loud beep and all of a sudden it says system switch failure pull over safely. It seems to do this on hot days. We thought it was maybe the battery and replaced that at $280. It was fine for about a week and then started doing it again. Everything on my dashboard goes completely blank my AC stops working I cannot see my gauges. Nothing works. It’s very scary especially when you’re driving. You can’t see your speed. Even the manual speed goes out my gas meter doesn’t work. None of the meters work. I just bought this car six months ago. This is absolutely insane and after looking up what is going on with my car this seems to be a very common occurrence which would make me wonder if the ignition switches need to be replaced or the 645 relay is faulty, but it’s not adding up something absolutely needs to be done. It’s an unsafe occurrence that could potentially kill someone while they’re driving.
NHTSA ODI #11743681
Mileage unknown · May 19, 2026
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other
The car stopped at a light on a busy street in [XXX] (in the middle lane), then the engine stopped, and my wife could not restart it. I went as fast as possible and met her. I was eventually able to get it started. This is the third time we have had problems like this. I did the same thing for me and another time for my wife. I…
Read full complaint
The car stopped at a light on a busy street in [XXX] (in the middle lane), then the engine stopped, and my wife could not restart it. I went as fast as possible and met her. I was eventually able to get it started. This is the third time we have had problems like this. I did the same thing for me and another time for my wife. I believe it is the stop-start capability, but I can't say for sure. We have also had bad engine oil burning problems and electrical problems. All of these (I now know, but did not before) are recurring problems for 2019 Tiguans. The cylinder head was rebuilt last year, associated with a similar instance. I am now fully aware that the 2019 Tiguans are known to experience all of these problems, but when I brought my car in on previous occasions, that never got mentioned. I am told XYZ is an issue, then billed for repairs. The car was originally leased, and when I purchased it at the end of the lease, I also purchased a full premium warranty. When the issue happened in May of 2025, the policy eventually covered this, but it took over a month of justifications and records before the third-party insurance company agreed to cover the repairs. All of this said, I am no longer comfortable that this car is safe for my wife to drive, as the issues that are repeating are known issues, and yet Volkswagen seems to sweep these under the rug from both a manufacturer and dealership perspective. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11738875
Mileage unknown · May 13, 2026
Electrical SystemEngine
When it is really hot outside 90 and above my car does messes up. As I'm driving my car will throw the code pull over and Check starter system. Everything turns off, and then it takes minutes from my car to restart. It has happened multiple times when I'm in traffic at a stop light or driving and it throws the code as my car is …
Read full complaint
When it is really hot outside 90 and above my car does messes up. As I'm driving my car will throw the code pull over and Check starter system. Everything turns off, and then it takes minutes from my car to restart. It has happened multiple times when I'm in traffic at a stop light or driving and it throws the code as my car is moving. I have taken it to shops and still no auto shop can figure out the fix. Happened for the first time a year ago, and now its happening constantly
NHTSA ODI #11737658
Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2026
Electrical SystemEngineStructure
The vehicle will randomly shut off while driving. A message will appear stating "Check the Starting System" Attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful. The engine will start, stall after about 2 seconds and the message "Check Starting System" will display. The first time it happened, I was turning a corner at a rather dange…
Read full complaint
The vehicle will randomly shut off while driving. A message will appear stating "Check the Starting System" Attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful. The engine will start, stall after about 2 seconds and the message "Check Starting System" will display. The first time it happened, I was turning a corner at a rather dangerous intersection and the vehicle stalled. It took about three attempts before the engine would remain running. When the engine would stall the dash would go dark and the engine would not remain running this happened about a month ago in hot weather. It occurred again on April 25th, 2026 way worse this time. The temperature in the area reached 91 Degrees Fahrenheit. My vehicle was sitting outside in the heat for at least 5 hours, same issue, The vehicle would then proceed to stall in the middle of the freeway, I was able to coast to the breakdown lane where the vehicle would remain unable to start and the message "Check Starter System" would display. Looking on NHTSA webpage before filing a complaint, it seems that this is a rather common issue. VW had a recall for other models (Campaign 28H7) for models such as the Jetta, Golf and other like models. This is a really dangerous issue and could end up getting someone seriously injured or worse killed in a collision if my vehicle stalls like this. The vehicle is scheduled for a service appointment in the near future (Local VW dealer is at least 2 weeks out before they can even look at my vehicle) After viewing this information, I can't help but believe it is possible the 28H7 recall is affecting more models than anticipated.
NHTSA ODI #11734486
Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2026
Electrical System
In warm weather, the car will start but immediately shut off with warning check starter system. All electrical will go off including brake lights, signal, a/c
NHTSA ODI #11727589
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2026
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
The starter system failed & yes it is available for inspection. Others & my safety was put at risk, as the car shut off while I was driving. The gauges turned off, I could not see how fast I was going and the turning and brake lights did not work either, the radio & a/c all turned off. The problem has been reproduced while the v…
Read full complaint
The starter system failed & yes it is available for inspection. Others & my safety was put at risk, as the car shut off while I was driving. The gauges turned off, I could not see how fast I was going and the turning and brake lights did not work either, the radio & a/c all turned off. The problem has been reproduced while the vehicle is parked on hot days and in the winter when the the heater is on for a period of time. There are online forums of other Volkswagen owners having the same issue. Volkswagen owners have had the ignition switch replaced and the issue has not happened to them again. There were not any warnings or messages prior to the failure. The message that appears says, "please check the starter system. When the vehicle is parked in the shade it turns on fine. I have an appointment scheduled at my local Volkswagen service department to have the ignition switch replaced on my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. Please contact me asap, this should be a recall and any costs associated with it should be covered by Volkswagen as this is a common safety issue.
NHTSA ODI #11726333
Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure
Relates to the Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch that for some reason is only applied to Jetta's but needs to be expanded to include 2019 Tiguans . In vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch, the polyfuse can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high temperature environments. If the polyfuse fai…
Read full complaint
Relates to the Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch that for some reason is only applied to Jetta's but needs to be expanded to include 2019 Tiguans . In vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch, the polyfuse can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high temperature environments. If the polyfuse fails, it can result in the engine stalling while driving and failure of the vehicle's electrical system, increasing the risk of a crash. I have had this issue happen over 5 times since the initial incident last week. Now anything above 70 degrees Fahrenheit causes the interior to "lose power" but the engine will continue to run. The A/C, infotainment system, all the ADAS, instrument cluster, headlights, and turn signals shuts off completely. No brake lights, no blinkers, no odometer reading, nothing. I can still drive (accelerate & brake) when this is happening but without all of those systems working I cannot safely operate this vehicle.
NHTSA ODI #11723406
Official recalls
5Oct 31, 2022
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Apr 6, 2022
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
Mar 27, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The tire information label contains inaccurate tire dimension and inflation pressure specifications. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The incorrect specifications can result in improper tire inflations or to installing a tire of the wrong size on the vehicle. Either of these situations can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D2.
Mar 6, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.
Nov 26, 2018
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