VW Tiguan oil consumption issues are at the heart of a new class action lawsuit alleging that 2022–2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs burn oil at high rates due to engine defects.
All 2022–2023 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs come equipped with a 2-liter, four cylinder engine. Volkswagen states that the 2022–2023 VW Tiguan’s standard rate of oil consumption is up to half a quart for every 600 miles or half a liter for every 1,000 kilometers.1
However, VW Tiguan owners are reporting much higher rates of engine oil consumption and claiming that they have to pay for frequent oil changes and oil consumption tests. Without sufficient levels of engine oil, the engines are susceptible to damage, overheating and catastrophic engine failure.
Table of Contents
- Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Oil Lawsuit Claims
- VW Tiguan Low Engine Oil Symptoms
- VW Tiguan 2L Engine Defects
- 2022–2023 VW Tiguan Engine Complaints
- Volkswagen Lawsuit And Your Legal Options
- Consult a VW Lemon Law Attorney
Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Oil Lawsuit Claims
Two VW Tiguan owners allege high oil consumption in 2022–2023 Tiguan’s engines in a class action lawsuit brought against Volkswagen for more than $5 million.
The first plaintiff, who owns a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Black Edition, alleges that his engine burns so much oil that he’s had to refill his oil four to five times in a single month. He claims his dealership told him this was a “normal occurrence.”2
The second plaintiff, who owns a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, claims that she’s had to pay $360 on oil changes and additional oil purchases. According to the lawsuit, the oil warning light has failed to warn her of low oil levels, forcing her to rely on her intuition.3 She tried to tell Volkswagen dealerships multiple times about her concerns with oil consumption and engine sputtering, only for her concerns to not be addressed sufficiently.
Volkswagen issued Technical Service Bulletin 2017813/19 in September 2024, which instructed dealerships to inspect the engines visually for oil leaks, repair any present oil leaks and perform an oil consumption test.
However, VW Tiguan owners are allegedly told by dealerships that there is nothing wrong with their vehicles or are not offered a sufficient fix to their oil consumption problems.
VW Tiguan Low Engine Oil Symptoms
Many owners of 2022–2023 Volkswagen Tiguans report similar issues with their engines, especially with their engine oil consumption. Top VW Tiguan engine issues include:
- Low oil light flashing
- Engine oil leaks
- Oil warning light not working properly
- Engine sputtering
- Frequent oil replacements
- Engine overheating
- Poor lubrication of parts
- Engine stalling
- Catastrophic engine failure
If your Volkswagen Tiguan has engine issues that your VW dealership cannot seem to fix, you may be able to get legal restitution under your state’s lemon laws.
VW Tiguan 2L Engine Defects
According to the class action lawsuit, the Tiguan’s 2-liter engines have a high oil consumption rate thanks to insufficient piston ring tension and defective positive crankshaft ventilation (PCV) systems.
Not enough piston ring tension is there to prevent engine oil from leaking into the combustion chamber of the engine. The leaking engine oil gets burned and consumed during the combustion cycle, which causes the resulting gases to enter the crankcase.
The PCV system is supposed to funnel blowby gases (gases that slip past the piston rings into the crankcase) back to the intake manifold to be burned off. However, the faulty PCV system fails to reduce the resulting pressure inside the crankcase. Excessive crankcase pressure can put pressure on seals and contribute to engine oil leaks.
2022–2023 VW Tiguan Engine Complaints
“Crankshaft vent valve clogged and failed, causing over-pressurization and oil leaks. Caused the oil pan to crack and upper timing cover to leak per the inspection at Volkswagen. I was driving, going 63mph when it said max engine speed 3000RPM and a light that said EPC started flashing along with the engine light. I turned off cruise control and began to go towards the shoulder and it shuddered and a large white plumb of smoke came out of it. It wouldn’t speed up at all while I was getting over. I had it towed to my home. My husband noticed oil all over the bottom and back of my car. My dipstick had no oil on it at all. We towed it Tuesday morning to Volkswagen.”
