Owners have filed 746 complaints
about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas with NHTSA between 2020 and 2026.
The largest single group is the electrical system.
Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 9 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 100
Against the median year of the Volkswagen Atlas. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 17
3.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
82% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2021 compares with every other Volkswagen Atlas
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Automatic Emergency Braking
5248.6%
Body
2018.7%
Adaptive Cruise Control
1514.0%
Warnings
109.3%
Warning
43.7%
Assist
32.8%
Warnings
21.9%
Warning
10.9%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
916.1%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
1628.6%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
1730.4%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
814.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
58.9%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
11.8%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jul 2020peak 126Aug 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 292 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen...
Recalls on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
24V464000
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
23V215000
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
22V815000
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
22V514000
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.
Risk: Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
22V152000
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
Risk: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
22V086000
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
21V892000
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.
Risk: A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202435435,749 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction. This could cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated. Note: This problem would cause an error message to display on the instrument panel and a warning chime to sound. The airbag indicator light would also display "passenger airbag off". Safety Risk: An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the PODS sensor mat and seat harness. Volkswagen advises that you shouldn't use the front passenger seat if a PODS error message displays on the instrument panel or if the airbag indicator light displays "passenger airbag off" with an occupant in the seat.
Recall 202238223,553 units in Canada
Visual System
Issue: Under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center screen. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the infotainment software.
Recall 2022182157 units in Canada
Fuel System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the long fuel injectors may have been assembled without a filter element. As a result, fuel could leak into the engine compartment. Safety Risk: A fuel leak in the engine compartment can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the long fuel injectors.
Recall 202211023,192 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, the wiring contacts for the front doors may become damaged. If this happens, there could be a delay before the side airbags inflate in a side-impact crash. This problem could also cause the parking brake to engage while driving at low speed, cause the windows to roll down on their own, or give warning of a faulty door sensor. Safety Risk: Delayed inflation of the side airbags could create an increased the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
Recall 20217053,984 units in Canada
Heater And Defroster
Issue: On certain vehicles, the drain tube for the air conditioning system may be blocked. As a result, water may leak inside the vehicle and into the airbag control module. If this happens, the airbag control module may not work properly and could cause the airbags to inflate without a crash. Safety Risk: An airbag that inflates suddenly without a crash could create a risk of injury. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the air conditioning system drain tube. If the tube is blocked, the dealer will repair it and replace the airbag control module.
Recall 2021032369 units in Canada
Steering
Issue: On certain vehicles, the front steering knuckles may not have been manufactured correctly. As a result, the steering knuckle could break suddenly while driving. If this happens, there would be a loss of steering control. Safety Risk: A loss of steering control could create a risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the front knuckles and replace them, if necessary.
Recall 20205562,564 units in Canada
Visual System
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or cause it to freeze. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the rearview camera software.
Recall 202054616 units in Canada
Tires
Issue: Certain vehicles were built with tires that may have been cured too long. As a result, the sidewall could crack or the tread and belts could separate. This could lead to a sudden loss of air pressure and could cause a tire failure. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with certain Continental tires, with specific date codes and mold numbers. Safety Risk: A tire failure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the tires and replace the ones that have the DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
East Boston, MA1 injured
SEATS
Rear seat latch for the second row, which enables the seats to slide forward for passengers to enter the third row, does not latch correctly. Recent incident where child in car seat in the third row was thrown forward into the rear of the drivers seat (seatback) when the 2nd row seat latch mechanism suddenly released when applying light pressure to the brakes. Child was injured, suffered a laceration and bruising to his eye area.
NHTSA complaint #11739668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rushville, ILCrash
AIR BAGS
My daughter hit a deer while she was on the interstate, so she had her cruise control set at 72 mph, the deer came up out of the left/median ditch (she was in the left lane at the time). There was no warning as she did not see it at all, so there was an immediate, intense impact, enough where the hood of the car ended up opening up and smashing and coming to rest against the windshield. The Front end of the Atlas was HEAVILY damaged and NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED at all! The vehicle's seatbelt did lock up and keep her from slamming into the steering column and windshield and the vehicle's Front Assist Braking system did engage after the impact to slow her down and actually tried pulling her to the side of the road, although, that could be a flaw as well as it assumed that she was in the right lane of the road to begin with, so it pulled her to stop in the middle of the right lane of the Interstate. Thankfully it was late enough in the evening and no other traffic so she was able to figure that out in her post accident confusion and was able to get the car further off the road and call for help. The Atlas had to be towed from the scene. Prior to this incident there has been no issues with any warning lights coming on and we have had all past recalls taken care of through the VW Dealership we bought our VW from, so we assume that they were taken care of properly.
