NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 53 complaints against the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has generated 106 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Volkswagen pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 24 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Currently in the 22-23 Tiguans they are experiencing an oil consumption issue. Where the engine is consuming oil at a fast rate. I am having to add oil to the car every 800-1000 miles. There’s several class action lawsuits against VW for this exact issue yet they refuse to fix the issue in our car even though it is still under warranty. In writing they told me it’s not consuming ENOUGH oil for VW to approve the repair and that it has to get worse before they will fix it. This problem CAN cause catastrophic failure to the engine. It can also cause the car to stall while driving putting myself and my family at risk. The service advisor admitted that the Tiguans are known oil burners, so much so that they now put in their manuals that burning 1qt of oil per 1000-1200 miles is within spec. It should not be burning oil at all! When I took it to VW bc the check engine light and low oil light was on they said they needed to perform an oil consumption test to see how much it was burning. Yet when I went to pick it up they said that I had to bring it back in exactly 630 miles to do the test. They wouldn’t say why they didn’t get it done that day which I thought was strange. I was unable to get back there at exactly 630 miles bc I work and they are in a different state. So I called to say hey I’m a little Over is that ok. They said no sorry ,we will have to do it at my next oil change. Which per VW is 10,000 miles or 1 year! They want me to wait up until one yr to test this? This is not acceptable! It is costing me money in extra oil every month , putting my family at risk, and putting the car at risk for catastrophic failure . Again, I have the proof in writing where they stated what I said above. As well as receipts and proof that I have taken it to VW for this issue yet they refuse to fix it.” (NHTSA Complaint #11724669)
The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has generated 10 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Severe oil consumption approximately every 2,000 miles the oil light comes on and I have to take it in. Had it serviced at 10,000 miles was told nothing was wrong. The oil light came on again after about 2000 miles from service. Have taken it for oil top off about 7 times approximately every 2,000 miles or so since purchased.” (NHTSA Complaint #11633173)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 8 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The instrument cluster became blank suddenly and no longer displays any speed, mileage, temperature or any essential information. It is currently available for inspection. This is a safety issue as I don’t have any speedometer reading or any important vehicle information. This issue occurred without warning.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722496)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The wireless phone charger in my 2023 VW Tiguan does not function as intended and consistently fails to charge any phone, regardless of placement, brand, or case. The charging pad repeatedly disconnects, overheats the phone, or never initiates charging at all, making the feature completely unusable. This is a safety concern because it encourages drivers to handle their phones while driving after assuming the vehicle would keep the device charged.” (NHTSA Complaint #11703825)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The contact owned a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated causing the vehicle to veer off the road, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,171.” (NHTSA Complaint #11637267)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan by the NHTSA or Volkswagen. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver’s rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners April 3, 2024, and Volkswagen owners November 18, 2025.Volkswagen owners will receive a second notice once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen custom
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Volkswagen to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Volkswagen must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan qualifies as a lemon under California law, Volkswagen may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Volkswagen a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Volkswagen dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Volkswagen pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Volkswagen a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Volkswagen is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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