NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Front window glass is of defective quality. My car has 3600 miles on it and my window has cracked for the second time. Both times a small pebble hit and the glass immediately spread 8” from passenger towards the middle. Overnight the crack spreads almost a foot. I’ve had 7 cars in my 20+ years of driving and have never experienced a window this fragile.
Keyless entry continuously fails. When using the door handles to unlock or lock the vehicle the vehicle behaves as if key fob is not present if the key fob is in our pants pocket or pocketbook. We have to physically take the key fob out of our pants/bag where we then can observe the "handshake" between vehicle and key fob take place in order to lock/unlock vehicle. Vehicle has been at the dealer multiple times (they had car for 60 days trying to resolve the issue). Batteries and key fob were replaced and reprogrammed, they replaced the start actuator which supports the key connections to the car and still not resolved. We consider this a significant safety issue because if we cannot get into our locked car in an unsafe situation or get into the car in an emergency there could be dire consequences. Note: Videos are available for confirmation of behavior.
The brakes are loud, grinding, and sounds like water sloshing around. Upon research, VW knows this issues since their 22 model and has yet to address it but rather keeps using bad material brakes. The braking results in shaking when breaking especially in the colder months. This is not safe and on a brand new car, should not be happening. The dealerships acknowledged that this is a known issue with VW
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that after pressing the engine Start/Stop button to start the vehicle in the driveway, she exited the vehicle and sat in the front passenger's seat. After 4-5 minutes, the vehicle inadvertently rolled backward while the transmission was in park (P). No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle rolled over her daughter's left knee before stopping at the end of the driveway. Additionally, the "Error: Drive System. Please Service Vehicle" message was previously displayed while driving, and the parking brake was inoperable. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. The contact's daughter received medical treatment at the hospital for knee pain and tire scratches on her right knee and feet. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for diagnosis. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 21,350.
Main information screen displays extreme fuzzy/pixelation to the degree it cannot be read. This controls ability to set/adjust hvac system as well as maintenance items like checking oil levels. As well as all other functions affecting interior and exterior lighting adjustments. Components were inspected by VW dealer on 1/23/25 showing verifications of issues. VW dealer states no fix currently exists and they will do nothing until VW authorizes a fix. I believe this to be a safety issue as oil levels cannot be checked and low level could damage the vehicle during operation. Additionally I believe safety issue impacted by inability to adjust heat and cooling levels during operation of the vehicle can cause inability to operate the vehicle during excessively hot or cold weather. No warnings prior to problems occurred.
To the best of my knowledge, the transmission failed to function appropriately causing danger. After pulling onto a major highway, the car stopped in front of oncoming traffic and the rpm’s shot up. After letting off the gas and pressing again, the car then shifted and was able to drive. This happened after several instances of delayed shifting noted but this is the first time it has stalled out while driving. Stalling on a major highway puts me and others at risk of crashing if I am unable to move my vehicle suddenly. No warning lamps were present then or now. According to my owners manual, I am to alert the NHTSA and Volkswagen. My next step is to reach out to Volkswagen.
When pushing the gas car will not accelerate then they’ll be like a big “clunk” like it’s not into gear and then the car will slow slowly accelerate then it’ll shoot off. Also my screen goes crazy like something electrical is happening .
Automatic wipers with rain sensors are not working.
Spontaneous vehicle fire which resulted in the total loss. Driver and passenger were in the car, managed to escape the vehicle,no injuries. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or by authorized service center. Not sure if the vehicle or component have been inspected by the manufacturer or insurance representative. Police and firefighters were present on the site of incident. There were no warning lights on the dashboard prior to the incident
Vehicle had multiple engine malfunction lights appear and start/stop failures. Vehicle failed to start properly and speed was limited to prevent damage engine. Happened while I was driving it and I had to pull over and had the vehicle towed. An authorized dealer, Auto Import Inc in Brainerd, MN has had the vehicle since July 29th. They are unable to diagnose the problem, want to send the vehicle elsewhere and VW quality technicians have not shown up to inspect the vehicle. I had noticed prior to the engine failure that my fuel economy was not going down with driving, but rather up, which made me suspicious. Stop and go City driving should not increase fuel economy in the manner which it was. I became nervous about fuel amounts. My last three fill ups were about 6 gallons only after driving 250 miles, equating to 40 mpg, which is way higher than any reported mpg estimate I have a customer care rep and case with VW. They are not helping me at all.
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH with the cruise control activated, the ADAS system misread the highway speed limit, and the vehicle suddenly decelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven at various speeds with the cruise control activated; however, whenever the vehicle detected a traffic sign, the vehicle adjusted to the sign image; however, while school was not in session, the ADAS system adjusted the cruise control to the speed limit on the road sign. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with software system failure. The vehicle was repaired, and the software was reset; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,640.
