NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Windshield wiper falls out of alignment when operated in freezing temperatures. Maintenance log reports "Wiper caused by being stuck and being operated in weather conditions"
Faulty driver door lock actuator / micro switch. Below freezing drivers door (only) freezes. Only way to open door is from inside. Once door open, door latch does not re-engage resulting in you manually having to hold your door close while driving. This has happened multiple times over the years and this past January occurred 4 mornings in a row. No other doors ever impacted other than drivers door. Dealership aware of the issue but cannot replicate as the car warms up in their shop. VW corporate will not authorize any repair unless a fault code active. Despite calling the dealership while the problem is occurring they can not get repair approved since the car was not present at the time the issue was occurring. It is a severe safety issue having to manually hold your door closed while driving.
The vehicle randomly turns off in the middle of the road. The car has been doing this for months and the only Volkswagen in my area doesn’t have time to look at it and it is no longer in warranty. Currently have 76,500 miles and the car has been randomly turning off since we purchased it in December of 2023. This car is a hazard to my entire family and others.
I purchased my 2019 VW ATLAS IN 2021 and was not aware there was an airbag recall issue. I moved to Florida from California last year and brought my vehicle to Gunther VW in Daytona FL because of this issue about 5 months ago. Mike Taylor the senior service manager acknowledge the problem with me and stated we should be notified shortly. Its been 5 months now. This car is not safe to drive and we are very upset now. What are we supposed to do with this car. [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
No incident, not a timely remedy for recall. Recall from March 2023, no remedy available in December 2023, 9 months later.
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
On Saturday, November 18, 2023, at approximately 2100 hrs. my wife was returning home from a volunteer event traveling N/B SR-269 near MM 15.7 when she encountered an elk crossing the roadway in front of her. She subsequently hit the elk with the left front of our 2019 Volkswagen Atlas SEL. The impact collapsed the hood, grill, front bumper, and left fender. The driver and passenger door, left fender, and windshield were also severely damaged. The entire front windshield was shattered and collapsed into the front passenger compartment. What did not happen was the activation of the front and side airbags. I believe the impact was sufficient for the system to deploy and it appears to me that the passenger airbag system failed in this collision. Failure of the airbag system is potentially life-threatening. The vehicle is currently in a towing company impound yard waiting for inspection from our insurance adjuster. Accident Location: SR-269 MM 15.7 Ravalli County, Montana
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the air bag warning light had remained illuminated while operating the vehicle. The failure mileage was 18,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
At red light the auto stop start won't turn the car back on. The battery drains in less than 5 minutes and needs a jump. Or sometimes it won't "auto start" and I have to move the selector to Park and push the start button. This also happens when the engine is off, but the accessories are on. Just listening to the radio for 5 minutes seems to drain the battery and the car won't start and needs a jump. After a jump, the battery does charge back up when driven and holds its charge. I now try to remember to disable the auto stop start as this behavior is unacceptable. I recently had a new battery put in, and a new BCM and ECM, and this problem still happens. The car is at the dealer now.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Vehicle steering wheel shakes when turning hard to the left or right. Sounds like tires are getting stuck on vehicle, but dealership has confirmed that it is an issue with the steering rack. Issue started in April 2023 and after first steering rack replacement, issue persists. Now steering rack software is being updated and possibly parts replaced again. Car is not operating safely.
