2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport problems

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The rear taillight lens on my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport cracked without an impact or collision. Water has entered the taillight assembly through the crack, creating condensation/water inside the lamp and a potential risk of lighting or electrical failure. The vehicle is still within its new-vehicle warranty, but Volkswagen/the dealer declined to repair the assembly. The taillight remains available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, injury, or police report. I understand that similar taillight cracking and water-intrusion problems have been reported by other Volkswagen owners. I believe this may indicate a broader defect trend.

NHTSA complaint #11763726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

The rear taillight lens on my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport cracked without an impact or collision. Water has entered the taillight assembly through the crack, creating condensation/water inside the lamp and a potential risk of lighting or electrical failure. The vehicle is still within its new-vehicle warranty, but Volkswagen/the dealer declined to repair the assembly. The taillight remains available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, injury, or police report. I understand that similar taillight cracking and water-intrusion problems have been reported by other Volkswagen owners. I believe this may indicate a broader defect trend.

NHTSA complaint #11763726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

The rear taillight lens on my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport cracked without an impact or collision. Water has entered the taillight assembly through the crack, creating condensation/water inside the lamp and a potential risk of lighting or electrical failure. The vehicle is still within its new-vehicle warranty, but Volkswagen/the dealer declined to repair the assembly. The taillight remains available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, injury, or police report. I understand that similar taillight cracking and water-intrusion problems have been reported by other Volkswagen owners. I believe this may indicate a broader defect trend.

NHTSA complaint #11763726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

On August 31, 2026, while driving my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport on the highway, multiple warning lights illuminated and the vehicle stopped operating while I was in traffic. The sudden loss of vehicle operation created a serious risk of a collision and placed me and other motorists in danger. This vehicle has experienced repeated problems including rough operation, hesitation/loss of acceleration, warning lights, engine/misfire-related faults, and powertrain concerns. The vehicle has previously been presented to Volkswagen dealerships for diagnosis and repair, but the problems have continued. On the date of this incident, the vehicle again displayed three warning lights and then became inoperable while being driven on the highway. I am now afraid to operate the vehicle because I do not know when it may lose power or stop again. Volkswagen had a service appointment scheduled for the vehicle that day, but the appointment was canceled because the dealership stated that no loaner vehicle was available. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this repeated loss-of-power/stalling condition because a vehicle that can suddenly stop operating in highway traffic presents a serious safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11761050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On August 31, 2026, while driving my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport on the highway, multiple warning lights illuminated and the vehicle stopped operating while I was in traffic. The sudden loss of vehicle operation created a serious risk of a collision and placed me and other motorists in danger. This vehicle has experienced repeated problems including rough operation, hesitation/loss of acceleration, warning lights, engine/misfire-related faults, and powertrain concerns. The vehicle has previously been presented to Volkswagen dealerships for diagnosis and repair, but the problems have continued. On the date of this incident, the vehicle again displayed three warning lights and then became inoperable while being driven on the highway. I am now afraid to operate the vehicle because I do not know when it may lose power or stop again. Volkswagen had a service appointment scheduled for the vehicle that day, but the appointment was canceled because the dealership stated that no loaner vehicle was available. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this repeated loss-of-power/stalling condition because a vehicle that can suddenly stop operating in highway traffic presents a serious safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11761050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On August 31, 2026, while driving my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport on the highway, multiple warning lights illuminated and the vehicle stopped operating while I was in traffic. The sudden loss of vehicle operation created a serious risk of a collision and placed me and other motorists in danger. This vehicle has experienced repeated problems including rough operation, hesitation/loss of acceleration, warning lights, engine/misfire-related faults, and powertrain concerns. The vehicle has previously been presented to Volkswagen dealerships for diagnosis and repair, but the problems have continued. On the date of this incident, the vehicle again displayed three warning lights and then became inoperable while being driven on the highway. I am now afraid to operate the vehicle because I do not know when it may lose power or stop again. Volkswagen had a service appointment scheduled for the vehicle that day, but the appointment was canceled because the dealership stated that no loaner vehicle was available. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this repeated loss-of-power/stalling condition because a vehicle that can suddenly stop operating in highway traffic presents a serious safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11761050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the autonomous braking system was negatively affected by roadway passing underneath the highway. The system mistakenly determined that the vehicle was on the lower roadway, causing the brakes to apply erroneously. The contact stated that the failure was caused by Volkswagen's Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control. During the failure, the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel and the message curve ahead, reduce speed was displayed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and email. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, but the issue was deemed not to be a safety concern by the service department.

