I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. This weekend, our vehicle unexpectedly began rolling backward while no one was seated in the driver’s seat. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the incident had the potential to cause severe injury or death. My daughter attempted to start the Atlas by reaching across the front passenger side to press the brake pedal while simultaneously pressing the start button. As she moved back, her elbow inadvertently struck the toggle-style gear selector, shifting the vehicle into neutral. The vehicle immediately began rolling backward down the driveway toward the street and mailbox. In a moment of panic, my daughter exited the vehicle and attempted to stop it by pushing from behind. This placed her directly in the path of a moving, driverless vehicle. Fortunately, family members yelled for her to move, and my mother was able to run to the vehicle, get inside, and stop it. We fully recognize that my daughter should not have attempted to start the vehicle in this manner, and we have had a very serious conversation with her about proper vehicle operation, use of the emergency brake, and never placing herself behind a moving vehicle. However, her mistake revealed what I believe is a significant safety vulnerability: the gear selector could be unintentionally moved into neutral with a simple, incidental bump, allowing an unoccupied vehicle to roll freely. The outcome could have been devastating. My daughter could have been run over. My [XXX] son, my other daughter, a child playing in our cul-de-sac, or a neighbor walking a dog could have been struck. Property damage would have been the least of our concerns. I recently drove a Chevrolet truck equipped with a similar toggle-style shifter, but its selector included a side button that had to be intentionally pressed before the gear could be changed. A safeguard of that nature appears capable of preventing precisely the type of accidental a INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMA
NHTSA complaint #11757369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pelican Rapids, MN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
It's been about one month since engine light has lit up on the dashboard and stays on now. The first incident occurred about a week ago, as I was driving, I was slowing down to go into a roundabout, the vehicle begin to jerk and pull back, a red triangle exclamation mark light started going off warning me to safely park my vehicle as it had overheated. I assumed it was low on coolant so I topped it off to see if that would fix the issue. Then two days later after the first incident it occurred again. I came to a stop at a set of stoplights and when it was time to go, as I was accelerating I felt it starting to jerk again and again, I started getting a bunch of red warning lights to safely park my vehicle as it had overheated again and a message popped up on the dashboard about the speed. I can't quite remember the wording. I can't say for certain that I've figured out what is happening but I think that it may have something to do with the Auto Start/Stop function. Seems like when it comes to a stop, it turns off and when i'm going to start driving again it's triggering something. I've been disabling it now when I drive my vehicle and these incidents haven't occurred anymore.
NHTSA complaint #11748338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pelican Rapids, MN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Since purchasing my vehicle, the collision sensor lights on my Atlas go off quite often even if there aren’t vehicles near or by my blindspot while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11748342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The hood cable has snapped and now we cannot open to access dead battery
NHTSA complaint #11748129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Morrisville, MO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The hood release cable snapped while trying to open the hood.
NHTSA complaint #11744128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bakersfield, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When first purchased the vehicle I would fuel up car with gas and was given 520 miles. Now it only allows me to have 425 Miles of gas. I can drive slow at 30 mph and it will literally take 10 miles while only driving 1 mile distance. I can’t accelerate without it draining the gas. Also Ac is malfunctioning. Blows hot air on passenger side. Every now and then driving assist , the parking assist and the radio screen will shut off by itself. I can’t take it to the dealership because they want to charge me almost $300 for a diagnostic!!!
NHTSA complaint #11742227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Payson, AZ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car shakes aggressively when going downhill and has been occurring since buying the vehicle. Vehicle was bought brand new has had three vehicle services to fix problem and none of the vehicles services from vermicelli dealership have fixed the vehicle problem. This causes difficulty steering and breaking.
NHTSA complaint #11732062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Decatur, GA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Brakes are constantly grinding and squeaking Seat belt sensor has an issue - Seat belt noise will continuously go off if no one is sitting in the seat If you give the SUV more gas going uphill then it gets stuck in that gear, which means there is a transmission issue. Car also randomly jolts The safety of my family is put at risk each day I drive the SUV. The dealer has not confirmed the issue and told me the brake squeaking is because of the materials used to produce the SUV. There has been no resolution after the vehicle has been inspected 3x by the Dealer. No warning messages before the issue appeared
NHTSA complaint #11728792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Deland, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
the backup camera has had a flicker/black screen issue since the car was purchased. after recall 24V480000 was applied to the vehicle, the flickering, black screen and no image issues persisted with the backup camera. dealership says software is up to date and this site shows the recall was applied to the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11723864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bradenton, FL1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On December 15th, 2025, in Bradenton Fl, I was changing a tire in front of my house's parking area. I removed the tire and properly installed the car's original jack in the correct location on the vehicle. After about a minute, the jack collapsed, and the entire vehicle, along with the rotor, crushed my right foot. I couldn't get it out and had to scream for help because of the terrible pain. After several minutes, some neighbors tried to help me, but it wasn't until about 10 minutes later that a man and his son came to my aid and used their jack to lift my vehicle. An ambulance picked me up, and at the hospital, I was treated for several lacerations and a deep wound on my heel that required eight stitches. After I got home, I looked at the jack, and it was marked with a maximum weight capacity of 2866 pounds. I compared this to the vehicle's manual, and it didn't match the weight of the front axle, which is heavier. This means the jack was not suitable for supporting the front of my car, and this is why it caused me serious injuries to my foot, as well as fear, anxiety, and significant medical bills. I need help with my case, please!