I was driving on the freeway on 10/13/2023, it was raining and I was startled by an alarm and a flashing warning on my dash stating brake booster failure, the abs light went on and I was concerned because I recently had by brakes done at the Volkswagen dealership in Brooklyn Center Minnesota on 10/4/2023. I was afraid of not being able to brake and I pulled over and put my car in park and I received a park assist failure warning on my dash as well as the park assist light turned on by the shifter. I shut my car off and called Volkswagen in Brooklyn Center. I was assured that my brakes wouldn’t stop working and the service tech was unaware why the red light near my shifter for the park assist would turn on by itself. The dealership was about to close and I was told that I could maybe be squeezed in on that following Monday and eventually was scheduled. I restarted my car and received another error for the electronic stabilization control. I called back the dealership and was able to catch the tech before he left and I was concerned about driving it. I was told, you are basically driving a 1985 Volkswagen, be aware you don’t have the safety features. My car was reviewed on 10/24/2023, I was provided with a rental car and was told the problem was the abs electronic braking module that this is known to go out at my mileage. I do see that others have had this issue and there was a recall, but I was told my VIN number was not included. Prior to this I did report driving in a mall parking lot and I had an alarm go off for a collision warning and my car suddenly braked on it’s own and no vehicle was around me. I have also been in slow traffic and periodically had the collision warning go off and the vehicle was a good distance in front of me. I was told that that can happen with the sensors. I’ve also been driving in the winter and I’ve gotten the warning look that it’s safe to move alarm alot when I’m stopped in traffic, I’m guessing that it’s due to ice near the sensor.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The contact stated that he shifted into park (P), then pushed the Push to Start button, and the vehicle restarted. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lunged and jerked. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The EPC (Electronic Power Control) warning light, the steering angle sensor warning light, the exhaust warning light, the transmission warning light, and other unknown warning lights was illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on an incline, the vehicle decelerated to approximately 5 MPH while the accelerator pedal was depressed. Additionally, the infotainment system became inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
I was driving between 35 and 40 mph on a 252/Providence Road at Wallingford Ave in Nether Providence Twp, PA 19086 last night at approximately 8:30p. It was dark, about 65 degrees and not raining. Road conditions were dry. The pavement is under repair with a temporarily patched utility trench for new water or gas lines in the drive lane. Just before the stated intersection, there are 2 large temporary steel plates on the road, which are somewhat raised (not flush). I was lightly applying the brakes to reduce speed. As my front tires made contact with plates, the collision warning flashed on the dash screen, no audible warning, and the brakes automatically and suddenly applied. The vehicle wheels locked and there was tire screeching heard. The vehicle came to a complete stop. There were no other vehicles in-front, behind, or on-coming. The vehicle stayed straight and there was no collision or damage. I am guessing the vehicle collision system sensed a shadow, 'saw' the light reflecting off the plates, or indicated a slippery surface due to the steel plate. The Anti-Lock brake system apparently didn't work as the wheels locked. The vehicle just STOPPED! I was the only occupant and for the record, in no way impaired. I'm pretty attuned to how my vehicle drives and reacts. Occasionally I'll get a false audible and visual alarm indicating a forward vehicle detection when there is nothing there. I've noticed this on dark, winding roads where I figure the glare from my headlights caused a false indication. This is the first time I experienced automatic, emergency braking.
The digital instrument cluster does not work, and the vehicle is not drivable due to safety features failing and an inability to know the vehicle's speed. The instrument cluster does not display speed, vehicle status, or safety information. The dealership cannot identify why this has happened. In addition, the car's electronics are failing, such as blinkers not working and the rear lights and safety features not working. The vehicle is not drivable, and the part is unavailable for an unknown period to fix the digital instrument cluster. VW refuses to resolve the failure of their electronics and wants to charge us $1700 to fix their problem with their electronics. We cannot safely use the car for an unknown period and are harmed by its broken manufacturing process. VW should fix this safety issue and warn other consumers about this safety issue. As I am sure you can appreciate, I rely on my car for transport, and apart from the inconvenience, this problem may also cause me to incur additional costs. I ask you to investigate this safety issue and ask VW fix the problem at their own cost.
