VW Tiguan Stalling: Common Ignition Coil Issues Explained

As someone with some experience working on VWs, I had similar issues with my 2011 VW Golf TDI. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, rough idle, engine stalling, and jerking during acceleration, along with an illuminated check engine light. After taking it to my regular workshop, they diagnosed a loose connector at the coil pack, which was causing intermittent misfires. The cable connection had deteriorated over time, leading to poor contact. The total repair cost was 95€, which covered diagnostic time and fixing the connection. For a more accurate diagnosis of your Tiguan, it would help to know: Are there any specific conditions when the stalling occurs (cold start, warm engine)? Have you noticed any smoke from the exhaust? Did you scan for error codes when the check engine light came on? How many kilometers/miles are on the engine? The ignition system issues often show these exact symptoms, but proper diagnostic steps are crucial before replacing parts. A failing coil pack or damaged wiring can trigger similar problems, and scan tool data would help narrow down the specific cause.

Thanks for the follow-up. Just had the 60000km service done last month. The stalling mainly happens when the engine is cold, especially in the morning. No smoke from the exhaust, but I notice the engine hesitation gets worse during damp weather. The error code reads P0303, which points to cylinder 3 misfire. The jerking during acceleration has gotten more frequent over the past week. Would it make sense to start by checking the ignition coil connections before replacing the entire unit? The engine stalling and rough running are really concerning, especially since I rely on this car daily.

Thanks for those details, the P0303 code combined with the cold start issues and weather sensitivity strongly points to ignition coil problems, just like I experienced on my Golf. The symptoms match almost exactly what happened with my car before getting it fixed. The engine hesitation during damp weather is particularly telling, moisture can worsen connection issues in the ignition system. In my case, what started as occasional engine stalling turned into consistent problems within about 2 weeks. Since your coil pack issues are specifically on cylinder 3, I recommend: 1. Checking the connections first, look for corrosion or loose fits 2. If connections are good, try swapping the coil from cylinder 3 with another cylinder 3. If the misfire follows the swapped coil, then you need a replacement coil When my Golf had these issues, the engine stalling got worse quickly. The repair shop found both connection problems and a failing coil pack. Total cost ended up at 180€ for diagnostic work and replacing one coil. Most importantly, dont wait too long. Continuous misfires can damage your catalytic converter, which would be much more expensive to fix.

The swap test suggestion makes a lot of sense. I will check the connections this weekend and try switching the coils between cylinders to pinpoint if its truly a faulty coil causing the misfire. The damp weather connection explains why its been acting up more lately. My main concern was ending up with an expensive repair bill, but 180€ for diagnostic work and a coil replacement sounds reasonable compared to what I was fearing. I definitely dont want to risk damaging the catalytic converter by letting this issue continue. I will get it looked at next week if the basic connection check and coil swap test dont resolve the engine hesitation and stalling. The frequency of these issues is getting worse, so waiting isnt worth the risk of bigger problems. Thanks for sharing your similar experience, it helped narrow down the likely cause.