38 of the
2,991 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Atlas
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2024.
38
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
I purchased this car brand new in 2024. As of today I have had 7 chips in my windshield. The first one which resulted in a replacement was February/ March 2025. I have replaced it once and filled 2 chips, but I currently have 4-5 chips in my windshield which needs to be replaced due to 2 of them being large. I am holding off on this replacement until I absolutely need to because the fear of replacing and then getting another chip. Some of the chips are small, but it seems to me anything that hits the windshield chips it. I have had several cars over the year and drive a lot of miles and have never had this issue with windshields. Another problem that I had when replacing was finding the proper windshield. When Safelight replaced it they did not use the OEM windshield at first. They replaced the windshield 2x with an off brand and the heads up display would not work properly. Then they finally used the OEM windshield from Volkswagen which of course costs more. So for the cost you would think you are getting better quality, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I have been to a couple of different window replacement companies over the last couple of years and they have all told me that the Atlas & Tiguans are known for windshield chips and they find that Volkswagen's glass is very thin compared to other companies.
NHTSA complaint #11758444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The center infotainment/display screen in this 2024 VW Atlas repeatedly goes black, freezes, and reboots itself while the vehicle is being driven, including at highway speed (about 43-55 mph). When it fails, the screen collapses to a clock only and shows "Navigation not available," "Telephone not available," and "App-Connect not available," then the entire head unit reboots on its own while driving. During these failures the driver loses the rearview/backup camera image, climate and audio controls, navigation, and phone functions - a serious safety hazard while the car is in motion. The problem is ongoing and has NOT been fixed. The vehicle has been to the Volkswagen dealer FIVE times for this issue (01/15/2026, 01/26/2026, 05/27/2026, 06/16/2026, and 06/30/2026). Repair order #436699 documents the screen "intermittently going black"; a dealer software update was performed and did not resolve it - the failure recurred. There is a 79-second video of the head unit rebooting while driving at 43-55 mph. This matches VW recall 26V473000 (2024-2026 Atlas, a low-voltage electrical event affecting display-screen functions) and TSB 91-23-03 (MIB3 infotainment freezing/rebooting/black screen). Losing the backup camera, controls, and displays while driving endangers the occupants and others on the road.
NHTSA complaint #11757211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The center infotainment/display screen in this 2024 VW Atlas repeatedly goes black, freezes, and reboots itself while the vehicle is being driven, including at highway speed (about 43-55 mph). When it fails, the screen collapses to a clock only and shows "Navigation not available," "Telephone not available," and "App-Connect not available," then the entire head unit reboots on its own while driving. During these failures the driver loses the rearview/backup camera image, climate and audio controls, navigation, and phone functions - a serious safety hazard while the car is in motion. The problem is ongoing and has NOT been fixed. The vehicle has been to the Volkswagen dealer FIVE times for this issue (01/15/2026, 01/26/2026, 05/27/2026, 06/16/2026, and 06/30/2026). Repair order #436699 documents the screen "intermittently going black"; a dealer software update was performed and did not resolve it - the failure recurred. There is a 79-second video of the head unit rebooting while driving at 43-55 mph. This matches VW recall 26V473000 (2024-2026 Atlas, a low-voltage electrical event affecting display-screen functions) and TSB 91-23-03 (MIB3 infotainment freezing/rebooting/black screen). Losing the backup camera, controls, and displays while driving endangers the occupants and others on the road.
NHTSA complaint #11757212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The infotainment display in this vehicle intermittently fails to power on, most often at startup. When this occurs, the screen remains dark while audio and physical controls continue to function. The vehicle sometimes must be restarted, and the display does not always return. When the display is dark, the rearview camera image is unavailable. This defect first occurred approximately three weeks after the vehicle was purchased as a manufacturer Certified Pre-Owned vehicle, and it remains unresolved. The most recent occurrence was yesterday, Jul 25 2026. At least 15 video recordings document the failure between October 2024 and the present, along with complete service records. On multiple occasions the display and rearview camera were already non-functional from vehicle startup, and the vehicle was subsequently reversed without a rear camera image because no camera-equipped alternative was available. On more than one of these occasions, this resulted in a near-miss with another vehicle or object. The dealer has confirmed and reproduced the underlying fault on more than one occasion. In October 2024, a stored fault code was found in the infotainment control module and the module was replaced under manufacturer warranty; the display failure continued unchanged afterward. In May 2026, the wiring harness between the control module and the display was replaced under manufacturer warranty after the manufacturer diagnosed an internal failure in the harness; the manufacturer's own repair record states the repair was tested and verified over a 3-mile road test, and the failure recurred within weeks. The vehicle and its service history are available for inspection upon request. The manufacturer has been notified in writing that this defect presents a safety issue due to loss of rearview camera function, and has not directly addressed that concern in its written responses.
NHTSA complaint #11752918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear light bar/tail light assembly fills with water and causing turn signals and light bar to intermittently not work. This occurred the first time that the vehicle was left out in the rain at approximately 65k. It is always parked covered and I do not drive in the rain. Many other Atlas have this issue much sooner if they are left in the inclement weather.
NHTSA complaint #11721813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my request was denied. The only assistance offered was a 20% dealership discount, which does not adequately address the issue. I believe this situation reflects: •A potential design defect (non-serviceable LED component) •Unreasonable repair costs due to lack of modular repair options •Failure of a component that should not fail under normal conditions in such a short time frame Desired Resolution: I am requesting that Volkswagen provide goodwill assistance to cover a significant portion (preferably full coverage) of the headlight assembly replacement. Additionally, I encourage Volkswagen to review this design approach, as it places an unfair financial burden on customers for failures of non-serviceable components. I am seeking a fair and reasonable resolution consistent with customer satisfaction and product reliability expectations.
NHTSA complaint #11719144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car windshield as cracked where the rearview mirror attaches. The crack is approximately 10 inches long. This was not caused by road debris or a small pebble. Almost one year to the day this is the second, very similar windshield crack. Is there product defect inherent to the VW Atlas windshield ? Please investigate this. Thank you.
NHTSA complaint #11714545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The windshield has a cracking and/or popping sound in cold temperatures. The car was 2 weeks old with less than 1709 miles on it in 12/2025. Took back to dealership for service check. They confirmed the sound, but verified the windshield was safe and properly installed. They made sure seals were in all proper places on the windshield. The dealership stated all new cars make these types of sounds in cold weather. The vehicle now has 4250 miles and in cold temperatures still makes these same sounds. There currently are no cracks anywhere on windshield. There were no warnings signs or indications other than temperature change. The sounds are very unsettling, and it seems very unsafe. I have had many new cars/SUV's and have never experienced this with a windshield. I truly feel this is something that should be investigated given if the car was ever in an accident, I don't see how the windshield would not be compromised given cold temperatures are having an impact on its strength.
NHTSA complaint #11713509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
windshield cracks very easily with very minimal impact. There are countless threads and reports of this chassis having this problem and unfortunately VW put many sensors into the windshield causing the replacement to require calibration to use the some of the safety features. Second time this has happened.
NHTSA complaint #11712011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This morning I noticed a five inch crack in my windshield. I have not hit anything or had road debris come up and hit the windshield. I live in Spokane WA where there is a lot of freeze and thaw. My son has the same vehicle and his windshield cracked in the same spot. Going online to the vw atlas forum and this seems to be a common issue.
NHTSA complaint #11708913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The info system screen goes blank. It will intermittently go off and return on before shutting off completely. The info screen is the only way to operate the air controls. This makes the vehicle unsafe to operate when conditions require air adjustments to keep a clear windshield. This issue also causes numerous dash alerts. Rear and front collision plus maneuver braking.
NHTSA complaint #11694448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have had this vehicle 6 months and am already replacing the windshield a second time. This time something very small hit windshield but first time it happened overnight and nothing had hit it - it was just a thin crack that grew and grew. First windshield break was in February 2025 and the second July 2025.
NHTSA complaint #11672562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud explosion before shards of glass fell from the moon roof onto the rear center seat. There was no impact to the moonroof to have caused the moon roof glass to explode. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The VIN was unavailable.
NHTSA complaint #11646917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
(Question 1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Answer: The front windshield spontaneously vertically cracked across the center half an hour after the car was washed in the shade on a cool day. There were no rock chips which could have caused this. (Question 2) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The front windshield visibility was significantly impaired. (Question 3)Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? We have not yet taken it to the dealer but there is an indisputable crack. (Question 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet. We plan to take the car to the dealership tomorrow to have them inspect it. (Question 5) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
NHTSA complaint #11645863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Windshield cracked without a significant event occurring. Windshield appears to be weaker or defective. I have driven over 220k miles on another vehicle and only replaced the windshield once due to hitting a deer! This was less than one year of having the atlas and it was a small rock at lower speeds (30-35mph). There are numerous other complaints of cracked windshields on this model, even multiple replacements. I admittedly drive 25-30k miles a year but have never had road debris crack a windshield like that. I could see if I was following a semi-truck or garbage truck and had something significant happen but I expect the windshield to hold up against minor rocks and other road debris hitting it. It cracked/spidered immediately.
NHTSA complaint #11618572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Around the end of May 2024, a rock/pebble put a barely noticeable knick in the windshield of the vehicle. On July 20, 2024, a crack formed that may or may not have originated from this knick....after driving 1600 more miles and while the vehicle was parked over night. I believe this is a defect in the craftsmanship of the windshield, as it should be able to hold up to a small pebble hitting it, and the fact that it cracked 1600 miles and two months later is absurd. I have read multiple reports of the same thing happening to their VW Atlas's.
NHTSA complaint #11603761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We bought this vehicle with 15,000 miles in January 2023. Since then, we have made close to 30,000 miles, currently sitting at 44,000 miles. Today, I discovered another crack in the windshield. This would be our 5th windshield since we own a car. I had numerous vehicles but never had a crack. Further investigation on my part revealed that this is an extremely common problem with the VW Atlas. It impairs my view; sun light is breaking over those cracks, and not to mention that glass can break if I hit a pothole.
NHTSA complaint #11594499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.