My '19' Atlas had given me several issues after 2 years. The engine light has illuminated several times. Im not sure if is just being reset or if the problem is actually being fixed. At any rate, I have continuously complained about smelling coolant since Feb 21. Only to bring vehicle in, have the coolant topped off, and hear it's nothing's wrong. It has been checked and inspected and yet there has been no headway of the originating of the issue. The dealer has changed the canister & head gasket a few times (even speculated water pump issues). It was said the problem had been fixed. That statement couldn't be more INACCURATE a few weeks ago I was told I needed a new head/spark plugs and the block was warp and I would not be able to drive it until it was repaired (a $5k job). My vehicle is 4 years old it is well kept and is always in for scheduled/routine maintenance. I was told this is a known issue. Had I been told this before buying, I would of reconsidered my purchase. Why isn't this a manufacturers recall? Or the buyer isn't informed. The manufacturer should be mandated to use reliable materials for this vehicle. For a vehicle to fail at 70k is insane. I am utterly disgusted. In addition, the collision display randomly comes on while driving and vehicle often halts unexpectedly. Unsafe if driving on the road with other vehicles. I have brought it to the dealers attention several times unsure if it has been annotated but I am always told bring it back if it does it again. And no solution has been given. This has been a problem well over a year and a half. AGAIN this should be a recall issue. I love this vehicle and want to keep it but these experiences will definitely detour me from future purchases of the VW brand.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated while driving the vehicle. The failure mileage was 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
When exiting a driveway that is sloped down towards the street, after stopping to look for traffic, and then proceeding, the collision avoidance system will automatically apply the brakes just as acceleration is needed to get ahead of oncoming traffic. This requires application of the brake then to make the vehicle move. According to the dealer that I've spoken with, the collision sensors are placed too low on the front bumper causing them to sense the road, but there is no fix other than to turn off the collision avoidance system every time the car is started, which requires navigating several menus and is not something easy accomplished.
At random times, at random speeds, my instrument lights will illuminate with a beep and display the brake light. Sometimes just the brake icon, sometimes the brake and ABS, and sometimes both along with the engine light. At the same time my vehicle will violently brake on its own. When I depress the brake pedal to gain control the pedal is "jerky", rigid, and difficult to push in. Sometimes this lasts for a moment, sometimes longer. This is very dangerous and seems to occur more frequently. A 'Brake Booster Faulty' message appears on the dash.then dissappears
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
We purchased our Volkswagen Atlas in September of 2019 and have driven it under 27,000 miles. In that time we have had 3 flat tires. The first one was when we first got it and was triggered by a hit to the curb. It was a gentle hit that surprised that it caused a flat. A few days ago on a clear day on a smooth road, we heard a pop from our front passenger tire. It was a flat. There was no pothole or object in the road. We took to the dealer and spent $1,500 where they replaced that tire and also replaced the front drivers tire due to dry rot cracks found in the thread. They also completed 4 wheel alignment. The next day I was driving and the pressure light came on and we had a flat tire in the back passenger side. As with the day earlier, there was nothing in the road and no pothole. It was a clear day. It made me google to see if there was some issue with these tires and I found this link [XXX] which states that " (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production." It does not appear when I check my vin number but to have 3 flat tires with less than 30,000 miles with at least two of them triggered by nothing that we could discern, I believe we may have been one of the 2019 Atlas's with these issues. Volkswagen was not helpful about this recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
This incident has occured on multiple occasions & can be replicated with the "auto stop/start" engine feature active. The vehicle can be inspected. I will describe the last occurrence. I was parallel parking on a slight incline. I pulled forward past the available parking spot before backing in. I came to a complete stop. The parking sensors on the vehicle engaged due to a nearby sign/light pole. The "auto stop/start" engine activated & shut off the engine. I put the car in reverse. The car did not start. I started rolling backward downhill into the parking spot with no power steering. The engine was off. The car had to be put back into park to be restarted. I was finally able to parallel park. A prior incident occured while attempting to attach a boat trailer. I backed up & was misaligned to the trailer coupler. It engaged parking sensors on vehicle. I put vehicle in drive. I sat still for a second which allowed auto stop/start to activate. I let off brake and pressed gas. I rolled backward into trailer. The risk is a crash due to no power steering and no engine power. This could be very dangerous for a new inexperienced driver. This has not been replicated at a dealership. I have just recently figured out why this happened and have not taken the vehicle in. It has been inspected by no one. There are no warning lamps or messages other than the auto start/stop activated message. Normally, the car will start the engine if the vehicle is put in reverse or my foot is coming off the brake pedal. This does not happen if the parking sensors are activated simultaneously. I've had separate issues with the front warning sensors activating at random while driving city and highway speeds. The warning comes on with no obstruction ahead. Luckily, I have the automatic braking turned off. Otherwise, I'm afraid the car would automatically brake at random and I would be rear ended. Dealership has not replicated this issue, but they have been notified by myself of the issue.