NHTSA complaint #11761026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car has been to [XXX] in [XXX] many times as the screen will go blank and freeze. Unable to change radio or temperature. Can not see when I go in reverse. I have to turn off the car for 30 mins to have the screen to work again. Volkswagen has been not helpful. Car gps and compass shows I’m in a different city. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11757374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

When using adaptive cruise/lane keeping feature the vehicle when passing over another roadway will erroneously "see" a sharp curve and suddenly and unexpectedly apply significant braking force to slow the vehicle down and try to turn the car to the phantom curve.

NHTSA complaint #11746872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Follow-up to NHTSA complaint ODI #11742508 regarding the same vehicle and VIN. Vehicle experienced intermittent electrical failures while driving, including dashboard warning lights, charging system warnings, infotainment failures, communication fault codes, and intermittent loss of throttle response while entering intersections. Dealer initially stated they could not duplicate the issue and vehicle was returned multiple times despite ongoing safety concerns. Dealership has now confirmed an electrical failure involving the wire harness between the alternator and control module. Dealer stated they found an open circuit/short in the harness and ordered replacement parts after multiple repair attempts Concern remains regarding intermittent electrical and drivability failures affecting vehicle safety.

NHTSA complaint #11743734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Follow-up to NHTSA complaint ODI #11742508 regarding the same vehicle and VIN. Vehicle experienced intermittent electrical failures while driving, including dashboard warning lights, charging system warnings, infotainment failures, communication fault codes, and intermittent loss of throttle response while entering intersections. Dealer initially stated they could not duplicate the issue and vehicle was returned multiple times despite ongoing safety concerns. Dealership has now confirmed an electrical failure involving the wire harness between the alternator and control module. Dealer stated they found an open circuit/short in the harness and ordered replacement parts after multiple repair attempts Concern remains regarding intermittent electrical and drivability failures affecting vehicle safety.

NHTSA complaint #11743734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Follow-up to NHTSA complaint ODI #11742508 regarding the same vehicle and VIN. Vehicle experienced intermittent electrical failures while driving, including dashboard warning lights, charging system warnings, infotainment failures, communication fault codes, and intermittent loss of throttle response while entering intersections. Dealer initially stated they could not duplicate the issue and vehicle was returned multiple times despite ongoing safety concerns. Dealership has now confirmed an electrical failure involving the wire harness between the alternator and control module. Dealer stated they found an open circuit/short in the harness and ordered replacement parts after multiple repair attempts Concern remains regarding intermittent electrical and drivability failures affecting vehicle safety.

NHTSA complaint #11743734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport experienced repeated intermittent electrical and electronic malfunctions while driving. The infotainment screen repeatedly froze, became unresponsive, or turned black/blue while operating the vehicle. Apple CarPlay malfunctioned repeatedly, and multiple USB ports appeared to damage connected electronic devices. Warning messages including “12V battery is not charging” and “Key not detected” appeared intermittently. Vehicle has been taken to the Volkswagen dealership multiple times for diagnosis and repair attempts. Dealer stated they were unable to permanently diagnose or duplicate the issue because the failures are intermittent. Vehicle remained at dealership for extended periods during repair attempts. Electrical malfunctions create driver distraction and concern regarding reliability of the vehicle’s electrical system while driving. Failure of infotainment and warning systems while operating the vehicle may affect driver awareness and vehicle safety. Problem continues intermittently despite multiple service visits.