NHTSA complaint #11739147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesterfield, VACrash2 injured
SEATS
Our 2021 VW Atlas was rear-ended while stopped at stop light. The other driver was going an estimated 45 MPH. At impact, the driver seat broke backwards hitting our 5 year old child in the face. The child was in a 5-point harness car seat and the only injuries resulting from the accident were to the face and head. We were taken to a children's hospital in an ambulance where the child stayed 5 nights with facial fractures, a broken nose, skull fracture, and CSF leak.
NHTSA complaint #11734251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Worth, TXCrash2 injured
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Evaporative Emission Control (EVAP) system traps harmful fuel vapors from the gas tank, storing them in a charcoal canister before burning them in the engine
NHTSA complaint #11731263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC1 injured
SEATS
There issue with bad smell or chemicals that causes an health issues. I tried resolving on several issues it's always more money. To resolve,there several Dealship that appraiser now it's at the lowest with the same deal.. There bleeding& spitting. Once come vehicle for and day. I've been there several times.
NHTSA complaint #11728357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There issue with bad smell or chemicals that causes an health issues. I tried resolving on several issues it's always more money. To resolve,there several Dealship that appraiser now it's at the lowest with the same deal.. There bleeding& spitting. Once come vehicle for and day. I've been there several times.
NHTSA complaint #11728357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Georgetown, TX
ENGINE
The engine stalls randomly while in motion. When this happens, an error gets presented on the dashboard asking the driver to restart it manually. This has occurred when driving forward and backing up. This car was purchased at CarMax and serviced through the extended warranty. However, a few weeks later the problem started happening again.
NHTSA complaint #11758724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fayetteville, GA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My vehicle prompted me to do an update on software. As soon as I completed this my SOS button turned red. I immediately contacted my Volkswagen app and told them what was going on I was instructed that they did not see anything on their end that I would need to take it to a dealer and let them check it out upon my arrival at the Dealer they’re telling me that my module needs to be replaced please note that I have no issues with my SOS button until I was prompt to update . This is definitely a safety concern being that I’m paying for an emergency button that is not operable at this time I feel that this should be Volkswagen should pay for the cost of this because I would’ve never hit update if I knew it was gonna cause these issues I feel unsafe in my vehicle based on Volkswagen pump me to push the button thank you
NHTSA complaint #11758472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Youngsville, LA
STEERING
On multiple occasions at startup, vehicle made unusual sounds then either stalled shortly after starting or simply wouldn’t start. Vehicle has also stalled multiple times at red lights and stop signs. On these occasions nearly the entire dashboard lit up simultaneously with warning lights across many unrelated systems (“Christmas tree” effect), not a single isolated fault, often while on interstate at 70mph. Recurring, not one-time. 1.ELECTRICAL/ABS: Aug 2025, right front ABS wheel speed sensor replaced after dash lights loss + reported dying after startup; dealer couldn’t duplicate stalling. As of Aug 2026, scan shows left front ABS sensor faulting (open/short to ground, implausible signal) plus parking brake module fault referencing wheel speed sensor implausibility. Dealer also flagged left rear ABS sensor as Critical. Numerous low-voltage faults present across modules simultaneously (supply voltage too low, data bus implausible, control module input power low), matching dashboard cascade events. Battery replaced May 2024 after failing load test. 2.ENGINE: Dec 2024, cylinder 6 injector replaced (complete goodwill, dealer+VW corporate) for CEL/air-fuel imbalance. CEL returned next month for same fault; escalated to full cylinder head replacement ($6,054.95). 3.STEERING: Dealer inspection Aug 2026 flagged steering rack and pinion as Critical ($2,093.19), req. 4-wheel alignment. Confirmed with NHTSA/VW this vehicle is NOT subject to steering knuckle recall 21V026000/40Q7 — separate, non-recall defect. Requesting NHTSA review this combined pattern of stalling/no-start, cascading electrical faults, and critical steering failure.
NHTSA complaint #11756916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Youngsville, LA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On multiple occasions at startup, vehicle made unusual sounds then either stalled shortly after starting or simply wouldn’t start. Vehicle has also stalled multiple times at red lights and stop signs. On these occasions nearly the entire dashboard lit up simultaneously with warning lights across many unrelated systems (“Christmas tree” effect), not a single isolated fault, often while on interstate at 70mph. Recurring, not one-time. 1.ELECTRICAL/ABS: Aug 2025, right front ABS wheel speed sensor replaced after dash lights loss + reported dying after startup; dealer couldn’t duplicate stalling. As of Aug 2026, scan shows left front ABS sensor faulting (open/short to ground, implausible signal) plus parking brake module fault referencing wheel speed sensor implausibility. Dealer also flagged left rear ABS sensor as Critical. Numerous low-voltage faults present across modules simultaneously (supply voltage too low, data bus implausible, control module input power low), matching dashboard cascade events. Battery replaced May 2024 after failing load test. 2.ENGINE: Dec 2024, cylinder 6 injector replaced (complete goodwill, dealer+VW corporate) for CEL/air-fuel imbalance. CEL returned next month for same fault; escalated to full cylinder head replacement ($6,054.95). 3.STEERING: Dealer inspection Aug 2026 flagged steering rack and pinion as Critical ($2,093.19), req. 4-wheel alignment. Confirmed with NHTSA/VW this vehicle is NOT subject to steering knuckle recall 21V026000/40Q7 — separate, non-recall defect. Requesting NHTSA review this combined pattern of stalling/no-start, cascading electrical faults, and critical steering failure.