Was driving on interstate 24 between Nashville and Chattanooga, sunday Sept 17th around 1 PM, temp was about 80 F, out of no where, there was a loud boom , like a gunshot, between my wife and I ( Im driving ) I look over at her to see if she was OK, then looked up, I saw the first section of my sun roof glass had shattered into a spider web appearance, then suddenly a chunk of the glass, about 4 x 6 in, departed the roof panel over head while i was trying to slow down and pull over. I was going about 78- 80 mph. Once on the side shoulder, I retracted the sun shade cloth shield, it was fill with numerous shards, one which fell and hit my knee, causing a cut. Numerous shared were within the vehicle and our open top drinks. Since I was not comfortable drive at highway speeds, with potential shards coming into the cabin and impacting those behind, I drove several miles along the shoulder of the road to a gas station. There I bought gloves and removed what was left of the remaining panel and used duct tape to contain any remain glass. Im currently in contact with my VW dealer as to the status of its repair
Volkswagen has failed to provide a remedy for the airbag recall in a timely manner.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Ari Bags). The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
On September 5th, I was driving home and my Airbag Error light and notice came on my dash. I got home, turned the car off and back on and it was gone. September 6th, it happened again. But when I turned the car off and back on, it stayed on. September 7th, it's off, but if anything is sitting in passenger seat, it's on, but the passenger airbag light on my controls says "off". The dealership says there is nothing they can do because there is an open recall, however, no repair yet.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. No information on parts availability was provided. The contact stated that the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I have been waiting on VW to fix their PODS system recall for 6 months now. Our front passenger seat flips between not registering the airbags when a passenger is present, so thinking that there is a passenger seated when the seat is empty. They still tell me there is no fix for the issue and the only thing I can do is not utilize the front passenger seat. This is absolutely OBSURED that it is taking this long to rectify this situation. I have a seat is unsafe and it does not appear there is any urgency on VW's part. 6 months with no fix is entirely too long.
Unit will not start when showing 1/4 tank of fuel on a 3.85 degree decline. Fear of duplication of condition while in use on roadside. Condition is normal according to the manufacture. Condition is normal according to the manufacturer. P0089 and P0087 active with 1/4 tank on MFD display on a 3.85 degree decilne.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
UKNOWN. DUE TO NHTSA Recall Number 23V215 we are unable to use the front passenger seat of the car. This recall was reported March 29, 2023 and at almost 5 months has no remedy. VW has failed to remedy this safety recall in a timely manner.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine shutting off intermittently. Engine has hut off at 10 mph currently. No, "not able to be recreated". No, but VW is aware of complaints at this time. Please restart engine manually was the only thing displayed.
I informed the VW service center approximately a year or more ago that it felt like the vehicle's brakes were stopping on their own. The service center claimed that they could not reproduce/detect the issue. Now there is a class action lawsuit regarding the matter yet no recall or safety issue regarding this matter attached to my VIN. There are people who likely do not know about this apparent issue and it is very dangerous to have a vehicle that will suddenly stop on its own. So far, my local service center refused to fix this issue along with two other safety issues. I am concerned that VW knows it is producing unsafe cars yet still puts them out in the market for consumers.
The vehicle will make a loud alarm and the dash will display "Brakes Booster Faulty". The vehicle then will brake itself regardless of where you are and brake pedal will not work properly. This could cause you to get rear-ended as the vehicle will simply stop!