NHTSA complaint #11742508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport experienced repeated intermittent electrical and electronic malfunctions while driving. The infotainment screen repeatedly froze, became unresponsive, or turned black/blue while operating the vehicle. Apple CarPlay malfunctioned repeatedly, and multiple USB ports appeared to damage connected electronic devices. Warning messages including “12V battery is not charging” and “Key not detected” appeared intermittently. Vehicle has been taken to the Volkswagen dealership multiple times for diagnosis and repair attempts. Dealer stated they were unable to permanently diagnose or duplicate the issue because the failures are intermittent. Vehicle remained at dealership for extended periods during repair attempts. Electrical malfunctions create driver distraction and concern regarding reliability of the vehicle’s electrical system while driving. Failure of infotainment and warning systems while operating the vehicle may affect driver awareness and vehicle safety. Problem continues intermittently despite multiple service visits.

NHTSA complaint #11742508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport experienced repeated intermittent electrical and electronic malfunctions while driving. The infotainment screen repeatedly froze, became unresponsive, or turned black/blue while operating the vehicle. Apple CarPlay malfunctioned repeatedly, and multiple USB ports appeared to damage connected electronic devices. Warning messages including “12V battery is not charging” and “Key not detected” appeared intermittently. Vehicle has been taken to the Volkswagen dealership multiple times for diagnosis and repair attempts. Dealer stated they were unable to permanently diagnose or duplicate the issue because the failures are intermittent. Vehicle remained at dealership for extended periods during repair attempts. Electrical malfunctions create driver distraction and concern regarding reliability of the vehicle’s electrical system while driving. Failure of infotainment and warning systems while operating the vehicle may affect driver awareness and vehicle safety. Problem continues intermittently despite multiple service visits.

