Greetings!

I have a 2012 VW Tiguan (usa, S trim, FWD, 6spd manual, 2.0 TSi engine, 55k miles) that has developed a problem over the fast week or two. I have noticed that the engine hesitates or stutters occasionally. It is most noticeable when going up a hill at under 3k rpm, or exiting corners. At idle, it will occasionally stutter as well. A friend who is a bit more car savvy than me said it feels like the engine is misfiring occasionally. Check engine light is NOT on.

I took some advice from some people and replaced the spark plugs since it sounded like it was about due for those. During the process, I noticed two of the ignition coils seemed questionable (very dirty on the inside) and replaced them as well at the suggestion of the dealership. Dealership person thought that coils could have creeped up and let junk inside, causing both the hesitation and the buildup.

Ultimately, while the car does feel like it runs a bit smoother overall after the new plugs and coils, ultimately the issue still persists.

Potentially relevant: - Intake manifold is a known issue with the TSi engines apparently, and mine was replaced due to a crack around 30k miles for misfiring bad enough to cause a CEL. - at 48k miles I had the car at the dealership for a software update regarding the fuel pump due to a recall. While the issue has come up after that, I don't remember it being directly after the update, or at least if it was an issue, it was minor enough that I did not notice until recently.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!