2019 Volkswagen Atlas Powertrain & Transmission Problems

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine and the HVAC systems. Specifically, a persistent "ghost misfire"—where the engine vibrates and shudders without triggering a dashboard warning light—and a total heater failure. The vehicle is currently held at the dealership; all service records (RO# 367641, 367891, 367980, 368179) are available. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The "ghost misfire" causes shaking and hesitation during acceleration, creating a risk of losing power or stalling in high-speed traffic. Because the vehicle's diagnostics do not trigger a warning light for this condition, the driver has no advance notice of a potential engine failure. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Dealership technicians confirmed the misfire on Feb 9 (RO# 367891) and found a defective spark plug gap (.024” vs. .036”). On Feb 25, the service consultant confirmed the "ghost misfire" remained active. The heater failure was confirmed via a 'Heater Support Pump Dry Run' fault code (RO# 367641). 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by dealership technicians. Formal complaints have also been filed with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair and the California Attorney General. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Symptoms began following a service on Jan 30. Feb 8: Exhaust malfunction light (MIL) appeared briefly with severe shaking. Feb 9–present: Exhaust malfunction warning lights appeared briefly and then disappeared, but the engine vibration and "ghost misfire" symptoms remain active and undetected by the vehicle's onboard diagnostics. Feb 17: Total loss of heat occurred during a highway drive without a dashboard warning lamp

I’ve consistently had a coolant leak with my engine water pump. Constantly have to refill the coolant. The reason I’m making this complaint is because yesterday October 1, 2025 I filled up my coolant and I drove a few miles to the grocery store and my coolant was empty and I got a coolant, low warning light and the coolant pump was completely empty. This is becoming very expensive and should not happen on a certified preowned vehicle with only 75,000 miles.

Driving at constant speed on highway, vehicle either loses acceleration and / or applies brake for short moment. Tapping the accelerator appears allow the vehicle to resume to initial intended speed. Automatic braking, not intended by the driver is a safety risk for both this and adjacent drivers. The problem has been reproduced by a dealer service center. No other agencies have inspected the vehicle's problem. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms evident. Dealer has had the vehicle to two weeks and has not provided a viable resolution.

Grinding and squealing noise when accelerating from stop to go as it last for up to 5 seconds each time.

The transmission at low speeds, while accelerating makes a grinding noise

MY Volkswagen atlas Transmission appears to be making a grinding, screeching or squealing noise when accelerating at low speeds. Sounds to me like a bad torque converter but its not a normal noise. It also seems to not accelerate when this noise happens and if it stops when I pull into traffic I'll get hit. I took it to a dealer in NJ, said he has had others complain and that there is nothing they can do. My car is till under warranty, but they refuse to fix it. Its not safe!!!

I bought the car new 2 years ago and the issues began around 11k miles and have continued every several months to it is current 45k mileage. On 4 occasions my car has powered down while driving speeds approximately 60mph and began shaking with the EPC and check engine light becoming illuminated. Of those occasions, 3 of which I was able to get the car to the side of the road and restart it to get to a servicer. 1 of those times I had to have to towed. On the fifth occasion the car began shaking and worsened with accelaration with both the check engine and epc light on. The dealer has only changed a coil to date. Other occasions they repaired recalls in hopes of stopping. Several times I have been told it was a misfire and they could not pinpoint the issue.

Since the purchase of this vehicle in 2019 I have complained that it was not shifting gears properly and upon first acceleration the Atlas would feel jumpy or hesitate. When slowing down even at 5 or 10 mph the vehicle would stay in 3rd gear. In June 2020 I had it documented, VW tech tested vehicle and stated performing to manufacturer's specs. It stayed like this and I took to another dealer in April 2021, Nov 2021, & Dec 2021 & was told transmission fine, then it began making a loud noise at 60 mph, car would softly shake or vibrate & took back to dealer in Feb 2022 and it was found that the transmission was faulty. Big chunks of metal scrap were found in pan by dealer tech. VW advised dealer to change out transmission & cooler for a new one. Vehicle was returned to me with new transmission & cooler. I have since noticed that it continues to jump or hesitate at first acceleration and I am afraid that I will continue to have the issue and my vehicle will no longer be under warranty in a few thousand miles. NO WARNING lights or messages ever appeared so to them it was fine until the sound was undeniable and big chunks of metal were found. This is unsafe for anyone to drive around with a faulty transmission.