NHTSA complaint #11742508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

On 3/27/026 at approximately 1800 hrs, I was driving my 2025 VW Atlas w/8500 miles southbound on the Florida Turnpike in the left hand land. Traffic was at a standstill at mm 76. We sat for 2-3 minutes without moving. When traffic started to roll forward, I moved my foot to apply the gas but the car shifted itself to Park. It did not shut down or stall. The engine was still running. I could not shift the car to drive or reverse. I called 911 to request help from FHP. Traffic was starting to move with increasing speed. I couldn't move my car to the shoulder. I turned the engine off for a few minutes. I turned it back on and still could not shift the car into gear. All of the error messages scrolled across the dash and all of the error lights came on. I had never seen a light on the dash that day or any other. FHP arrived. We pushed the car to the left shoulder. He said the cars were traveling at 60-70 mph at this point. Prior to that I was trapped in my car as I could not get out of my car with the high speed traffic passing on the left shoulder and swerving around to the right lane too. I called for a tow truck and was towed to a VW dealership. It was in service for 8 days. I was told it was a glitch in the software update. I've done some research and this is a known safety issue with VW Atlas. It can happen again...while driving. VW service doesn't know why this happens and they said they don't know how to prevent it from happening again. After picking the car up, I searched "vehicle" for the maintenance hx on the infotainment. It shows low oil. That did not show on the dash. If I had stumbled on it, I wouldn't have seen it. Next, the seat will not move forward or back. This, after, the software update glitch. FHP does not write an official report for this type of scenario but the incident number is XXX. Officer [XXX] #XXX (they do not provide last names for the officer's safety) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11729998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On 3/27/026 at approximately 1800 hrs, I was driving my 2025 VW Atlas w/8500 miles southbound on the Florida Turnpike in the left hand land. Traffic was at a standstill at mm 76. We sat for 2-3 minutes without moving. When traffic started to roll forward, I moved my foot to apply the gas but the car shifted itself to Park. It did not shut down or stall. The engine was still running. I could not shift the car to drive or reverse. I called 911 to request help from FHP. Traffic was starting to move with increasing speed. I couldn't move my car to the shoulder. I turned the engine off for a few minutes. I turned it back on and still could not shift the car into gear. All of the error messages scrolled across the dash and all of the error lights came on. I had never seen a light on the dash that day or any other. FHP arrived. We pushed the car to the left shoulder. He said the cars were traveling at 60-70 mph at this point. Prior to that I was trapped in my car as I could not get out of my car with the high speed traffic passing on the left shoulder and swerving around to the right lane too. I called for a tow truck and was towed to a VW dealership. It was in service for 8 days. I was told it was a glitch in the software update. I've done some research and this is a known safety issue with VW Atlas. It can happen again...while driving. VW service doesn't know why this happens and they said they don't know how to prevent it from happening again. After picking the car up, I searched "vehicle" for the maintenance hx on the infotainment. It shows low oil. That did not show on the dash. If I had stumbled on it, I wouldn't have seen it. Next, the seat will not move forward or back. This, after, the software update glitch. FHP does not write an official report for this type of scenario but the incident number is XXX. Officer [XXX] #XXX (they do not provide last names for the officer's safety) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11729998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On 3/27/026 at approximately 1800 hrs, I was driving my 2025 VW Atlas w/8500 miles southbound on the Florida Turnpike in the left hand land. Traffic was at a standstill at mm 76. We sat for 2-3 minutes without moving. When traffic started to roll forward, I moved my foot to apply the gas but the car shifted itself to Park. It did not shut down or stall. The engine was still running. I could not shift the car to drive or reverse. I called 911 to request help from FHP. Traffic was starting to move with increasing speed. I couldn't move my car to the shoulder. I turned the engine off for a few minutes. I turned it back on and still could not shift the car into gear. All of the error messages scrolled across the dash and all of the error lights came on. I had never seen a light on the dash that day or any other. FHP arrived. We pushed the car to the left shoulder. He said the cars were traveling at 60-70 mph at this point. Prior to that I was trapped in my car as I could not get out of my car with the high speed traffic passing on the left shoulder and swerving around to the right lane too. I called for a tow truck and was towed to a VW dealership. It was in service for 8 days. I was told it was a glitch in the software update. I've done some research and this is a known safety issue with VW Atlas. It can happen again...while driving. VW service doesn't know why this happens and they said they don't know how to prevent it from happening again. After picking the car up, I searched "vehicle" for the maintenance hx on the infotainment. It shows low oil. That did not show on the dash. If I had stumbled on it, I wouldn't have seen it. Next, the seat will not move forward or back. This, after, the software update glitch. FHP does not write an official report for this type of scenario but the incident number is XXX. Officer [XXX] #XXX (they do not provide last names for the officer's safety) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11729998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle is experiencing multiple system malfunctions involving engine performance and electrical components. Symptoms include engine trembling at idle, abnormal ticking and hissing noises, and the vehicle pulling while driving. An independent diagnostic scan performed within 24 hours of purchase identified more than twenty fault codes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. These conditions created safety concerns due to instability while driving and the risk of loss of control or unexpected mechanical failure. Additionally, dealership-provided loaner vehicles also malfunctioned, including one becoming inoperable and another displaying a check engine light, leaving the customer stranded and without reliable transportation. The problem has been partially confirmed by both an independent service center and dealership personnel. An independent diagnostic confirmed multiple system faults, and a dealership manager personally observed the engine shaking at idle. A Volkswagen dealership documented abnormal engine behavior but stated the issue could not be consistently reproduced during testing. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center (Meineke Automotive) and a Volkswagen dealership (Stone Mountain Volkswagen). A case has been opened with Volkswagen of America for further review. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. Symptoms began immediately after purchase on February 27, 2026, including engine vibration, instability, and drivability issues. Fault codes were identified within 24 hours. Additional warning indicators, including check engine lights and battery-related messages, were later observed, including on dealership-provided loaner vehicles. ⸻

