5.4

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,219 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #9

Oct 282018

Atlas

  • 9,000 miles
On Oct 28 the car stopped at a red light on a busy intersection and the start-stop engine shut off, then when the traffic light turned green the battery didn't have enough power to crank the engine started again. I took car to the VW dealer where 7 recalls were serviced and I was told the problem should be corrected. 2 weeks later the same problem occurred. There seems to be a drain on the battery and the computer doesn't know to avoid start-stop braking when power is too low to start the car. I called the dealer again and they said they could look at it but they don't know of any other problem and couldn't recreate the issue when they had the car for 2 days. I searched the internet and found this thread: Https://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-T73111_ds837472 where this seems to be a very common problem and putting multiple people in dangerous situations without power.

- Merrick, NY, USA

problem #8

Nov 052018

Atlas

  • 8,800 miles
I was driving my 2018 VW Atlas with 8,800 miles on it on 11/5/18. I was stopped at a traffic light and when the light turned green the car's engine did not turn back on from idling and all the lights on the dashboard started going off telling me various things. I do not think having an ecofriendly car is worth it turning off to not turn back on when it's supposed to. I had to have it towed to the dealership, who fixed the car telling me that there were software updates and that the battery was drained. The printout from working on it says that the battery charging system is good but the battery was defective internally, on a car that's a little over a year old. There was absolutely no warning, the car would not recognize my key, would not turn on, and essentially was useless in traffic and extremely unsafe. I am thankful my children were not in the car. VW claims the problem is fixed but reading others complaints I am doubtful and afraid that it's only a matter of time before this happens, without warning, again. I cannot have this happen due to safety reasons, being a single parent of two young kids, and I had to also miss a day of work to deal with a problem that should never have happened in the first place. I am also wondering if this problem has anything to do with my car having an oil spill after an oil change that the dealership did incorrectly in August. They did not tighten the cap to the extent it should have been tightened and oil spilled all over my garage, stained it, and it's never coming out. VW fixed that and gave a free oil change in the future? I really hope that did not mess up my new car and cause this new issue to happen. I cannot have any more issues happening with this car and the battery/computer issues need to be fixed so that they don't ever happen again.

- Marblehead, MA, USA

problem #7

Oct 182018

Atlas

  • 15,000 miles
Battery issue- the start/stop feature drains the battery. A 2018 Atlas battery died while the car was on at an intersection. Was in the middle of an intersection waiting to turn and the car shut down. It cause everything to try off and steering and braking were impossible. It is a known issue at VW and there is no recall.

- Monte Sereno, CA, USA

problem #6

Sep 022018

Atlas

  • 250 miles
The most concerning safety issue is the malfunctioning auto start/stop system. On four occasions, it has shut off the vehicle while in motion, pulling into a parking spot, resulting in loss of power steering. On a separate occasion, it shut-off the vehicle while stopping to pay the parking attendant but failed to restart the vehicle when I released the brake and step on the accelerator. I had to put the vehicle in park and manually restart the vehicle. I have also had multiple experiences when I have turned off the auto start/start when I started the vehicle only to have it reactivate itself and shut-off the vehicle when I stopped at an intersection. Other issues involve the "infotainment" system and climate control electronics. On multiple occasions, the radio has turned itself on after I have turned it off. As for the climate control system, it periodically deactivates the rear passenger compartment climate control and shuts off airflow to the rear passenger compartment and I have to manually reset the system through the button on the dashboard. These experiences indicate the vehicle electronic and software systems are unstable and the Volkswagen dealer has not been able to fix the issues, as they have recurred after the dealer claimed to fix the issues. I am concerned about my family's safety in this malfunctioning vehicle. The date below is the most recent event involving the auto start/stop system. The first occurrence was in mid-February 2018, approximately two weeks after purchasing the vehicle.

- Indianaplois, IN, USA

problem #5

Jun 252018

Atlas

  • 1,000 miles
I have had this car two months and it has now been in service twice. As of today they have had it for two weeks. The autonomous break system is way too sensitive and the car stops going down steep inclines or going over pot holes while in motion. The car has stopped in the middle of driving at least 7 times. I take it to service, they say there is no record in the cars computer of the incident. The front sensors are always beeping. I pull up to a stop sign, the sensors go off. I do a U-turn and the sensors go off. Some days way too excessively, some days not at all. It scares me to death and I slam on my brakes because I am afraid I am going to hit something. I take it to service, they say there is no record of it in the cars computer. Front end collision alert, I was driving down the road and was the only one on the road and the front end collision alert went off. I of course slam on the brakes in the middle of the road with no traffic, thank god no one was behind me. I take it to service, they say there is no record in the cars computer of it. Service has been able to recreate the issue with the front sensors, but says there is no fix. The customer care rep for VW stated today on the phone that they recognize there is an issue with the sensitivity of the autonomous breaking but has no fix for it so I will have to deal with it. I live in houston, I will die if I hit a pot hole and stop. It's unacceptable and a huge safety hazard. I am reading all over the internet about this issue with the autonomous braking problems. It should not be allowed to continue. Someone is going to die. I was able to video the issue with the sensors and VW has the video and recognizes a problem but states that's just the way the car is going to work. States they see the issue there too, but there is no fix.

- Magnolia, TX, USA

problem #4

Aug 152018

Atlas

  • 831 miles
Vehicle stops suddenly and shuts off. Sloped driveways. Vehicle in motion approaching end of any driveway with certain angles will suddenly slam on the brakes and shut down, leaving stranded until restart. Possible to be rear ended or hit from any direction where traffic may be coming from. Sensors beep quickly right before this happens. The vehicle has plenty of ground clearance.

- Derby, CT, USA

problem #3

Mar 012018

Atlas

  • miles
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. Within weeks of owning the vehicle, there was a failure with the strut mounted system. Furthermore, an abnormal rattling noise was heard on both sides of the front end of the vehicle. In addition, the front assist with autonomous emergency braking system engaged several times without warning. The failure caused the vehicle to seize while in motion with no other vehicle nearby. The dealer (danbury Volkswagen, 29 sugar hollow rd, danbury, ct 06810, (203) 744-5201) had the vehicle for over two months for servicing. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was not available.

- Bethel, CT, USA

problem #2

Jan 252018

Atlas

  • 300 miles
Brand new 2018 Atlas battery problem - battery drains completely in less than 3 days when car is switched off and parked in attached garage. Happened twice in two months. Service responded by saying there are several computers that drain battery even when car is shutdown. Suggested to drive for 30 mins every 2 days. The battery drained the second time inspite of following these instructions. Complete battery drain in less than 3 days even with car completely switched off in garage is unacceptable.

- Carmel, IN, USA

problem #1

Nov 292017

Atlas

  • 140 miles
The ignition switch, if pressed, will turn off the engine while the car is in motion. The ignition switch is next to the shift gear and may be accidentally pressed, causing the car to stop while in motion. This is a safety risk which may cause injury or death.

- Miami, FL, USA