2012 Volkswagen Tiguan S
WVGAV7AX1CW547818
Vehicle history report for the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan S (VIN WVGAV7AX1CW547818). Black. 27,365 mi reported. Registered in Ca. 3 open safety recalls. Unlock full title, salvage, lien & accident history.
![2012 Volkswagen Tiguan S, Black, Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] — representative vehicle photo for VIN WVGAV7AX1CW547818](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/2012_Volkswagen_Tiguan_--_03-16-2012_1.JPG)
At a glance
Vehicle identity & specifications
What's a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan worth?
What comparable 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.
Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.
See this car's exact value →Full vehicle history report
What a full report checks for VIN WVGAV7AX1CW547818
A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.
Safety recalls 3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
NHTSA Campaign #18V329000 · 16/05/2018AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contam…
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs wil
NHTSA Campaign #15V483000 · 04/08/2015FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #14V441000 · 21/07/2014We'll email you the moment a new safety recall is issued — no spam, unsubscribe any time.
Common problems & what to inspect
Based on 152 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.
💥 1 involved a crash
🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
🔍 Sniff for fuel odor, check for leaks, hard starts or stalling, and confirm the fuel gauge reads correctly.
🔍 Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Pre-purchase checklist
- Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
- Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
- Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
- Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
- Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
- Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
- Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.
Owner complaints 152
Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan.
STEERING
Steering wheel gets locked up while driving; power steering fails. The red steering light turns on. This is a problem that happens to several Tiguans. There were no prior symptoms prior to failure. This is extremely dangerous and difficult to deal with while driving, especially on the freeway. please help.
NHTSA ODI #11697066STEERING
I was driving the car and the steering wheel locked out of nowhere A red steering light came on the dashboard. I’ve never seen before
NHTSA ODI #11683568ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. Additionally, while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart. The check engine, EPC, and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated t…
NHTSA ODI #11682937AIR BAGS
The clockspring has failed and there are recalls on similar models of Tiguans of the same year.
NHTSA ODI #11653875ENGINE
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Defective Primary Engine Water Pump, yes. The original primary engine water pump system for a 2012 VW Tiguan 2.0 was replaced under the VW extended warranty in 2020 by an authorized dealer as a the result of the class action suit---please see Water Pump Class A…
NHTSA ODI #11648866ENGINE
The engine could not be started after 13 years and 103,000+ miles. I had to get the car towed to my garage at night, after several prior trips same day. There were no check engine lights or any other indicators. The engine had newer spark plugs, ignition coils and pcv valve installed as well as chain checked a year prior to this. Had a mobile mechanic come …
NHTSA ODI #11633465FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and had occu…
NHTSA ODI #11608994ENGINE
I was accelerating on the highway when my engine started making a rattling sound and the check engine light came on. I took my car into a specialty European auto shop and they determined my timing chain and tensioner needed replacing. The price is going to be over $5k and there are only 113,763 miles. I’ve always taken my car to a VW dealership for schedu…
NHTSA ODI #11605547+ 144 more complaints on record.