NHTSA complaint #11724844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The vehicle is experiencing multiple system malfunctions involving engine performance and electrical components. Symptoms include engine trembling at idle, abnormal ticking and hissing noises, and the vehicle pulling while driving. An independent diagnostic scan performed within 24 hours of purchase identified more than twenty fault codes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. These conditions created safety concerns due to instability while driving and the risk of loss of control or unexpected mechanical failure. Additionally, dealership-provided loaner vehicles also malfunctioned, including one becoming inoperable and another displaying a check engine light, leaving the customer stranded and without reliable transportation. The problem has been partially confirmed by both an independent service center and dealership personnel. An independent diagnostic confirmed multiple system faults, and a dealership manager personally observed the engine shaking at idle. A Volkswagen dealership documented abnormal engine behavior but stated the issue could not be consistently reproduced during testing. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center (Meineke Automotive) and a Volkswagen dealership (Stone Mountain Volkswagen). A case has been opened with Volkswagen of America for further review. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. Symptoms began immediately after purchase on February 27, 2026, including engine vibration, instability, and drivability issues. Fault codes were identified within 24 hours. Additional warning indicators, including check engine lights and battery-related messages, were later observed, including on dealership-provided loaner vehicles. ⸻

NHTSA complaint #11724844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The vehicle is experiencing multiple system malfunctions involving engine performance and electrical components. Symptoms include engine trembling at idle, abnormal ticking and hissing noises, and the vehicle pulling while driving. An independent diagnostic scan performed within 24 hours of purchase identified more than twenty fault codes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. These conditions created safety concerns due to instability while driving and the risk of loss of control or unexpected mechanical failure. Additionally, dealership-provided loaner vehicles also malfunctioned, including one becoming inoperable and another displaying a check engine light, leaving the customer stranded and without reliable transportation. The problem has been partially confirmed by both an independent service center and dealership personnel. An independent diagnostic confirmed multiple system faults, and a dealership manager personally observed the engine shaking at idle. A Volkswagen dealership documented abnormal engine behavior but stated the issue could not be consistently reproduced during testing. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center (Meineke Automotive) and a Volkswagen dealership (Stone Mountain Volkswagen). A case has been opened with Volkswagen of America for further review. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. Symptoms began immediately after purchase on February 27, 2026, including engine vibration, instability, and drivability issues. Fault codes were identified within 24 hours. Additional warning indicators, including check engine lights and battery-related messages, were later observed, including on dealership-provided loaner vehicles. ⸻

NHTSA complaint #11724844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

New buy today 3/16/2025 from Carvana. Anyhow took vehicle to get a diagnostic and reputable mechanic shop. The auto scanner would continuously stall on the transmission check,would not produce a report nor respond. We did get a good reading for the engine but not once after several attempts would it generate a reading for the transmission. I am concerned as there does appear to be a slight jerk when shifting from one gear to the next,not a smooth transition at all between gears. Not the smoothest ride. There is definitely an issue and I'm sure others are experiencing this...unfortunately.

NHTSA complaint #11724514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Car was operating normal up until 8:47 pm went to go turn car on and check engine light came on with notification “RISK OF ROLLING! P not possible. Please apply parking brake.” Car will go into drive, neutral, and reverse but does not move upon pressing gas pedal. Will not go into park and only allows hand brake when in neutral. Car will shut off but does not lock doors.

NHTSA complaint #11724385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car was operating normal up until 8:47 pm went to go turn car on and check engine light came on with notification “RISK OF ROLLING! P not possible. Please apply parking brake.” Car will go into drive, neutral, and reverse but does not move upon pressing gas pedal. Will not go into park and only allows hand brake when in neutral. Car will shut off but does not lock doors.

NHTSA complaint #11724385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Car was operating normal up until 8:47 pm went to go turn car on and check engine light came on with notification “RISK OF ROLLING! P not possible. Please apply parking brake.” Car will go into drive, neutral, and reverse but does not move upon pressing gas pedal. Will not go into park and only allows hand brake when in neutral. Car will shut off but does not lock doors.

NHTSA complaint #11724385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.