Known APK problem

Volkswagen Tiguan I: drive shafts

On the Volkswagen Tiguan I the APK inspector finds drive shafts problems 60% more often than on cars of the same age: at 16+ years 5.7%, against about 3.6% nationally.

Illustration Volkswagen Tiguan I

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Torn boots or worn CV joints on the drive shafts.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Look behind the front wheels at the rubber boots: no tears or grease around them. Drive a tight turn: no clicking noise.

Ask the seller: Have the drive shaft boots or CV joints been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Volkswagen Tiguan Is with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

AgeTypeTiguan I95%-CINationalDifferencen
11 – 12 yearsB0.5%0.3 – 0.7%1.3%0.4×4,991
13 – 15 yearsB1.2%1.0 – 1.4%2.0%0.6×8,902
16+ yearsB5.7%5.1 – 6.4%3.6%1.6×4,729

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 16+ years

ModelDrive shaftsVs. national
Volkswagen Tiguan I5.7%1.6×
Nissan Qashqai I12.0%3.4×
Volvo XC60 I2.2%0.6×

Looking at a Volkswagen Tiguan I? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Volkswagen Tiguan Is of the same age.

All weak spots of the Volkswagen Tiguan I · Drive shafts: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Volkswagen Tiguan I often have drive shafts problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 16+ years the inspector found a drive shafts defect on 5.7% of inspected Volkswagen Tiguan Is, against about 3.6% of all cars of the same age (1.6×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the drive shafts on a used Volkswagen Tiguan I?

Look behind the front wheels at the rubber boots: no tears or grease around them. Drive a tight turn: no clicking noise.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know