# 2015 VW Tiguan total brake failure



## dashrip (Jul 2, 2015)

My wife (with my 10 year old daughter) was pulling into a parking spot at under 10mph, in her 2015 VW Tiguan. She tapped the brakes to stop but they brakes completely failed. She pumped them and nothing. The car jumped over the concrete parking barrier and continued to go forward, not speeding up, just constant slow steady speed. Then with her foot flat on the brake, no response at all. Without any other option she swerved into a tree. The car continued to go forward and spun about 30 degrees around the tree until finally cutting out. She was a little injured but it could have been far worse. I was able to get the car out of the tree and could feel something wrong with the brakes. I then called VW and they arranged towing to their collision center and said they would investigate. I've called a lawyer now too because I just do not want my wife or daughter in this car again. It's my 1st VW and I am very concerned about their safety. I absolutely know that this was not operator error. 

Has anyone else had any similar issues ?


----------



## Jeff1983 (Oct 16, 2013)

I have owned 4 vw's (2004 GTI VR6, 2010 Jetta TDI, 2006 Passat fwd VR6, and now a 2014 Jetta SE 1.8T). I loved the first 3, which is why I bought the 2014 Jetta brand new. The brakes are absolutely horrible. Beyond a doubt the worst stopping car out of the 24 cars I have owned....and I have owned some old crappy cars. The pedal feel is terrible ( It goes almost to the floor before doing anything ). I have been scared of rear ending someone on more than a few occasions when I have been forced to stop quick due to someone pulling out in front of me. 

I have heard the same thing from many other owners and have read stories online of people getting into accidents. If the Jetta brakes are this bad, then I have no doubt other models are terrible also and I don't doubt your vehicle had a complete failure. My dealer said the brakes are operating normal, but I know they have to say what VW tells them to say.

I am actually upgrading to GTI front brakes with slotted/drilled rotors, stainless lines, tyrolsport caliper stiffening kit, and doing a fluid flush in a few weeks in hope of improving the brakes on my Jetta. 

I am glad your wife and child werent seriously injured. Getting a lawyer was a wise move. Keep us updated with what they can find out went wrong.


----------



## htr (Dec 22, 2014)

Strange, I've had 12 vw's including 3 mkv/Mkvi cars and have never had a problem whatsoever with the brakes at all. Was the fluid cap secure? And full of fluid? Some one cut your brake lines? Very odd to have to total failure.


----------



## Jeff1983 (Oct 16, 2013)

I dont see anything automotive as impossible. Especially after working for so many different manufacturers over the last 15 years. I especially don't find it impossible seeing as how the brakes on my 14 Jetta are beyond terrible. There are many reports of MK6 owners getting into accidents and suing VW over the very poor braking on the cars. Maybe for some reason, some are worse than others? My 2010 Jetta TDI stopped great, but this car would almost be better if I cut a hole in the floor and Flintstoned it. lol.


----------



## Ed52 (May 21, 2001)

-warning light on dash? It will light when fluid gets low before it empties to nothing
-was the emergency brake used?
-tried shifting to neutral or park?


----------



## rcprato (Sep 14, 2007)

Poor braking and no brakes are really 2 different things.

If your wife had a brake failure on the Tiguan than the car needs to be towed straight to VW for further investigation and you should call VWOA and get a case started with them which I hope gets the VW District Service Manager out to the VW Dealership where your car is ASAP.

Getting a lawyer involved may be a good thing to do if he can help advocate VW figuring out what happened, if all the lawyer wants to do initially is threaten with a multi million dollar law suit that won't get you anywhere with VW.

Either the master cylinder didn't create pressure to operate/apply brakes or pressure was lost before it got to wheels to activate brakes?


----------



## WT1 (Apr 7, 2021)

dashrip said:


> My wife (with my 10 year old daughter) was pulling into a parking spot at under 10mph, in her 2015 VW Tiguan. She tapped the brakes to stop but they brakes completely failed. She pumped them and nothing. The car jumped over the concrete parking barrier and continued to go forward, not speeding up, just constant slow steady speed. Then with her foot flat on the brake, no response at all. Without any other option she swerved into a tree. The car continued to go forward and spun about 30 degrees around the tree until finally cutting out. She was a little injured but it could have been far worse. I was able to get the car out of the tree and could feel something wrong with the brakes. I then called VW and they arranged towing to their collision center and said they would investigate. I've called a lawyer now too because I just do not want my wife or daughter in this car again. It's my 1st VW and I am very concerned about their safety. I absolutely know that this was not operator error.
> 
> Has anyone else had any similar issues ?


I know this is an old thread but I had a similar issue this morning driving my wife's 2016 VW Tiguan. The orange glow plug light started illuminating (not flashing) at the time (bit of a coincidence). I put my foot on the brake going slowly downhill and zero response. 10 feet later I had to use the handbrake to stop as the foot brake failed. Car stalled and when I restarted it the warning light disappeared and the foot brake worked again. Car has been kept fully serviced but I dread to think what could have happened if herself had been driving with the kids in the car. Going to mechanic tomorrow. Anyone else experience this?


----------



## Senior Member (Jul 2, 2016)

That's scary!


----------