NHTSA complaint #11712620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oradell, NJ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
GPS/Navigation/SOS/Roadside Assistance - SOS System logs as "deactivated" and vehicle thinks it is 2 states away from my current location. In case of an accident, emergency, or other safety issue, the SOS system would, unbeknownst to an operator, not be able to locate the vehicle and/or notify emergency services. When you get into the vehicle, it does not let you know that the SOS function is deactivated (only once you "test" the system to do you become aware that the feature is not functioning). When the vehicle erroneously believes that it is "off road" it shuts the ADAS features off until it thinks you are back "on" the road. The vehicle has been seen by the dealership twice and multiple calls have been placed to VW. No known fixes.
NHTSA complaint #11708239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beverly Hills, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a 2024 VW Atlas and this is the second time I'm taking the car to the dealer to have the fuel door opened. There is a problem with the fuel door actuator and it was replaced one time about 14-16 months ago. Often the fuel door will not open and there is no pull string to open it. The fuel door locks and unlocks with the vehicle. It often sticks and it could cause a problem with someone running out of gas in their vehicle. Also - being stranded in a less than a desirable area can impact one's safety. I was fortunate - but today Im heading to the dealership to have them replace the actuator again. Now, I question taking this car on a long road trip and having to fuel in the middle of the evening when dealerships are not open. I believe all vehicles should have a pull tab to open the fuel door in case of these kinds of situations. I had a similar problem with a 2017 Porsche Macan S - not sure if it is the same part number.
NHTSA complaint #11706029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fishers, IN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The infotainment center is not working- the screen is black. I am unable to see any of my cameras, change my air/heat- it is currently set to cold and it is freezing when I drive my car, I can’t use my map or hands free calling. This is very unsafe and none of the safety features are working.
NHTSA complaint #11694153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochester, MA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving down the highway and heard what sounded like a gunshot. I looked up and my entire sunroof was shattered. There was no impact and nothing fell on my roof. The glass soon fell mostly down all over my husband and myself.
NHTSA complaint #11663070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlottesville, VA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SOS emergency call button doesn't work. Even though button is show green and technical people at dealership said there are no problems. I actually pressed the button and it said the call can't be made.
NHTSA complaint #11656334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lees Summit, MO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The screen where the back up camera is becomes pixelated and you cannot use the camera. The screen becomes so pixelated that you cannot see anything. This also affects being about to use Apple Play for hands free connect. It will disconnect my phone randomly even when the screen is working. This puts others safety at risk because you cannot see what is going on behind the vehicle. Volkswagen knows about the issues. They have offered several software updates but none of them have helped anything. For a while they were replacing the screens but then found out that only fixes the problem about 50% of the time. I have had the car less than a year and I would like a screen that works all the time. There is no warning lights or really any rhyme or reason why the screen stops working. It works then other times it does not work.
NHTSA complaint #11645278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Evanston, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The screens have glitching / malfunction without being able to use the infotainment, backup camera, and clusters.
NHTSA complaint #11643252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marathon, WI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have had 4 chips in my windshield with under 7,000 miles on normal routes I have driven for years with no other vehicles having a single chip. The VW atlas forum I’m on also has several people.
NHTSA complaint #11634113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Antonio, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The windshield seems to be made of poor quality. Drives city roads , and the same roads and conditions that i drive my other teo cars but tgis 2024Atlas chipped in tow times alrrady in amonth and this time had a 7-8 icnh crack with a very small chip. This looks unusual mostly caused by low stabdard windshield or issue with how it’s installed.
NHTSA complaint #11634006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hiltons, VA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Brakes grind and vibrate and have for the past 7,000 miles, dealer continues to say this is normal for Volkswagen, this problem has been reported numerous times to VW and doing an internet search I am not the only one with this problem. Numerous other individuals with these vehicles also have this issue. The other issue is the transfer case continues to leak, this has been replaced once already, and now less than 4,000 miles later it is leaking again. VW continues to say everything is normal and it is normal to feel the vibration and grinding in the brake pedal and VW continues to say it is safe and normal for these sounds. However, this grinding feeling, not squeaking, but grinding and vibration in the brake pedal cannot be safe. This is a serious safety concern for myself and my family. They say brake pads are normal and not worn, so this isn’t a brake pad issue, but a deeper issue. The third issue is the infotainment system at times in start up will just be black, and will not come on, so you are unable to adjust climate control, radio, use backup camera, etc. the only way this will fix itself is if you turn the car off and back on, the dealer has updated they system, and it still continues to do this.
