The Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the best-selling SUVs anywhere in the world.
And perhaps the best-known VW crossover vehicle on the market today.
It has found popularity in markets all over the world and is much praised for its great looks, reliability, and signature VW style.
This article explains “12 VW Tiguan Features Not Working”…
Table of Contents
VW Tiguan Steering Wheel Controls Not Working
The most common cause of the Tiguan steering controls not working is a faulty or otherwise malfunctioning clock spring.
At least, on older models going back to 2011-2015, this could be the case. It has been investigated by the NHTSA before and recalls were issued.
If you experience this problem, but your model wasn’t recalled or you received no notice on this recall, take the car immediately to the dealership and request a check on that.
If it is this problem, it should be fixed for free.
VW Tiguan Reverse Camera Not Working
If you notice the reverse camera isn’t working, you should determine if it’s a mechanical or system issue.
You can do that by first checking to see if the camera pops out as it should when you go into reverse.
If it does, but nothing comes onto the screen, then the problem is system-based.
If the camera fails to pop out, then the problem is electrical or mechanical, with the camera not receiving a signal to come out when prompted.
That connection can be fixed by a VW technician.
If the camera pops out, then it means that it does have power.
You could therefore try resetting the system by pressing and holding the power button for 30 seconds to perform a full shut off and reset of the RCD-510.
If the reset doesn’t work, then it could be an internal connection not working properly. You can expect to pay as much as $880 if you have to have this camera replaced.
VW Tiguan 4 Wheel Drive Not Working
One of the causes behind the possible failure of the 4 Wheel Drive in a Tiguan is a failure in the Haldex pump, especially on slightly older models from 2012-2014.
The Haldex is a coupling system attached to the rear differential that allows you to switch between RWD and 4WD.
If the pump isn’t working, then it isn’t switching between the RWD and 4WD.
This kind of repair is beyond most amateur mechanics, even enthusiastic ones.
It’s best to consult a professional mechanic or dealership technician to deal with this issue.
The fluid and filter in this system should be changed at least every 30,000-50,000 miles.
If you haven’t had this serviced in some time, then that might explain why it stopped working.
A service on your Haldex pump will likely cost between $100-120 with parts and labor.
VW Tiguan Electric Tailgate Not Working
Issues with the VW Tiguan electric tailgate have been recorded as happening with cars as freshly purchased as 3-4 days prior.
Buying a brand-new Tiguan to find that something as basic as an electric tailgate wasn’t working would be frustrating, to say the least.
Problems have occurred where the tailgate not only won’t open electronically but can’t even be released manually from the inside.
Unfortunately, there are seemingly no easy fixes to this problem.
The most likely explanations are all linked to either electrics or internal mechanics, all of which require quite extensive attention from technicians.
VW dealerships have had to remove bumpers, as well as the headliner and the pillar trims to locate and isolate the potential issues. This one isn’t a DIY job.
The good news is that since it’s a manufacturer defect, it is covered by the warranty.
VW Tiguan Reverse Lights Not Working
As with any problems involving lights on your car, the first thing you should check is the fuse box and the bulb.
If there are no signs of blown fuses and the bulb appears to be in good condition, then it could be something else.
Another thing that can happen is a buildup of corrosion, which you can usually clean up before retesting the bulb.
The problem of the reverse light stopping working can also be related to fitting and installing a wireless reverse camera.
On the Tiguan, wiring for the camera is interlaced with the Can Bus system.
What can happen when installing a wireless camera is that data needed for the reverse light circuit gets suppressed.
Fixing the reverse light for either of these scenarios shouldn’t cost more than $50, possibly a little more if additional parts are needed.
VW Tiguan Trailer Lights Not Working
A number of users reported issues with their trailer lights when hooked up to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) VW Tiguan trailer module.
The strange and frustrating thing was that the trailer hookup wasn’t aftermarket, but OEM.
Volkswagen has been very cagey on this in the past, often quick to blame the wiring in the trailer, even when trailers have been tested on other vehicles to ensure that they were working.
The best solution that has been found so far is that on the trailer-side harness there may be a broken or damaged ground wire.
Many found that repairing this wire fixed the problem completely.