The vehicle has had issues with the torque converter, head, head gasket, electrical system, gas cap door, seat belt. VW has not been able to fix the issues

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal squealing noise while accelerating from a stationary start. The contact indicated that the noise was present for approximately three seconds before ceasing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced an engine valve however, the failure continued. No further information was available. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN I GOT TO APPLY THE BRAKES MOVING FORWARD OR TURNING, THE VEHICLE SOUNDS LIKE GRINDING OR RUBBING IN THE FRONT AXLE

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED COMPLETELY WHILE AT RED LIGHTS OR STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, BOTH IN THE CITY AND ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS. (THE DATE PROVIDED IS THE MOST RECENT, BUT THE CONDITION HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE PURCHASE IN AUGUST 2019). I'VE HAD TO COMPLETELY RESTART THE CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE ANXIOUS DRIVERS BEHIND BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD EXPECTING THAT I SHOULD ALSO, NOT TO MENTION THE HORN HONKING AND HAND GESTURES THAT HAVE OCCURRED. I HAD A VERY NEAR MISS THIS PAST WEEKEND IN THIS EXACT SCENARIO.

WHILE EXITING PARKING LOTS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BRAKING SYSTEM SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BRINGING MY CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. ONE EXIT HAD SOMEWHAT OF A STEEP SLOPE , THE OTHER ONE WAS ALMOST FLAT. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REAR ENDED SINCE NOTHING WAS AROUND ME AND NOTHING ELSE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE BRAKES TO SLAM ON. CAR IS ALSO VERY JERKY WHILE ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. JERKS THROUGH THE GEARS AND THEN JERKS WHILE BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS, MOST PREVALENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS GOING OVER BUMPS OR SLOWING FOR STOP SIGNS.TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET LOOKED AT, THEY PREFORMED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" AND SAID IT WOULD MOST LIKELY STOP THE JERKING. WHEN I WAS LEAVING, I WAS GIVEN A "VEHICLE EMISSION RECALL-PROOF OF CORRECTION-CA" FORM JUST IN CASE THE DMV ASKED ME FOR THIS FORM. THE "SOFTWARE" UPDATE SEEMED TO SOMEWHAT FIX THE PROBLEM BUT NOT ALL THE WAY. MY CAR EITHER DRIVES SUPER JERKY OR SMOOTH, NO IN BETWEEN. IN MY OPINION, FOR A $40, 000 CAR, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. HAVEN'T EVEN MADE A PAYMENT ON IT AND IM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT (UNLESS IT WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING CORRECTLY).

CAR JUST STOPS WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND MY DRIVEWAY , NO OTHER CARS ARE IN THE AREA. BRAKING IS JERKY ALERT SYSTEM GOES CRAZY WITH NO ONE AROUND THE CAR JUST STOPS. THIS HAPPEN TO US A TOTAL OF 7 TIMES SO FAR. I THE FIRST TIME I REPORTED TO THE DEALER WAS ON JUNE 8 THE CAR HAD 500 MILES. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER LATE JUNE AND THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR WITH US. IT DIDNT STOP BUT THE SERVICE MANGER DID WITNESS THE SENSITIVE ALERTS AND STATED THAT HE WOULD CONTACT THE FIELD MANAGER. NO FOLLOW UP FROM THE DEALER WAS RECEIVED FOR THREE WEEKS . THIS DEALER IS NOT ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. THEN HE SAYS THAT THERE IS NO UPDATES TO THE COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM AND TOLD US TO CALL CUSTOMER CARE. I HAVE A 43,000 CAR THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE.

I PULLED TO THE TOP OF MY DRIVEWAY AND STOPPED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF WITH THE BUTTON BUT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE AND IT DID NOT ADVISE ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. THE CAR PROCEEDED TO ROLL BACK INTO A TREE. EVERY OTHER CAR I OWN WHETHER IT HAS A KEY OR KEYLESS START ALERTS YOU THAT YOUR CAR IS NOT IN PARK IF YOU TURN IT OFF IN ANOTHER GEAR OTHER THAN PARK.

WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AND THE AUTO START/STOP ACTIVATES, THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES NOT AUTO RESTART AND WILL DISPLAY, "PLEASE MANUALLY RESTART THE ENGINE". IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE PROMPTS AND START THE VEHICLE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND PUSH THE IGNITION BUTTON. I WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THIS ISSUE 100% OF THE TIME BY COMING TO A STOP, HAVING THE IGNITION AUTO STOP AND THEN REMOVING MY SEAT BELT (LIKE YOU OFTEN DO IN A DRIVE-THRU TO GET YOUR WALLET OUT OF YOUR BACK POCKET). I'VE ALSO FOUND THAT EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WILL DISPLAY, "PLEASE MANUALLY RESTART" IF YOU RECONNECT YOUR SEAT BELT AND PUSH THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR WILL TAKE OFF IN DRIVE. I"VE HAD THIS HAPPEN UNEXPECTEDLY ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS NOW AND SOME INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE STREET AND OCCURRED EVEN WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS ATTACHED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITH SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO VW TWICE NOW OVER THE ISSUE AND THE DEALER TRIES TO CLAIM THAT'S HOW THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE. I SHOWED THEM PAGE 173 IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL WHICH STATES THAT ALL THREE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR THE VEHICLE NOT TO AUTO RESTART: NO PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS REMOVED, AND THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS OPENED. THE WORD ALL IS IN BOLD AND CAPITALIZED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND I'VE ALSO CONTACTED VW CORPORATE IN REFERENCE TO THE ISSUE. THE LOANER ATLAS THE DEALER GAVE ME PERFORMS IN THE SAME DEFECTIVE MANNER. I BELIEVE THERE'S A COMPUTER PROGRAMMING ISSUE AND ALL ATLAS' NEED RECALLED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PERFORMING PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL; WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THERE IS VIDEO OF THE ISSUE AND THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AS WELL EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE FIGHTING ME TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.

FIRST TIME I HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK WAS @215 MILES. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER ADAPTER. JUST ROLLED OVER 30K, AND HAVE HAD 2 OTHER TOCA REPLACED SINCE THEN. CALLED VW TO ASK ABOUT LEMON LAW, WAS DECLINED. MY CAR HAS BEEN ALL HIGHWAY MILES, NEVER ONCE OFF-ROAD.

WE BOUGHT THIS NEW VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 8, 2019. AN EXTREMELY STRONG ODOR PROTRUDED FROM THIS VEHICLE INSIDE THE CABIN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AND WHEN TURNED OFF. IT SMELLED LIKE BURNING PAINT OR AN ENGINE BURNING SMELL. IT WAS NAUSEATING AND MADE MY SIX YEAR OLD SON VERY SICK. THIS WAS OUR PRIMARY AND MOST IMPORTANT, VITAL CONCERN AND WORRY.

ONE WEEK AFTER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, IT BEGAN TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE DURING THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS: ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEED / TAKING OFF FROM A STOP / AFTER VEHICLE TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE SOUND ON FIRST ATTEMPT. VEHICLE HAS AGAIN BEEN DROPPED OFF AT DEALER AS GRINDING NOISE CONTINUES AND GETS LOUDER AT TIMES. HAVE SEARCHED IN DIFFERENT FORUMS AND SOME STATE THAT IT IS RELATED TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING PROPERLY PROGRAMMED TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 2ND WHEN SLOWING DOWN. INSTEAD IT SKIPS 2ND GEAR (NOT A PROFESSIONAL OPINION AS I AM JUST QUOTING WHAT I'VE READ). SOME HAVE STATED IT COULD BE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. STILL NO SOLUTION. YOU HEAR WOSSHING SOUND WHEN YOU START SLOW ACCELERATION FROM ALMOST STOP, NOT COMPLETELY STOP, LIKE 5MPH. IT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE TIME. THE ISSUE IS THAT VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT TO 2ND GEAR, STAYS IN 3RD WHEN IT'S AROUND 5MPH. THIS LOAD IS CAUSING TORQUE CONVERTER AND PUMP TO WORK HARDER TO GET VEHICLE ROLLING. I BELIEVE IT IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE SINCE IT ONLY HAPPENS IN 3RD GEAR AROUND 1500 TO 2000 RPMS. FOR ME, I HEAR IT THE MOST WHEN I AM ACCELERATING AFTER COMING TO A 'STOP'. ONCE I HEAR THE NOISE, I FLIP THE CAR INTO MANUAL MODE AND IT IS ALWAYS IN 3RD GEAR. ALTHOUGH YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ALMOST STOPPED, THE CAR IS STILL IN 3RD GEAR. DO THE SAME 'STOP' WHILE IN MANUAL MODE AND DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND, AND THERE ISN'T A NOISE. MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP TRIED OTHER NEW ATLAS' ON THE LOT AND FOUND SAME ISSUES. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVING SAME PROBLEM. HONESTLY, MY NOISE SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE AND LOUDER EACH DAY WHEN MOVING AND UNDER A LOAD AT LOWER RPMS THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A SCREECHING NOISE LIKE SOMETHING IS GRINDING. HAVE BROUGHT THIS IN TO THE DEALER ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS 'NORMAL' FOR VW ATLAS VEHICLES. *TR

GRINDING AND SQUEALING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP TO GO AS IT LAST FOR UP TO 5 SECONDS EACH TIME. MANY ATLAS'S HAVE THIS ISSUE BASED ON THE FORUMS AND VW STATES THAT IS NORMAL FOR VEHICLE WHICH IS RIDICULOUS TO HEAR. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE CONCERN IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR