115 of the 2,991 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Atlas are about the lighting — 4% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2021.
115
Complaints
4%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Low beam light failed, was replaced under warranty. Now the other side low beam light is out, there is clearly an issue that VW needs to address here, I can't keep replacing headlights every couple years, this is crazy.
NHTSA complaint #11757805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I have had several malfunctions in the past year with my brand new 2025 atlas. It started 6 months into my lease when it threw 7 different lights while driving down the street. I stopped at a light and put the car in park. After that it would not go back in drive. I had to get pushed out of the road with all my kids in the car. And have it towed to the dealership. They stated it just needed an update. After that everything started failing. The sunroof motor had to be replaced. The inside dome lights had to be replaced. The window motor had to be replaced. The infotainment system has repeatedly failed, been replaced and still fails. It has been a total nightmare
NHTSA complaint #11757649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LED DRL headlight stopped working on the passenger side at 90k miles
NHTSA complaint #11756819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The light strip / brake light on the tailgate has water inside and stopped working. Error message "please check right tail light."
NHTSA complaint #11752999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My vehicle is experiencing error code C123B01 were water is getting into front emblem due to a malfunctioning seal stated in there Tech bulletin 94-23-01TT which requires changing the emblem and reprogramming it. I had shut down my Day time running lights and parking lights which is a safety hazard. My Drive easy warranty is denying to fix it saying it is is on us. My vehicle was parked in my driveway and we had a lot of rain. When I got into my car the warning light was on for my DRL and parking lights. Volkswagen dealer ship pulled the exact bulletin to diagnose this issue and documented on my repair order. The dealer ship also knowledged to me on the phone they can see my emblem wasn't damaged from the outside. My parking light and running lights will not work on my passenger side due to the emblem seal failure which is a safety concern for me and my children.
NHTSA complaint #11753008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The front right Daytime running light went out at 82K miles.
NHTSA complaint #11750265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Daytime running light went out and needs the whole assembly to be replaced which is $1400+ from the dealership. Vehicle is barley 4 years old
NHTSA complaint #11749401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The Daylight Driving Lights have failed 2X. Very expensive fix. Seems to be a common problem.
NHTSA complaint #11749159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly. When parked or reversing. Requires the car to be put in park and then restarted.
NHTSA complaint #11748253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Hello, I have a 2022 VW Atlas with 54,250 miles. I noticed today when I started up by car that the DRL (daytime running lights) was dimmed to the point where I didn't even notice it on. This seems to be an issue with Volkswagen Atlas's years 2021-2023. It is currently out and anyone can come look at it at anytime. This seems to be a larger issue, many people complaining about this online and the cost to replace / fix the issue is over $1500 with parts and labor. The design makes it so the entire headlight needs to be replaced. Without daytime running lights, I feel like I am not seen as easily so I could be in an accident much easier. I brought the issue to the dealer and they said they see a lot of these failing between 40K - 60K miles. No warning, one day it was working the next it wasn't.
NHTSA complaint #11746755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
passenger side day time running light went out right at 60,000. called dealer not covered under warranty on a 21 atlas even though i purchased a 4 year 80,000 mile warranty.. the extended warranty started the day i bought the car.
NHTSA complaint #11746013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Component/System Failed: The driver-side daytime running light (DRL) failed unexpectedly. The failed LED lighting component is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This failure created a significant safety concern because daytime running lights are designed to improve vehicle visibility to other drivers during daylight and low-visibility conditions. DRLs are an important safety feature intended to reduce the risk of collisions by making vehicles more noticeable on the road. The fact that one side of the front lighting system was not functioning reduced the visibility and recognition of my vehicle to other motorists. Additionally, no dashboard warning light, alert, or notification appeared to inform me that the daytime running light had failed. Without any warning system, drivers may unknowingly operate the vehicle with a non-functioning safety component for an extended period of time. Dealer/Service Confirmation: I was informed by Volkswagen service that the LED daytime running light assembly requires a full headlight assembly replacement. Inspections: At this time, the vehicle/component has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. The component is available for manufacturer or agency inspection upon request. Warning Lamps or Symptoms Prior to Failure: There were no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle provided no indication whatsoever that the daytime running light was no longer functioning. The issue was only discovered visually by another person outside the vehicle. Additional Concerns: I am also concerned about the cost and longevity of this component. The replacement part alone reportedly costs over $1,000, not including labor costs. This appears excessive for a vehicle that is only approximately three years old. LED lighting system
NHTSA complaint #11745814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Infotainment system has been rebooting and disabling the cars ADAS momentarily. Most recently, this resulted in the car turning itself off while making a turn. Happened a second time while pulling into the dealership on the same day.
NHTSA complaint #11745701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Daytime running lights have failed on both headlight assemblies. Both failed at just outside the warranty period. High and low beams work fine and the repair is $2000 for a headlight which is outrageous.
NHTSA complaint #11745383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.