9.9

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
167 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 2023 Volkswagen Atlas:

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

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad
problem #11

May 162024

Atlas

  • miles
On a few occasions, even with the Start/Stop function disabled, the vehicle has completely shut off with no warning. It must be put it in park and restarted. Once it even turned off while reversing out of driveway and the steering wheel locked.

- Laredo, TX, USA

problem #10

Apr 242024

Atlas

  • miles
On 04/24/2024 around 10:30pm I was driving on the expressway and all of a sudden the sound system was extremely loud it sounded like gunshots inside the car. I turned off the radio and it kept going. Luckily I was able to stop on the side of the road with my son in all this traffic. I turned off my vehicle but the noise kept going. My ears hurt for 2 days. Now I'm scared to drive my vehicle because if it happens again I'm scared I might have an accident since I suffer from anxiety. I already made an appointment with Volkswagen but its not until 4 weeks. Till 5/15/2024.

- Edinburg, TX, USA

problem #9

Mar 252024

Atlas

  • miles
Car stalled when stopped in drive. Car has auto start stop but did not restart when pressing gas pedal from break. Car had to be manually restarted. This is hazardous to myself and other drivers if I cannot start after stopping at a light, stop sign or in traffic. Problem is intermittent and occurs unpredictably. Car was recently purchased and inspected before purchase but not since. No warning lamps/message but message did appear to restart car manually due to the stall

- Camarillo, CA, USA

problem #8

Mar 152023

Atlas

  • miles
The start/stop system will activate and shut the vehicle down totally (at random times), even when in drive, and at times prematurely before even coming to a complete stop. When you move the steering wheel or take your foot off of the brake, the vehicle should automatically start back up, but the vehicle totally shuts off, asking: "Did you forget anything" Everyone out of the vehicle"" [XXX], first occurrence of this completely shutting down in the city of Pittsburgh, PA, on a busy bridge after the vehicle was idling for about 45-60 seconds in traffic. I hadn't experienced this problem in any vehicle before, so it took quick thinking to figure out that I had to put the vehicle back into park before it would start back up. If I had to move quickly, I was not able to do so. [XXX] while pulling out from a stop, nothing in front of us at all, the vehicle started to shut down while pressing the gas and at the same time the front collision system was beeping even though there was nothing at all in front of us. [XXX] infotainment screen blacked out for the VW technician while it was in for service due to multiple issues. The reason I am stating that in this complaint: multiple VW technicians and service personnel have stated that the infotainment system is the brain for the vehicle, if it is acting up, can cause problems with almost anything in the vehicle. [XXX], in the middle of a quick 3-point turn at the end of my street, the engine shut down totally while shifting from drive to reverse, asked if I forgot anything/anyone in the backseat, then, when shifting to park (to start the vehicle back up a.s.a.p.), it started itself back up without me touching the start/stop ignition button. [XXX] while accelerating up a hill in Pittsburgh, the vehicle started sputtering as if it was stalling out, engine misfiring. [XXX] vehicle in drive, stopped for approx. 20 seconds, again shut completely down, shift to P to restart. (con't) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(

- Cecil-Bishop, PA, USA

problem #7

Nov 152023

Atlas

  • miles
The car engine shuts off several times a day, all the dash lights comes on and say that I am driving with the emergency transmission mode. The break is making a noise like metal against metal. My wife and kids are in risk because this is happening in the middle of a busy California freeway. I set up 2 service appointments that takes almost a month to find availability and when you finally find, they need the car for at least a week for testing, but cant provide a car loaner. no warnings before the engine stops.

- Valencia, CA, USA

problem #6

Oct 202023

Atlas

  • miles
The design of the tilt and telescope steering column allows for an adjustment position that will cause the turn signal stalk to bind against the instrument panel trim with the steering wheel adjusted up and forward. This prohibits proper use of the turn signal and headlight dimmer functions. A clear design defect

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #5

Jan 232023

Atlas

  • 1,834 miles
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the instrument panel went black. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the radio/Navigation system head unit needed to be replaced. The radio/Navigation system head unit was replaced; however, two weeks later the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 1,834.

- Imperial, PA, USA

problem #4

Apr 012023

Atlas

  • miles
The wireless phone charging pad causes phone to become extremely hot to the point where the phone stops working and shows a warning message about its hot temperature --fire risk. Phone was in the wireless charging pad for about 30-minutes. My family and I have I-phones (Apple I-Phone Model 12). Prior to the hot temperature incident, the wireless charging pad would not charge the phone and on many occasions would not even register that the phone was on the pad to charge. This has happened with and without the phone's case and with different phones. The vehicle was checked by local VW Service department but not fixed because there is no repairs/updates provided by VW, per Service Advisor. Therefore the issue remains. Please address the wireless phone charger pad issue. Thanks.

- Powhatan, VA, USA

problem #3

Apr 072023

Atlas

  • miles
Car was returned from VW dealer Friday for door harness replacement. Saturday night around 930pm we were driving on the toll road when the car starts malfunctioning at 75mph. Various warnings flashed and beeped. My husband was trying to keep control and merge over to slower lanes so we could pull over to safety. During this time the speedometer showed we were going zero which we clearly were not, windows started rolling down then the vehicles screens and outside lighting went black. This is at night while trying to get over 3 lanes of traffic safely. We coasted off ramp where car died. Had interior lighting on knobs, but no outside lights and could not start or be put into neutral. Stranded with windows stuck down and waiting long time for a tow truck due to holiday weekend (night before Easter). Poor tow truck driver had a difficult time due to how the vehicle locked up and could not be put into neutral, not even manually. The tow truck driver was finally able to get the car loaded and gave us a ride home. Due to holiday, VW roadside assistance was not available and couldn't tow to dealer until Monday. Monday morning the VW tow company had a difficult time getting vehicle loaded because the way it locked up and still would not start. It had power such as interior lights, but would not start, couldn't be put into neutral and windows still down. Due to the fact this has happened several times in this BRAND NEW vehicle I was able to record the incident. I can attach recording and screenshots if it will let me.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

problem #2

Apr 022023

Atlas

  • miles
Purchased brand new 2023 Atlas Premium R line. First few weeks noticed exposed wires above pedals under steering wheel area, A/C not blowing cold air and touchscreen glitches. Took back to dealer March 2-18. They put a panel over exposed wires factory forgot. They also said they could not find anything wrong with AC or touchscreen. It was working fine, then few days later same problems followed by total power loss/ car completely shut off and locked up when accelerating at a traffic light. Then about week later car abruptly came to a complete stop while driving on road. No warnings prior, after randomly braking itself various alerts flashed and beeped while windows malfunctioned rolling themselves down. Screens then went black. The next day tried to test it out slowly to drive it back to the dealer, but did the same thing twice within 20 min. Luckily was driving at a slower speed this time. Had it towed to the nearest VW dealer where it currently is now. Reporting this braking, electrical malfunction because not only is a car that randomly stops and brakes itself dangerous to the people in it, it's a safety hazard for anyone behind or near it. Shocked this could even happen, I looked up the issue and found VW had a similar problem in others with the door harness, but this was at a faster speed and more than the brakes failed and went haywire. Something electrical or faulty wiring may seriously be wrong with these 2023's and don't want anyone to get hurt. The pictures attached are from second incident. Didn't know it was going to brake and stop so didn't have time to capture it stopping, and at the moment first instinct is to control car and pull over safely. But did manage to take pictures of random error codes before it goes black and back to normal like nothing happened. So scary and unsafe.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

problem #1

Nov 282022

Atlas

  • miles
While driving down the road at about 50 mph, the vehicle engine shut off. The vehicle lost all power to the engine, dash board, and steering. The vehicle was unable to be moved as it could not be shifted into neutral so as to push it out of the roadway. After approximately 30 minutes, the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle then drove for about 1 mile before it lost all power again. This incident created a grave risk, as the vehicle stopped in the lane of traffic, without any warning, and was unable to be moved. The vehicle is approximately 1 month old, with less then 4000 miles on it.

- Eden, NY, USA