Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Front-end knocking often points to worn drop links — but on a nearly-new Tiguan, it can be something else entirely: leftover transport packing dealers forget to remove.

Illustration of a suspension strut and coil spring

Illustration for editorial purposes

Find Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — front struts (aftermarket) Bilstein 22-267108 / KYB 3358020

Accuracy note: Covers the Volkswagen Tiguan (Mk2 2016-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Front struts, lower arms and top mounts are sold by side and by suspension spec — standard, sport / lowered (S line, M Sport, R-Line, ST-Line etc.), heavy-duty and adaptive / electronic damping all use different part numbers, and some makers split by engine or front axle load. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Confirm the fit against your VIN, and replace struts and top mounts in pairs.

Front strut / shock absorber (aftermarket)	Sachs 317 330 (twin-tube gas, ST36/25X167A); KYB 3358020 (Excel-G, twin-tube gas); Bilstein 22-267108 (B4, twin-tube gas); Monroe 742117SP (twin-tube gas, front both sides); Meyle 126 623 0019 (pairs only); TRW JGM1116T (54 mm, 25 mm rod); Koni 8745-1388 (adjustable, for cars without electronic damping control)
Front lower arm / wishbone (aftermarket)	LH Febi 170515 (lower, without ball joint), Delphi TC3440 (lower, with ball joint, 495 x 385 x 105 mm), Meyle 116 050 0195 (without ball joint), Ridex 273C1402 (327 mm); RH Febi 170514 (lower, without ball joint), Delphi TC3441 (with ball joint), Delphi TC3842 (without ball joint), Meyle 116 050 0196 (without ball joint).
Top mount / strut bearing (aftermarket)	Lemförder 36951 01 and Sachs 802 696 (without ball bearing, 2 per axle); Lemförder 37555 01 and Sachs 801 051 (bearing); Febi 44799 (rolling bearing, 127 mm); Febi 45497 (repair kit with ball bearing); Meyle 100 641 0020 (ball bearing); Meyle 100 412 0141 (rubber-metal, no bearing); Ridex 1180S0481 (with rolling bearing).
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	Bilstein 23-238978 strut quotes 5QF 413 031 AC and 5QF 413 032 A; Lemförder 36951 01 and Sachs 802 696 mounts quote 5Q0 412 331 C/D/E and 5QD 412 331 A/C; Lemförder 37555 01 and Sachs 801 051 bearings quote 5Q0 412 249 E/F. None for arms.
Fitment notes	Standard-ride struts versus adaptive (DCC) units are split by whether the car has electronic suspension control; the Koni is the adjustable option for non-DCC cars; no axle-load or engine split stated.

Confirmed: Drop Links Are a Genuine Weak Point — But Check This First on a Newer Car — Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension

Across VW owner forums, one specific weak point comes up consistently enough on older Golf-platform cars to be worth checking first: the anti-roll bar drop links, which wear and produce exactly the kind of knock or clunk heard over bumps and rough surfaces. A genuinely useful diagnostic method before replacing anything: since drop links sit under constant tension normally, disconnecting one end temporarily and taking the car for a short test drive is a reliable way to confirm whether it's genuinely the source of the noise — if the knock disappears with it disconnected, that confirms the drop link.

A genuinely distinctive finding worth knowing on a nearly-new car: some vehicles leave the factory or dealer with plastic transport packing pieces still fitted inside the strut assembly, intended to protect the suspension during shipping and meant to be removed during pre-delivery inspection — but occasionally get missed. This produces a genuine knocking noise that has nothing to do with wear at all, and is a simple, free fix once identified, rather than a worn part needing replacement. Worth specifically asking a dealer or garage to check for this if a knock appears on a car that's only a few months or a couple of years old, before assuming genuine suspension wear.

If drop links check out fine, the next most commonly reported cause is the strut top mount bearing, or — on higher-mileage examples — the lower control arm's rear bush, which can develop a "sloppy" fit even while the rubber itself still looks visually sound. Genuinely worth checking both before assuming a full strut or shock absorber replacement is needed, since these are considerably cheaper fixes if they turn out to be the actual cause.

Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut: The System That Quietly Does All the Work

On the Volkswagen Tiguan, every bump, pothole and corner passes through these components before you ever feel it in the cabin, which is exactly why wear here shows up as vague, hard-to-pin-down symptoms rather than one obvious failure. A methodical check usually finds the culprit faster than guesswork.

Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: 2021 Volkswagon Tiguan Front Strut and Spring Replacement

Watch on YouTube ↗

2021 = Mk2

Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension reference plate

Before you buy: suspension components vary by trim, engine weight and whether your car has the standard or sport-tuned setup. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut: What It Does

The Volkswagen Tiguan's front suspension strut combines a shock absorber with the coil spring mounting point in one assembly, controlling how quickly the suspension compresses and rebounds over bumps. A worn strut lets the car bounce excessively after a bump instead of settling quickly, and can accelerate uneven tyre wear if left unaddressed.

Find Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

Volkswagen Tiguan Front Suspension Strut: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Front Suspension Strut Guide for symptoms of worn bushings and ball joints, confirming fitment against your VIN, and rubber vs polyurethane guidance.

More Volkswagen Front Suspension Strut

The same part, covered across other Volkswagen models.