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated there were audible chimes and alarms sounding during the failure. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 800. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My backup camera has flickered from a black screen to visible and the backup guidelines will also occasionally flicker. My vehicle is not listed under the 2024 VW Atlas Cross Sport affected by this backup camera issue.
1. Electrical- Ignition switch periodically does work. 2. Wheels/tires- All tires had to be replaced due to wear at just over 15,000. miles. Wear was on inside of all 4 tires equally. 3. Steering - drifts. Feels like little control over steering wheel! Happens periodically with highway speeds. 4. SUV jumps unexpectedly. 5. 4 recalls so far. Last software 7/17/2025- camera stays on reverse for at least a 5 miles then goes back. PRESTIAGE VW-Melbourne states they can't help me. No present recalls on complaints. HAS FAR AS HOW FAST I WAS GOING. IS HAD TO SAY..FROM 0-70 MILES PER HR
65mph or greater steering wheel and suspension vibrates. Vw claims all atlas does it and I need to deal with it.
I purchased my 2024 Atlas Cross Sport back in March of 2024. Within the first two weeks, the 5F module that controls the entire infotainment screen went out. They completely replaced the module. Since then, I have had it in the dealership several times due to the screen completely blacking out. We are unable to see any air conditioning controls(like defrost), backup camera, or vehicle information. We have went back and forth several times about whats causing it. First there was a "recall" that a software update was suposed to fix. We had in in and they applied the update. Less than a week later, the screen blacked out again. We took it back into the dealership. They had it for another week and said that they could not replicate the issue so nothing was wrong. They then started blaming our cellphones telling us that we cant have them plugged in or connected wirelessly. The following week we kept all of our devices disconnected and had the issue happen AGAIN. We took it back and after two more weeks of repairs they replaced the entire 5F module again. Less than 24 hours after picking it up we got an airbag error. We were able to take a picture and send it into the dealership. They informed us that its a known issue and to try driving it around with nothing in the front seat. So at this point we are unable to use half of the cars capabilities and apparently not allowed to have anything laying in the passenger seat because it causes an error bag error. So we are basically driving this vehicle around not knowing wether or not the airbags would deploy in an accident. We are beyond fed up with the excuses the dealership is giving us and feel completely unsafe driving the vehicle. I found where they recalled almost 300,000 atlas SUVs last year and apparently had a recall to fix the issue. Ours should have been fixed but we are just told to not put anything in the seat to prevent the error.
Windsheld cracks instantly, every time a small pebble hits it. Saw that the older models that this problem also. I have owned atleast 8 cars and this is only vehicle that's Windsheld cracks everything a small pebble hits it on highway. Hundred of others on social media are reporting the same problem!
On March 6, 2024 I received a crack in my windshield while driving that spans nearly the entire width across the windshield at driver's eye level. Volkswagen has informed me that there are zero replacement windshields for this vehicle available in the entire country. I have attempted to work with Volkswagen directly, the originating dealership directly and 3rd party safety glass retailers. There is no anticipated date that the manufacturer is going to make this windshield part available and the vehicle is unsafe to drive. This vehicle is brand new and it is unacceptable that the manufacturer is not required to manufacture and make available important safety components to service these vehicles while still selling the exact same vehicles as new.
When traveling at hwy speeds (about 55-60mph) on long straight stretches of road, the steering feels sticky when trying to slightly adjust the steering wheel to keep the car going straight in your lane. In other words, when you are traveling on a straight stretches of hwy and you need to make very minor adjustments with the steering wheel to keep the car moving straight ahead, the steering wheel is resistant to those minor changes. You have to almost jerk the steering wheel to get it unstuck off of center.