Grinding and squealing noise when accelerating from stop to go as it last for up to 5 seconds each time.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Passenger airbag issue has not been recalled. Advised not to drive car. How is this the solution? Not every family has funding to own more than one vehicle or use alternative transportation. We rely on our car for transportation to/from work and school. The recall was issued more than four months ago and no estimate for resolution has been provided.
I have owned my Atlas for seven months. During this time my 2019 VW Atlas SEL will slam on the brakes without any need to. This has happened five times. There is not an object or person around, but the brakes engage and all the sensors start beeping. I will need to put my car in park and restart my engine to drive again. I consider myself lucky that the incidents have happened in parking lots or while entering the roadway with no other cars have around. One month ago my car was taken in to an auto body shop for a repair due to a back bumper collision. The repair seems to have made the problem worse since these braking incidents have happened since the collision/repair. The auto body shop says the manufacturer "codes" are reading as "O" so the car is clear and ready to drive, but the braking/sensor system is still not working properly. I hope VW will reevaluate the safety of this sensor/braking system.
The forward collision warning randomly went off while crossing a bridge. Nothing was around. The car abruptly stopped itself and was unresponsive to the gas pedal and steering until it was fully stopped. No problems were detected at the dealer. We are afraid to drive our children in this car due to the risk of being rear-ended on a highway with a child in a rear-facing car seat. If this ever happens in a tunnel, it would undoubtedly cause a mass casualty incident.
For 12 months, the windshield wipers, while in the off position, will turn on by themselves. Typically occurs when on the freeway in clear, sunny conditions, and occur as a result of hitting bumps in the roadway while traveling at speeds between 60 and 80 mph. They may go off once or multiple times over the course of a drive. Dealership was asked last summer and again this July to look into the issue with no resolution; was advised they could not replicate the error, they did not see any fault codes associated with the wipers and all electrical wires were in good condition with no damage. Being distracted by my wipers randomly going off takes my attention away from the road; I turn the wipers on and/or spray windshield cleaner to try and “clear” the error - neither of these solutions actually work. With no help from Pignataro VW, we’ll be seeking help from an independent VW mechanic. No warning lamps or other symptoms indicated an issue. Other than the dealership, no other individuals have inspected the car. The car is available for inspection though if needed.
MULTIPLE incidents. Automatic Emergency Breaking - Vehicle suddenly stops in the middle of the road while driving, when pulling out onto roads and when reversing, when there are no oncoming vehicles, objects or humans. Two recent incidences where I was almost in a collision, the automatic emergency breaking did not activate at all. Parking sensors - the sensors come on frequently when there are no objects in front of the vehicle. They intermittently stay on. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times for these issues by the Volkswagon Dealer. Problems began very soon after purchase. The dealer has not been able to reproduce the problem so they have continuously sent me home with the malfunctioning vehicle. They did replace on sensor and have done multiple updates over the years, but the issue continues. Safety is put at risk because the car suddenly stops in the middle of the road or in intersections. This could cause a t-bone or being rear ended. This most recently happened to my new driver (daughter) and it scared her and put her in the face of oncoming traffic because the stop occurred and before she could get going again, cars were coming. If it happened on the freeway it could be deadly. Same daughter, a few minutes after the previously described incident, almost hit a fence. We stopped within about 2 to 3 inches of it and the automatic/emergency breaking system did not activate at all. These two are just the most recent incidents. These have been occurring since I purchased the vehicle.
Have been able to start vehicle without issues. Yesterday I attempted to start vehicle. Car lights came on , but unable to start. car battery "appeared to be dead", a 12 volt battery low message appeared on the infotainment center screen, There was not a red battery light warning, once vehicle was jumped, was able to continue to drive home in stop and go traffic, the automatic car start and stop turned vehicle off , and I could not restart vehicle, left stranded on interstate during rush hour. Diagnostics indicated that the problem is the alternator regulator switch, battery checked out ok. Unable to use navigation system on vehicle. I have not taken vehicle in for repairs since this just happened.
The steering rack continues to fail in the VW Atlas.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026