– 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, NHTSA ID 11591642
“My vehicle’s low oil light came on and I had just had the oil changed less than 2,000 miles. Took it to the local dealership, they stated 2 seals needed to be replaced, they replaced them and stated I should be good but check the oil every so often to make sure. 500 miles goes by. I needed at least 1 qt of oil, so I took it back to the dealership. Now they say I need a whole new head and it is a common problem. They have done about 3-4 in 2024! I feel like that’s a safety concern but they don’t.”
– 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, NHTSA ID 11590261
“The PCV valve failed on my two-year-old Volkswagen Tiguan at 60,000 miles. As a result, the upper timing gasket was blown, the oil pan went bad, along with several other issues relating to gaskets, seals and sensors, causing an oil leak. This problem was confirmed by my local Volkswagen dealership, and is costing me over $2,000 out-of-pocket. The check engine light was extremely inconsistent – coming on and then going off for days at a time. This is a safety concern. Unfortunately, through research, I have found that many other Tiguan owners are experiencing the same problems, but it does not seem Volkswagen is willing to issue a recall.”
– 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan, NHTSA ID 11615176
“The oil level light has come on 4 times. The car has under 20,000 miles on it. This puts my safety and others’ safety at risk as low oil can cause the engine to stop working rendering the car dangerous if the oil becomes too low while driving. This is a known problem with VW Tiguan’s and there is a current lawsuit regarding their oil consumption. The dealer has topped off the oil when needed. The oil light comes on and is typically a quart or more low when checked.”
– 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, NHTSA ID 11634377
“VW Tiguan 2023 consumes a lot of engine oil every 2,000 and 3,000 miles. The oil engine light turns on and it shows that oil level is low and that is the 2nd time this has happened since I bought the car in 01/2023. The service manager … told me that normally every 3,000 miles you have to add oil. I told him that this is a new car, not a 20 year old car, so he told me that is how it is. Can you please investigate the issue now? I’m scared to drive far and there are a lot of complaints online about the issue. Thank you”
– 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, NHTSA ID 11609594
Volkswagen Lawsuit And Your Legal Options
If you are included in the Volkswagen Tiguan engine lawsuit, you have two options: you can remain in the class action lawsuit, or you can opt out by the specified deadline to retain your individual rights to sue.
If you remain in a class action lawsuit, you may be eligible to receive a portion of the final settlement. However, class action lawsuits often have many members with which to share that final settlement, making the portion each individual receives a relatively small one.
If you opt out of a class action lawsuit, you retain the right to sue the manufacturer under state lemon laws. In California, owners and lessees of defective new vehicles may be eligible to receive cash compensation, a replacement vehicle nearly identical to your current model, or a repurchase of your vehicle for roughly the initial purchase price, plus compensation for other expenses you incurred from your vehicle issues. Under the California Lemon Law, the manufacturer has to pay your attorneys’ fees and costs if you win your claim.
If a manufacturer is found to have willfully violated your rights under the California Lemon Law, you may be able to recover up to three times the approximate amount you paid for your vehicle.
Consult a VW Lemon Law Attorney
Our Volkswagen Lemon Law attorneys are well-versed in handling the complexities of lemon law cases. If you are not sure whether your Volkswagen qualifies as a lemon under California law, our VW lemon lawyers can offer a free consultation and answer any questions you may have about your legal options.
Call our lemon law firm at 833-208-8181 or complete the consultation form below.
References
- Technical Service Bulletin: 2017813/19. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=11008857
- Wood, D. A. (2025, January 11). Class Action Lawsuit Says VW Tiguans Burning Oil, Way Too Much. CarComplaints.com. https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2025/class-action-lawsuit-vw-tiguan-burning-oil.shtml
- Edwards, J. (2024, December 26). VW Tiguan vehicles consume high rate of engine oil, class action claims. Top Class Actions. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/volkswagen-class-action-lawsuit-and-settlement-news/vw-tiguan-vehicles-consume-high-rate-of-engine-oil-class-action-claims/
Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California, with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Orange County. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2020–Present vehicle models only.
However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.
To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.