CS screen is intermittently glitching and freezing resulting screen failure. This occurs at unexpected times before starting, while sitting, while driving, while sitting still, and while parking, This failure causes me to be unable to control air, radio, maps, backup camera, and music. The safety issues have occurred when backing, I nearly backed over a person because my backup camera was blacked out and they were in my blind spot, Two dealerships have seen film of the failures but not observed it in their shop. They are never able to get me in when the system is failing. The vehicle has been in shop at least 6 times for the failure. I have dealer service tickets and a a carfax report to document the attempted repairs. I also have photos and videos of failure. The dealership I bought it from, Fowler Volkswagon, and Oklahoma City Volkswagon have both tried to fix the problem. The dealership advised me that it could not be repaired. I submitted my problem to Volkswagon , Case # [XXX], they had me take to dealer again and it could not be fixed. Volkswagon said in their denial letter to help me, "but we are not able to assist in all cases". Yes Recall #91US. The screen was replaced but problem did not stop. I am still forced to a vehicle that is unsafe and a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111. That nearly resulted in back over of a pedestrian on [XXX]. The first failure was in 2/2024. I bought the car on [XXX] from Fowler Volkswagon Norman, Oklahoma. The car had 19 miles on it. I have taken into the shop 6 times. I am [XXX], a student, and work as waitress to support myself. I bought a new car and make payments on it and it is defective and unsafe. I want my new car to function as it was designed and Volkswagon cannot fix it. They told me to go to the BBB or arbitration. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
my vehicle has a safety issue that is tied to the NAV system and its interaction with the vehicles drivers assist functions. Multiple times while driving the vehicle, the NAV system would decide the vehicle was on a different road than it was actually on. The first time it happened; I was on the freeway traveling at 70 MPH when the NAV system decided I was on a residential street several miles away with a 25 MPH speed limit. The vehicle immediately adjusted to what it thought was the posted speed. To be more specific, the vehicle slammed on the brakes and went from 70 MPH to 25 MPH quite aggressively. Luckily, no one slammed into me as I regained control of the vehicle. This has happened multiple times on different roads, different speeds, with or without using the NAV system for guidance. I have found that turning off all of the drivers assist functions stops the vehicle from slamming on the brakes but the NAV system still occasionally goes nuts. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 separate times with no joy. The dealership has been unable to duplicate the defect to date however the last time in I was able to provide video evidence of the issue. The dealership did provide me (on 14 April this year) a copy of an older memo from Volkswagen identifying a potential NAV issue. According to the memo the issue should have been taken care of by Aug 2024. My issue extends well beyond that date. Of concern to me is the fact VW knew there was an issue but failed to tell the consumer to turn off the Adaptive Cruise Controls functions until this issue was fixed. As my vehicle still has the issue, I don't know if it's related to the memo or something different. I've attached the last 2 workorders, vehicle is still at dealership for 3rd time. I also attached the document I provided the service writer the first time I dropped the vehicle off. Also attached is the VW memo on the NAV system
The VW Infotainment System is the main vehicle communication system. It includes the Navigation system, Vehicle Settings, Radio, and allows "hands-free" driving with cell phone connectivity via Bluetooth. Once the Radio module within the Infotainment system is turned ON.....it cannot be turned OFF. It does have Mute and Pause, however, any thing else that uses the audio immediately kicks the radio ON at various levels. For example, in heavy traffic where CONCENTRATION and DISTRACTION-FREE attention is needed, a text message to your phone or a Voice command from navigation will kick ON the Radio....non stop. When this happens, you must change out the Nav screen over to the Radio screen and pause or mute the radio to hear the voice commands and re-do the last instruction....while driving. I have had the VW Service Center at the dealership look at it several times...they cannot fix it. No one is able to turn the radio off. Only the ENTIRE Infotainment system (no hands-free The VW Customer Care says "you can turn the entire Infotainment system off" altogether and have NO functions/features available.
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am writing to express my frustration with the ongoing issues with my Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Despite repeated repair efforts, the situation has become unsustainable. As a one-car household, visiting the dealership multiple times a month is both financially and personally stressful. While the service department has been excellent in trying to address the problems, the recurring issues are straining my relationship with the dealership. I need a reliable vehicle, especially given the $19,000 down payment we cannot afford to lose. We chose the SE model for ethical reasons (no leather), but it has been problematic, and we are now open to other solutions. Here is a list of issues we’ve encountered over the last 10 months: Atlas Number 1 (2 months): Loose exhaust shield Auto Start/Stop feature not functioning Start button unresponsive Rear windows would not close Infotainment system freezing Dashboard speaker grill falling off Rattle in rear door Atlas Number 2 (7 months): Front bumper damaged; required body shop repair Driver's window scratched and replaced Front parking sensors failed Windows malfunction and don’t auto close Infotainment system freezing; display going black Console cover broke twice Headlights repeatedly replaced, failing calibration Backup camera feed going black; needed replacement Headlight control module needed replacement Rattle in front door Dashboard speaker grill falling off Persistent front-end shake at highway speeds (tires rebalanced twice) Steering-responsive headlights fail to return to center, requiring a vehicle restart Recent repairs haven’t resolved these issues. The headlights still fail to center, the infotainment system continues to go black, and the backup camera still malfunctions. A software update is expected in January, but I need a solution in the meantime. Please help us resolve this situation—it's financially and practically unsustainable.
forward brake assist will fail without warning : cruise control will stop working : brakes will sometimes be applied without warning causing danger to other drivers. Dealership tried to fix multiple times without success. Dealer scan tool found intermittent code C110BFO in system but not present while in shop. I was told not to bring car back to shop unless problem was active. Since car was last in shop above problems have occurred but I am usually on the road and cannot get to shop before problems fix themselves.
