Despite having an excellent engine and exceptional build quality, the Volkswagen Tiguan’s technical aspects are not that impressive. Hence, the VW Tiguan touch screen not working issue is pretty common for various models. To solve this issue, first, you need to diagnose the root of it.
Typically, VW Tiguan’s touchscreen fails to work when software glitches or physical damage occurs. Electrical problems such as a blown or worn fuse or faulty wire can also be the cause. In some cases, the LCD or head unit itself can be defective. A reset or reboot will help to fix the touchscreen.
Read on to discover the possible reasons why your VW Tiguan’s touchscreen fails to work.
Why Is My VW Tiguan Touch Screen Not Working? – How to Fix
Here’s a quick look at the causes of touch screen malfunction on a VW Tiguan and some possible fixes:
| Cause | Possible Fix |
|---|---|
| Software Glitch and Update | Update the radio if available or reset it. |
| Blown or Worn-out Fuse | Locate the fuse box and replace the damaged fuse corresponding to the touchscreen or head unit. |
| Faulty Wiring | Take the radio out and repair the damaged wire. |
| Physical Damage and Dirt | Clean the display properly and repair it if there’s any visible damage. |
| Defective LCD or Head Unit | Contact your dealer to get a replacement. |
Software Glitch and Update
As experts and VW users have pointed out, the radio often fails to work when the software encounters glitches or bugs. Such glitches can arise for various reasons, including coding errors, conflicts between different software components, or issues with memory management.
Similarly, if you haven’t updated the latest version of the software, it might cause instability in the system. When an update isn’t properly installed or contains programming errors, it leads to touchscreen issues. The issues can cause freeze, lag, or unresponsiveness to the screen.
How to Fix?
- In any case, first, you need to check if there’s any software update available for your specific vehicle. As other users have done, you have to contact your dealership to learn about the latest updates.
- You can also visit the VW website for Over-the-Air (OTA) updates. If updating the software doesn’t fix the touchscreen, a system reset might help.
- To reset your radio, turn on your ignition and press the radio power button for about 15 seconds. During this time, the screen will go black and turn back on. Release the power button and check if the touchscreen is working.
Check the video below on how to reset your infotainment system.
Blown or Worn-out Fuse
Some users who faced the failed touchscreen issue shared that the electrical system is often the culprit. The touchscreen in your VW Tiguan is connected to an electrical circuit that requires power to function. If the fuse protecting that circuit blows, it can result in a loss of power to the touch screen.
With blown or worn-out fuses, you’ll notice symptoms such as unresponsiveness, screen freezing, or the complete failure of the touchscreen. When there’s a short circuit, the radio screen will keep turning off and on at irregular intervals.
How to Fix?
Thankfully, getting rid of a blown or worn fuse is easy as you only have to replace the damaged fuse. For this, first, refer to your owner’s manual to locate the fuse box.
It’s typically located in the storage compartment that you’ll find below the steering wheel. In some Tiguan models, the fuse box is inside the engine compartment. After locating the fuse box, follow the steps given below:
- Check out the fuse diagram of your vehicle to see which fuse corresponds to the infotainment system or touchscreen.
- Pull out the fuse and check if it has blackened or if there’s any sign of damage. Replace the blown-out fuse.
Faulty Wiring
Poorly connected or damaged wiring leads to inaccurate touch input. The wires connect the radio to the control module and battery. So, faulty or damaged wiring can result in intermittent electrical connections or a dead screen.
When a wire in the radio system is broken, you might touch one area of the screen, but it will register in a different location. If you notice these symptoms, there’s a damaged wire that needs to be fixed.
How to Fix?
Detecting and fixing a faulty wire is a time-consuming task. You need to take off the radio and visually inspect every wire connecting to it.
If you have the proper tools and knowledge to fix a radio, you can give it a try. However, it’s best to leave it to a professional as it costs less than $100.
Physical Damage
The touchscreen of your VW Tiguan is a sensitive electronic component, and physical damage can impact its functionality. If your touchscreen has cracks or breaks in the glass and the underlying layers, it will disrupt the electrical pathways that allow touch inputs.
Dirt, scratches, excessive pressure, spills, or exposure to liquids and a collision can block or damage the touch sensors. As a result, your car radio will display symptoms like lack of response, screen going black and unstable performance.
How to Fix?
First, use a proper cleaner to remove all the dirt or grime from the stereo screen. After that, inspect the touchscreen for cracks, breaks, scratches, or any other physical damage.
Depending on the severity of the damage, you have to repair or replace the touchscreen by a professional technician. While repair costs around $120 to $170, the original replacement parts can cost you over $1,000.
Defective LCD or Head Unit
If all the above-mentioned parts of your Tiguan work fine and the touchscreen is still not working, the display or head unit itself might be the culprit. You can easily detect a defective LCD by recognizing symptoms like areas of the touchscreen not working, flickering screen, and distorted images.
Similarly, when the head unit components go bad, it will interrupt the power supply and touch sensors. It often leads to touch issues like inconsistent operation and touch input malfunction.
How to Fix?
In this case, you must get help from a professional to diagnose the display and head unit. If you need a replacement, contact your dealer to get the original VW parts.
You can also purchase aftermarket head units if you prefer. This fix is often expensive as the head unit or display costs over $1,000.
FAQs
Got more questions? See the following answer some common queries regarding a malfunctioning VW Tiguan touchscreen.
Yes, extreme cold and heat can affect the touchscreen performance of your VW. The cold causes the touchscreen to freeze and become unresponsive. To avoid this, you can use a screen protector.
If the touchscreen fails to recognize your touch inputs, the screen might not be calibrated properly. To fix it, go to the menu by pushing the steering wheel control buttons on your head unit.
Open ‘Settings’ and select ‘Language & keyboard’. After that, press ‘Touch Input’ and choose ‘Calibration Tool’ to reset the measurements.
Wrapping Up!
The VW Tiguan touch screen not working issue is mostly caused by minor software glitches or damaged electric parts. However, you need to inspect the inner components as well in case the head unit or display components are faulty.
If you’re dealing with a minor issue, such as a damaged fuse or software bug, you can fix it without any professional help. In case the screen display or head unit is causing the issue, be sure to contact your dealer or an expert mechanic to diagnose and fix it.