10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
7,196 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #8

Mar 252022

Atlas

  • miles
My car is showing an airbag error sign off an on and the emergency brake came on during a right turn and nearly caused an accident.

- Killeen, TX, USA

problem #7

Jun 302021

Atlas

  • miles
Windows roll down by themselves. Parking brake applies itself without warning. Multiple warning lights saying parking brake error, start stop error, hill assist error, window sensor code, and constant dinging. Hill assist will come on even when not on a hill jarring you at higher speeds. Airbags deployed late during no fault Accident. The flaws in the vehicle didn-??t cause the car accident, yet it wasn-??t protecting me as it should have, but could very well cause an accident with the abrupt stopping, for no reason. I do have videos of the caution codes, it wouldn-??t let me up load them so I took pictures of the videos.

- Hixson , TN, USA

problem #6

Jan 102022

Atlas

  • miles
In Jan 2022, the air bag system error light lit up at start-up and remained lit. A first-available dealer appointment was made for 1/28, two weeks away. During those two weeks, the car started to issue a burst of random alerts during cold startup - driver door contact switch failure, cruise control (ACC) failure, start/stop system failure, and the rear driver side window would roll down several inches. Shutting off and restarting the car solved these alerts. The car was inspected on Jan 28; the dealer confirmed a faulty wiring harness in the driver side door. They also confirmed the random alerts were the same cause. The dealer stated that the driver side air bag was nonfunctional, but the rest of the air bag system was OK. A replacement part was ordered with an estimated delivery of 2-3 weeks. As such, we chose to keep driving the car. Over the ensuing weeks, the random alert sequence got more frequent and started to show an electronic parking brake alert and engage the parking brake at startup. It then began happening on later starts when the car was fully warmed and would resume after the car was shut off and restarted. Finally, the alerts started to happen while moving, and instead of just a single burst, became a continuing sequence. The alerts are a rapid-fire volley of warning dings/dongs and accompanying messages in front of the driver. At the same time, the rear driver-side window is moving and the door contact switch is clicking randomly in the driver's left ear. It is a startling volley, which combined with the other weird sounds, is a disorienting and panic-inducing 360-degree assault on the senses. After no word from the dealer. I called on Mar 4 and was told the part was on a nationwide backorde, with no ETA. I did some research and found numerous reports of the problem getting worse over time and the parking brake engaging while moving. As our experience matches the trend, I feel the car is no longer safe and have parked it until it is repaired.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #5

Jan 042022

Atlas

  • miles
When I returned to my parked car at the grocery store on Tuesday Jan 4th at 10:51am, the curtain and passenger side airbags had deployed. There was no impact or crash observed. The VW service department and USAA diagnostic download had reported an impact to the rear axel on Monday Jan 3rd at 8:51pm. Their sensors show that the airbags deployed at 8:51pm Monday. Not only was there no impact or crash, but the airbags in fact deployed while the car was parked the following day. Monday evening I was driving with 3 others (two children) in the car. There was ice and snow on the road, but no impact or no airbag deployment. The faulty sensor could cause the airbags to be delayed in a serious crash, or deploy for no reason. There is a serious mechanical issue with this car. Volkswagen has reviewed the download and feels that the diagnosis from the download is correct and there is no further investigation required

- Falls Church, VA, USA

problem #4

Jan 282022

Atlas

  • miles
My car had an airbag alert show up on Thursday, January 27th. It said Error: Airbag. I contacted the dealership was able to get my car into Glenwood Springs Volkswagen service center on Friday, January 28th. At 4:30 pm I was told there was an issue with the airbag system. According to the Volkswagen employee, this is a known issue and they are surprised Volkswagen has not opened a recall. The service report states: Connected scan tool and found fault B101715 crash sensor for side air bag, drivers side open circuit/short circuit to B+ (passive). They recommended to replace drivers door harness. I was informed the necessary replacement parts were back ordered and would not be replaced for at least 1 month. I believe the earliest date to expect the fix is March 5th. The local service center has 2 loaner cars that are currently loaned out due to this issue. They cannot provide me a loaner car. I called VW care and they are unable to escalate this issue until Thursday, February 3rd. They informed me it was not an active recall and not part of my warranty for them to have to provide me a safe car to drive.

- Glenwood Springs , CO, USA

problem #3

Dec 192020

Atlas

  • 40,000 miles
Purchased a 2019 Atlas se4motion. The air bag light went on immediately after purchasing the car. The SUV had 40000 miles on it. This was on a Saturday $12.19. Brought car to dealer on $12.21, VW said it was a modular problem. Car was fixed a week later but than air bags activated. The car was fixed again, problem was water built up in control module. I was told there was twisted tube. Need new modular and A/C drain. This was done and I picked up car and air bag light wento off again. Car is still in the shop. This seems similar to 2018 issues with airbag. I have notified VW corporate.

- Hingham, MA, USA

problem #2

Feb 152020

Atlas

  • 3,000 miles
Struck a large pothole with driver's side front wheel while traveling 15mph on a roundabout which apparently caused the side airbags to deploy. No body damage and no appearance of suspension damage. Tire and wheel remained intact, drove straight to dealership for closer look/explanation as to why all side airbags deployed.

- Weston, WI, USA

problem #1

Mar 212019

Atlas

  • 2,585 miles
Air bag error light showed up when I turned on my car, under 3,000 miles on car car was driven the night before and driver reported air bag error light flashing and then remained steady on.

- Middleton, WI, USA