Despite repeated repair attempts, months-long delays due to unavailable parts, and providing dealership technicians with clear video/audio evidence, authorized Volkswagen dealerships failed to properly diagnose/document defects causing severe safety hazards. My vehicle continues to suffer from persistent braking defects, defective sensors resulting in sensor failures, recurring software safety malfunctions from recall-related defects and safety hazards. Charges Related to repairs/replacements for Defective Sensors, Alignment Calibration for safety-assist systems & Software Safety Issues: Engine Cover (Battery adjacent), Engine Damage/Stalling, Untorqued Chassis/Brake/Suspension Bolts, Brake Master Cylinder, Passenger Air Bag Defect, Back Over Prevention / Camera., infotainment, software/engine safety issues. These charges stem directly from defects/malfunctions causing severe safety hazards associated with systemic recall-affected vehicle components. These severe defects have substantially impaired the use, value, and safety of my vehicle. Texas law requires a true remedy, replacing a defective vehicle with another year/model known to have the exact same safety recalls does not resolve the problem or cures the defect. Therefore, a replacement vehicle with ongoing systemic recalls across multiple safety systems with 2024–2025 Atlas Cross Sport models including braking, chassis bolt torque, camera visibility, engine cover fire risk, and airbag defects is not an acceptable remedy. Volkswagen’s failure to repair, dismiss complaints, and refusal to document safety defects constitute a material breach of warranty, breach of contract, fraudulent concealment, and fraudulent conduct under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Federal laws. Waiting several months for parts due to recalls/defects, increasing hazards, and safety risks place me and my special needs child in grave danger creating extreme anxiety and fear of driving our vehicle.
I was driving down the road and heard a weird noise as if something exploded…I look up and my sunroof had a big whole in it…I looked around to see if any trucks where by me and all the traffic was way behind or further up…. Nthn was near me to have cracked sunroof. I only had truck about 20 days or so… I believe it’s a defect and the dealer wants me to file it on my insurance..
On Two separate occasions one with me driving and the other my wife driving on interstate 84 adaptive cruise control engaged each time in a construction zone posted 70mph. The vehicle abruptly slowed down to 30mph with no warning, also there NOT any 30 mph signs. Thankfully it was not a busy part of the day, the outcome could have been disastrous. On the first occasion she was my passenger, the second I was her passenger. The vehicle is a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SEL with under 1000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield cracked. The contact was unaware if there was an impact to cause the failure. The dealer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to Safelite Auto Glass. The vehicle was diagnosed by Safelite Auto Glass and the contact was informed that the windshield could not be repaired, but instead needed to be replaced. The contact stated the replacement windshield would come from the manufacturer and the dealer had no windshield available to replace the cracked windshield. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the parts to replace the windshield. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30.
The engine failed flashing a warning sign of rpm max 4000 from day 1 of me having the car. It is available for inspection. During the multiple times this has happened the car will come to a hault while driving on busy expressways of at least 70 mph. The dealer has not found a solution to the problem after at least 4 attempts.
Bought this vehicle on9/9/23 with 20 miles on it. 45 minutes later while driving home from the dealership the vehicle lost power and slowed to a stop in the road. We barely made it off the bridge and were nearly rear ended as it was dark. The dealership diagnosed a bad ECM. The manufacturer also inspected. The vehicle jerked consistently and grew worse before it lost power. Multiple warnings flashed and the check engine remained on. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer has rectified and says it is under review.
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V593000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
THREE TIME WHILE IN REVERSE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPS AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS CAR WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE TODAY
Purchased car 8/22/2023 when driving from dealership to home alert came on for daytime driving light error and drivers side door was letting water intrude into the car from the bottom of the door. 8/23/2023 took it to nearest dealer and made first appointment available for repairs. Neither repair could be made by the dealership (invoice 491449) although they tried several times to adjust the door. Called VW warranty case #05862036. I was told to take new car to body repair shop (nearest shops suggested 350-540 miles round trip). When contacting suggested GMC body repair shops neither could verify contact from VW nor safety of door without visually inspecting on site. The car currently has 364 miles and has not been driven for the last 12 days because VW will not accept liability for driving with the door misaligned. Also there is no replacement available for the daytime running light nor any projected date for parts.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026