The best explanation is that it may work on some cars but not the Tiguan because other cars with older connector tongues were unpainted, whereas the Tiguan has a newer tongue coated in epoxy.
This means the Tiguan relies on the ground wires being in good order, where the others do not. If you find your trailer hitch just isn’t working, then you can get an OEM replacement for $130.
VW Tiguan USB Port Not Working
If you find that a USB is not working, then it’s a frustrating business because you likely rely on it for smartphone and device charging in your Tiguan.
The most likely explanation is a failed USB port, a blown fuse or a broken connection at the port plugin. Try the other USB ports first and see if they have power.
If none have power, then check the fuse box to see if any fuses have blown.
If all have power except that one, then it could be a broken connection.
A technician could fix that for about $20-40, or they could remove it and install a new USB for $50-60 or so.
VW Tiguan Instrument Cluster Not Working
Whether you have an older analog instrument cluster with gauges or a newer fully digital display, the main reason for the instrument cluster not working is bad fuses and bad sensors (analog).
Starting with the older models, the gauges can sometimes stop working when the sensors that power them are not working.
This could be traced to a blown fuse, or to a faulty sensor.
The same thing can happen to your fuel gauges, which is bad because it misleads you into thinking you have more gas than you have!
If you inspect the fuse boxes (one under the hood next to the battery and one under the steering wheel) and see no blown fuses, the best thing is to get a repair from a dealership technician.
These problems are typically internal problems with sensors, wiring and other sensitive equipment that benefits from the professional touch.
Depending on how much needs to be fixed, instrument cluster repair costs can range up to $800.
If the problem is relatively simple, it might cost $150-200, but the issue comes in all the labor needed to find and isolate the exact cause of the problem.
VW Tiguan AUX Input Not Working
AUX input may feel like old technology to some, but it’s still a useful port in many cars, including the Tiguan.
When the AUX input is not working, you need to look at the solder joints inside the jack point. Most likely the explanation is worn or broken solder joints.
You can resolder them or have them resoldered for about $50-70.
One other explanation is disjointed, cracked, or otherwise impacted connections inside the system. In this case, you might want to definitely call on a technician to help.
VW Tiguan Dynamic Light Assist Not Working
Dynamic Light Assist on your Tiguan refers to the automatic high beam lights function.
If you notice that the system is not working, first try working the light manually to make sure it physically works.
In most cases, the lights are working when pushed manually, but the automatic functionality of activating and dipping the lights is malfunctioning.
You should also reflect on the weather conditions at the times that it’s “not working.”
If you are experiencing heavy rain or other bad weather, the camera that the system relies on becomes obscured and can’t operate as accurately.
If you’ve noticed it only fails to work in bad weather, then you may not have a fault at all.
Most faults in this system are traced to various issues with settings rather than any technical issue.
VW customer support should be able to help in situations where the feature seems to suddenly disappear.
VW Tiguan Voice Control Not Working
Problems with the voice control features are not new to VW models.
Back in 2012, VW removed voice control from Passat models because it just wasn’t working properly at all for users.
If you have the same problem in your Tiguan, the most likely explanation is that you need a new Car-Net module that only the dealership can install.
Car-Net is VW’s service that manages navigation and voice control. A replacement module shouldn’t cost anything if the one you had was defective.
Another solution you can also try yourself is disconnecting the negative terminal on your battery, waiting about 20 minutes, and then reconnecting and restarting the car.
This kind of forced reset also can fix the issues sometimes.
VW Tiguan Memory Seat Not Working
This final problem is very difficult for those families who share a Tiguan between two drivers with very different seating profiles. This issue seems to happen in two ways.
The first way is that when the memory seat is set very far back for a tall driver, it will always reset for that driver but about an inch or so forwards.
The result is that drivers have to readjust that last inch to get back to the perfect position.
The solution to this was apparently to delete the seating profile and re-enter it and it would solve the issue.
The other more extreme problem is when the Tiguan simply doesn’t remember another driver’s setting and leaves it firmly in another driver’s.
In this case, drivers should use the VCDS scanning tool to determine the issue.
In any case, deleting and re-inputting the seat profile can solve the issue, but not always.