10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 16,667 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The driver side, front wheel suspension system has been replaced twice due loud vibration noises, rattling noises, and repeated steering issues. The steering wheel violently jerks to the right or left and pulls the car out of the desired direction of travel. The VW Atlas is at the dealership service department for a third time since date of pirchase (Feb 2018) for the same steering issues and noise issues. The 'auto-braking' system that's designed to prevent rear end collissions has malfunctioned on two separate occasions. Both malfunctions were when pulling out of a parking lot with a downgraded slope toward the street. On both occasions, as I was pulling out of the parking lot to merge into moving traffic, the electronic braking system engaged as the car was moving down the sloped parking lot exit leaving the VW Atlas frozen in place as street traffic was rapidly approaching. I had to put the VW Atlas in 'park' and back in 'drive' in order to release the electronic break system. This auto-breaking feature has created to safety situations where my VW Atlas was completely stopped while attempting to merge with moving traffic, nearly causing accidents in both situations.
- Bethel, CT, USA
Lane assist has jerked car towards oncoming traffic on several occassions, making it a useless and dangerous feature. Adverse weather and inadequate road lines/markings exasperate the issue, but I have had instances where neither of these conditions were present and lane assist still jerked the car into oncoming traffic. In order to avoid an accident while using this feature, one must keep ahold of the steering wheel much stronger than what is typical, otherwise it will pull out of your hand. When it has occurred, I had to actively fight against the pull. This has occurred on city streets as well as on the highway. I keep this feature turned off due to the risk that it poses while left on.
- Clarksville, TN, USA

- Apo, AP, USA