NHTSA complaint #11756916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Youngsville, LA
ENGINE
On multiple occasions at startup, vehicle made unusual sounds then either stalled shortly after starting or simply wouldn’t start. Vehicle has also stalled multiple times at red lights and stop signs. On these occasions nearly the entire dashboard lit up simultaneously with warning lights across many unrelated systems (“Christmas tree” effect), not a single isolated fault, often while on interstate at 70mph. Recurring, not one-time. 1.ELECTRICAL/ABS: Aug 2025, right front ABS wheel speed sensor replaced after dash lights loss + reported dying after startup; dealer couldn’t duplicate stalling. As of Aug 2026, scan shows left front ABS sensor faulting (open/short to ground, implausible signal) plus parking brake module fault referencing wheel speed sensor implausibility. Dealer also flagged left rear ABS sensor as Critical. Numerous low-voltage faults present across modules simultaneously (supply voltage too low, data bus implausible, control module input power low), matching dashboard cascade events. Battery replaced May 2024 after failing load test. 2.ENGINE: Dec 2024, cylinder 6 injector replaced (complete goodwill, dealer+VW corporate) for CEL/air-fuel imbalance. CEL returned next month for same fault; escalated to full cylinder head replacement ($6,054.95). 3.STEERING: Dealer inspection Aug 2026 flagged steering rack and pinion as Critical ($2,093.19), req. 4-wheel alignment. Confirmed with NHTSA/VW this vehicle is NOT subject to steering knuckle recall 21V026000/40Q7 — separate, non-recall defect. Requesting NHTSA review this combined pattern of stalling/no-start, cascading electrical faults, and critical steering failure.
NHTSA complaint #11756916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LED DRL headlight stopped working on the passenger side at 90k miles
NHTSA complaint #11756819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Firestone, CO
STRUCTURE:BODY
Hood latch release cable broke after using under normal circumstances.
NHTSA complaint #11755775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Firestone, CO
ENGINE
Hood latch release cable broke after using under normal circumstances.
NHTSA complaint #11755775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Winston-Salem, NC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Passenger side headlight failed prematurely resulting in only one of the headlights functioning
NHTSA complaint #11755380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dracut, MA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Upon visual inspection of the car. Noticed driver’s side headlight outter light not working with no warning indicator. Have been pulled over since issue was first discovered by police. I believe it’s called daytime driving light part of the headlight.
NHTSA complaint #11753203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poland, NY
POWER TRAIN
Aluminum rear differential corroded, causing Haldex fluid to leak out resulting in Haldex pump, failure and loss of rear-wheel-drive ie.(4 motion) causing catastrophic failure of clutch pack.
NHTSA complaint #11753081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lee's Summit, MO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I own a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas with approximately 61,000 miles. After a software update prompted by the vehicle, saying it will be done in 3 parts.the infotainment screen began malfunctioning the following day. Initially, the screen would repeatedly go black, restart, work for a short period of time, and then go black again. This issue continued for almost three weeks. The screen is now completely black and no longer turns on. I contacted a Volkswagen dealership about the issue and was informed that I would be charged approximately $220 for diagnostic work before determining the cause of the problem.i haven't brought it in yet as I'm waiting to be paid as I'm sure they would need payment The problem began shortly after the vehicle's software update, and I am concerned that the update may have caused or contributed to the infotainment system failure. I am reporting this issue because I believe other 2021 Volkswagen Atlas owners may be experiencing similar infotainment system failures. I would like NHTSA to investigate whether this is a widespread defect and whether a safety-related recall or other corrective action is necessary. As it's safely concern I cannot see back up camera or any safety features.
NHTSA complaint #11752448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cedar Hill, MO
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Passenger side Daytime Running Light went out. The vehicle had under 60k miles. Seems like a common problem. For now will not replace because of high price tag and not necessary for safety inspection. The problem is that negates the safety feature on the car.