NHTSA complaint #11627755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Eureka, MO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Two weeks ago a small pebble hit my windshield. Immediately, the chip hit spread inches long. I was shocked that the chip spread immediately approximately 5 inches. There was zero chance of repair. This morning, I got into my car only to notice an additional crack from the top of my windshield down approximately 6 inches. I did not hear a pebble- or anything- hit my windshield. These two cracks are not near one another. I have never experienced anything like this. I've owned this brand new vehicle for 4 months. I have traveled the same routes for over 20 years with no issues. Is the glass on this vehicle subpar?
NHTSA complaint #11623973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grand Haven, MI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Infotainment System issue-basically the screen that controls the vehicle- apple car play (maps, phone, talk to text),radio, climate control etc. Screen pixelates and goes completely black losing maps, talk to text, phone etc. We have had the vehicle in 3 times. There is NO FIX from VW at this time. They replaced the screen and it continues to happen. Safety-can't talk to text, make phone calls (illegal to do in Michigan via your actual phone). Maps - goes black. Can't find how to get somewhere. We have been to service-VW doesn't have a fix at this time. Vehicle was purchased brand new April 2024. This problem started at 4 days old with 32 miles on it. No warning. Just goes black or starts to pixelate randomly
NHTSA complaint #11620293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dobbs Ferry, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Infotainment screen distortion resulting in driver distraction.
NHTSA complaint #11615269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pine River, WI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On September 9, 2024, I experienced a serious and concerning issue with my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas that compromised the safety and comfort of the vehicle. After stopping at a gas station, I returned to my vehicle and started the engine. Immediately, an extremely loud humming/vibrating noise began inside the vehicle, which was unbearable. I turned off the vehicle, but the noise persisted. We attempted to turn off the radio and air controls and checked both the interior and exterior of the vehicle, but none of these actions helped locate the source or stop the noise. Standing outside with all doors shut, the noise remained clearly audible. After further investigation, we discovered that opening at least two vehicle doors would stop the noise. If only one door was opened, the noise would persist. This issue occurred regardless of whether the vehicle was on or off. We had to drive the vehicle with this noise in order to get my child to school. Afterward, we left the vehicle off with two doors open for about 10 minutes. When we revisited the vehicle and closed the doors, the noise was no longer present. The loud noise created a significant distraction, making it difficult to concentrate on driving, thereby posing a risk to my family, other drivers, and pedestrians. I have not had a chance to drive the vehicle again so the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, nor has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. During the occurrence of this issue, no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms indicated any problem with the vehicle; all systems displayed normal functioning.
NHTSA complaint #11613551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Etna, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CUSTOMER STATES THAT WHEN DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS 60 AND UP HEARING A POPPING TYPE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE POPCORN POPPING IN MICROWAVE CAN ONLY HEAR WHEN RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT Caused by ROAD TESTED AND VERIFIED A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF INTERIOR NEAR TAIL LIGHTS. REMOVED VENTS TO FIND NOISE IS COMING FROM DEPRESSURIZATION VENTS OPENING AND SHUTTING. VERIFIED TO LIKE VEHICLE AND FOUND THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION
NHTSA complaint #11592789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anderson, SC
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle Nav often looses location, and sets location miles off from where the vehicle was while in motion. Car Net often says that it's not registered when it is, timezones switch to completely different parts of the country and driver assistance features deactivate when the GPS looses it's location. Vehicle has been to dealer three times for these issues, the first time software was updated, but issues persisted. The second time was to diagnose that it was a Car Net module problem with an extended backorder. The third time was to replace the Car Net module, which the technician had problems trying to program and was eventually successful, but two days later the problems arose again.
NHTSA complaint #11579835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anchorage, AK
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The backup camera stopped working on March 19. Because the car is less than a year old, we thought it was a minor glitch and would go away on its own. On March 20, the backup camera was still not working. On March 21, with the backup camera still not working, we contacted the dealership to schedule an appointment to diagnose and fix it but the next available appointment isn't until June (three months from now). This is just a diagnosis appointment, not an appointment to fix the issue, and they said depending on the diagnoses we'd have to book another appointment to actually fix it which could be again months out in terms of availability. A non-working backup camera is a safety hazard and simply shouldn't be a problem on a brand new car less than a year old.
NHTSA complaint #11578809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.