NHTSA complaint #11752529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lee's Summit, MO
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
I own a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas with approximately 61,000 miles. After a software update prompted by the vehicle, saying it will be done in 3 parts.the infotainment screen began malfunctioning the following day. Initially, the screen would repeatedly go black, restart, work for a short period of time, and then go black again. This issue continued for almost three weeks. The screen is now completely black and no longer turns on. I contacted a Volkswagen dealership about the issue and was informed that I would be charged approximately $220 for diagnostic work before determining the cause of the problem.i haven't brought it in yet as I'm waiting to be paid as I'm sure they would need payment The problem began shortly after the vehicle's software update, and I am concerned that the update may have caused or contributed to the infotainment system failure. I am reporting this issue because I believe other 2021 Volkswagen Atlas owners may be experiencing similar infotainment system failures. I would like NHTSA to investigate whether this is a widespread defect and whether a safety-related recall or other corrective action is necessary. As it's safely concern I cannot see back up camera or any safety features.
NHTSA complaint #11752448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brighton, CO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hood release cable broken. Cannot open hood
NHTSA complaint #11751400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hendersonville, TN
ENGINE
2021 Volkswagen Atlas, VIN [XXX], approximately 116,000 miles. Vehicle developed a cylinder failure requiring full cylinder replacement. Following replacement, compression remains abnormally low, specifically on cylinders #4 and #6 (approximately 90 PSI). Mechanic diagnosed significant carbon buildup on the piston rings as the cause of the persistent low compression, and confirmed this diagnosis via a wet compression test, in which compression increased when oil was introduced directly into the affected cylinders — indicating worn/compromised piston ring sealing rather than a valve or head gasket issue. Check engine light continues to trigger intermittently. This appears consistent with a known EA888 2.0T piston ring/carbon buildup defect currently the subject of active class action litigation (XXX) against Volkswagen Group of America. Vehicle has also experienced a separate prior failure of the high- and low-pressure fuel pumps and control module (repaired XXX at 77,921 miles, Volkswagen of North Nashville). Concerned about ongoing engine performance and reliability, and potential for further damage if underlying cause is not fully resolved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11751327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hendersonville, TN
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2021 Volkswagen Atlas, VIN [XXX], approximately 116,000 miles. Vehicle developed a cylinder failure requiring full cylinder replacement. Following replacement, compression remains abnormally low, specifically on cylinders #4 and #6 (approximately 90 PSI). Mechanic diagnosed significant carbon buildup on the piston rings as the cause of the persistent low compression, and confirmed this diagnosis via a wet compression test, in which compression increased when oil was introduced directly into the affected cylinders — indicating worn/compromised piston ring sealing rather than a valve or head gasket issue. Check engine light continues to trigger intermittently. This appears consistent with a known EA888 2.0T piston ring/carbon buildup defect currently the subject of active class action litigation (XXX) against Volkswagen Group of America. Vehicle has also experienced a separate prior failure of the high- and low-pressure fuel pumps and control module (repaired XXX at 77,921 miles, Volkswagen of North Nashville). Concerned about ongoing engine performance and reliability, and potential for further damage if underlying cause is not fully resolved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11751327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocoee, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRLs went out after the vehicle being on lly a few years old.
NHTSA complaint #11750992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dubuque, IA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The hood latch just randomly disconnected and all over forms and post and videos on YouTube. It sounds like it’s a very common issue with the Atlas.
NHTSA complaint #11749850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
When it is hot out and car is idiling car cuts off. When reverse car stalls. Auto stop/start is off and car request to be restarted manually.
NHTSA complaint #11749727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
ENGINE
When it is hot out and car is idiling car cuts off. When reverse car stalls. Auto stop/start is off and car request to be restarted manually.
NHTSA complaint #11749727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
When it is hot out and car is idiling car cuts off. When reverse car stalls. Auto stop/start is off and car request to be restarted manually.
NHTSA complaint #11749727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newberry, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Both set of running lights on my Atlas have burned out and were replaced since purchased of car in 2021 and again both left and right running lights are no longer working. The first time the car was under warranty. The cost to fix the LED running lights are 1500.00 + per light! This is clearly a defect on VW‘s design and should be fixed and fall under a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11747355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
St. Louis, MO
ENGINE
I was driving on a busy road and my car turned off. I had to turn on my hazards and hope no one hit me at 60 mph. I got an EPC error on the dashboard and when diagnosed it was a failure with the Fuel Pump Control Module. This is massively unsafe for myself and my family. I cannot drive a car that can randomly turn off. According to online forums this is a very common VW issue and needs to be looked into
NHTSA complaint #11747217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
St. Louis, MO
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was driving on a busy road and my car turned off. I had to turn on my hazards and hope no one hit me at 60 mph. I got an EPC error on the dashboard and when diagnosed it was a failure with the Fuel Pump Control Module. This is massively unsafe for myself and my family. I cannot drive a car that can randomly turn off. According to online forums this is a very common VW issue and needs to be looked into
NHTSA complaint #11747217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.