2018 Volkswagen Atlas

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

Risk. A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Risk. Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

Remedy. Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

Risk. Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44R1.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Risk. Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrectly manufactured air bag sensor, which can delay or disable air bag deployment when necessary.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating frontal air bag deployment, a delayed or disabled airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag crash sensor, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AL.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk. Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

Risk. If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J2/42J3.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

Risk. If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. During production, the air conditioning system drain tube may have been twisted, causing water to drain into the air bag control module.

Risk. The wet air bag control module may result in an unintentional deployment of the air bags, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain tube, and if it is twisted, the drain tube and air bag control module will be replaced, free of charge. Some of the affected vehicles have had their drain tube previously replaced but did not receive a new air bag control module; the airbag control module will be replaced in these vehicles. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87F9.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2017-2018 Volkswagen Passat vehicles. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently.

Risk. The loose brake bracket bolts can allow the caliper to move, reducing braking ability or causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of charge. For Passat vehicles, dealers will also inspect the parking brake cable for proper connection, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46H6.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswaen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. The owner's manuals provided with the affected vehicles do not inform the customers about the child restraint size limitation/restrictions for the second row center seating position. As a result, the center and adjacent outboard seat belt buckles on the second row can become damaged it a child seat base is installed that is wider than 12.6 inches.

Risk. A damaged seat belt buckle can release unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the center and left outboard seat belt buckles, and replace them if necessary, free of charge. Volkswagen will also provide an owner's manual supplement addressing child safety and child restraints. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X1.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.

Risk. If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69W8, and 69W9.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.

Risk. A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. The fuel tank on these vehicles may leak fuel due to a manufacturing error. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AW. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 17V-766.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles. The fuel tank may have been manufactured with insufficient wall thickness, potentially resulting in the tank leaking fuel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AQ.

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 …

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (MY) 2018 through 2020 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs. These vehicles are equipped with either a 3.6 or 2.0 liter engine. The subject investigation concerns vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. Prior to opening the investigation, ODI also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from TREAD reporting was an outlier for the MY 2018 Atlas.The allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine …

Supporting FAQ for VWP-26-07 Main Engine Wiring Harness Limited Warranty Extension (Class Action)

For applicable 2018-2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport 3.6L Settlement Class Vehicles (NA6 warranty key), the New Vehicle Limited Warranty will be extended to cover 80% of the replacement of the Water Pump or Water Pump Gasket by an authorized Volkswagen Dealer to 8.5 years or 85,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s original in-service date.

This supporting FAQ is for the Turbocharger Limited Warranty Extension Class Action Settlement. This extension includes 2008-2015 GTI and Golf R*, 2012-2013 VW Beetle*, 2009 VW Jetta SportWagen*, 2013 VW Jetta Sedan and GLI*, 2009-2016 VW Eos*, 2008-2010 VW Passat*, 2009-2017 VW CC*, 2009-2018 VW Tiguan*, Certain model year 2015-2018 VW Golf*, 2015-2021 VW …

For applicable Settlement Class Vehicles, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty will be extended to cover 50% of the repair or replacement of the Turbocharger by an authorized Volkswagen Dealer for 8.5 years or 85,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s in-service date.

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct airbag basic settings programming.

Inquiries

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue with Airbag - J706 - Seat Occupant Detection System Control Module Basic Setting error message ODS5001E & ODS5003E.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning regarding counterfeit replacement airbag inflators that are being installed in used vehicles.

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: This hotfix is for multiple vehicles for airbag module programming issues.

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B1022F0. Communication with the airbag control module – J234 has failed.

Months ago I heard a knocking noise under my steering wheel/near the driver's side wheel. I took the car in and reported what I was hearing. I had services completed but it didn't stop the noise. The noise was inconsistent and hard to duplicate for the dealership on test drives. It was most pronounced when going over speed bumps or turning the wheel when parking. The dealership did all they could do and provided great services replacing/fixing anything that could cause the issue to no avail. They assured me the vehicle was safe to drive even though the noise remained so I drove it. About a week ago, I had an error light come on and the car started to shut off without warning. The error said auto shut/off was disabled due to an engine issue - but no check engine light. I was almost rear ended twice when slowing the car down at a red light due to the car shutting off without warning when driving under 5-10mph or parking. I scheduled an appointment to take the car back in to address the error. Before the appointment, the car registered a check engine light. I called back and the dealership allowed me to bring the car in right away. The diagnosis stated I needed a few things, but specifically a new steering rack. They said there was "wear" on the rack but didn't provide any additional details (car has 121k miles). I called VW to inquire on potential recalls and learned about the steering rack mount/assembly (i forget exact terminology) recall but was informed the actual steering

This vehicle has too many issues. Electrical, enhine, suspension, seat release latches, EPC. Water pump was replaced a week after buying the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V590000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.

DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED A #6 CYLINDER, FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. ERROR CODES: P030000; P030600; P21A100. TECHNICIAN STATED THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT NO RECALL. NHTSA CLOSED INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER IN 2022 FOR 2018-2019 VW ATLAS'S, ONE REASON STATED FOR NO RECALL IS THE LIMITED NUMBERS OF REPORTS FOR THIS ISSUE. IT HAS BEEN 4 YEARS SINCE AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY MORE HAVE BEEN REPORTED SINCE 2022? IT IS AN OBVIOUS ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND THE VW MECHANICS KNOW IT. THEY QUOTED $4,000 TO FIX! WE PAID $20,000 FOR THE VEHICLE USED 5 MONTHS AGO! VW IS MAKING MONEY OFF THE MECHANICAL FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE.

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V590000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to steer. Additionally, the vehicle shut off while driving and came to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly causing a crash. Upon restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failures was a persistent failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Fuel line leak due to the angle the manufacturer line is coming out of the fuel tank. Rubbing on the line caused a wear on the line, gas leak and has to be repaired and rerouted by mechanic to keep this from happening again. Very unsafe condition due to fumes and risk of fire. No warning lights just a very strong fuel smell and fuel leaking from under the vehicle.

Fuel gauge suddenly changes its reading, sometimes dropping to a zero level indication while driving! The readings frequently change up and down, so if the previous reading before a drop to completely empty is incorrect, this could be a serious safety risk to suddenly find out the tank is very near empty. Volkswagen has a TSB about this, but are requiring expensive diagnostic and repair fees, over $1200. The TSB indicates the car model gas had frequent issues with a faulty fuel level sending unit.

P255 / 50 R 20 Tire light stays on. Right front tire is low. I have to fill up all 4 tires. I just purchased this vehicle. Was I sold a lemon? My cold air doesn't work now either. I just made my 3rd payment on this Volkswagen Atlas SEL 2018 What all do I need to have inspected. The car dealership never inspected this vehicle when it came off the truck.

EPC light Tire light My cold air doesn't work, cruise control, heating on driver side mirror. Not sure what else. I made my first car payment in June 2026. Looks like I got a lemon vehicle.

When attempting to drive out of a steep driveway to turn onto a main arterial, the car interpreted the hill as a potential collision and turned on the emergency braking. This left me half-way in the lane, at a complete stop, unable to accelerate and continue driving, with on-coming traffic at over 40mph heading toward me in what would be a T-bone collision. Traffic stopped giving me time to reverse back up the driveway. I further backed up to come down the driveway at a different angle but the problem repeated itself again. It was multiple seconds before I could even continue to accelerate and fully enter the lane of traffic. It was as if the car put itself into neutral. That being said no part of the car every even scrapped the pavement so clearly the car was not in danger of a collision with the cement. I have also left this driveway multiple times and never had it emergency brake before. We were almost in a T-bone collision due to the sensors initiating emergency braking despite speeds of under 5mph and now actual collision risk existing.

Dealer sold flood damaged 2020 Atlas 98k miles as safe vehicle. Found severe rust corrosion on steering column that could break while driving causing loss of control crash death. Also found 7 areas of toxic mold inside causing allergic reaction and breathing problems. Mold in seats, carpet, AC system. Dealer refused to repair and forced trade for overpriced 2023 Explorer with high loan. Vehicle unsafe - life threatening defect hidden by dealer. Steering and body structure compromised by flood water. Have photos of corrosion and mold as evidence. Vehicle available for inspection. Injury: Allergic reaction - skin rash, breathing difficulty, cough from toxic mold exposure. Senior driver [XXX] old. No crash yet but steering corrosion could cause fatal crash. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The water pump failed catastrophically at 63,100 miles, forcing a complete road-side breakdown and damaging the radiator. This is a known manufacturing defect affecting the 3.6L VR6 composite plastic pumps. Due to the failure of the pump, the radiator tank became hot causing a hole to form in the radiator and needing to be replaced. I still own this car and you may inspect it if needed. My safety was at risk as well as others safely was put at risk because this caused car to over heat leaving me broken down on the side of the road. My mechanic at specialized auto repair confirmed and reported this issue to me and they provided the repair. It was not inspected by police, or insurance because it was a break down, not an accident and that's not coved by insurance. I knew that the car was overheating because waring system showed it to be overheating. It was actually more than over heating because of the water pump failure, the radiator melted causing car to dump all the coolant/water creating an over heating emergency. The warning system first appeared at the same time as the pump failure and the car had already overheated due to radiator hole when the waring system alerted me to the car overheating.

My infotainment system and back up camera have been having issues that I have been trying to get addressed since April 2026. I was told this is a known issue for VWs from the dealership service department and that I should replace the infotainment which has resolved these problems. I had to wait for the part to arrive, the infotainment center was replaced June 1, 2026. When I got the car back, the back up camera was again working but the infotainment center was again cutting in and out and glitching/ turning off. I brought it back to the dealership who informed me there had been a service update and to have the software updated. It worked for a short time, than began turning blank and not working. I again reached out to the dealership who opened a case with VW the company, and was told that they could not replicate the issue but would continue to work on the problem. On June 27th the back up camera started work but froze when I was reversing, again glitching. Because it had frozen while I was backing up I did not realize the footage was not live, and hit my neighbors car as a result. Their car had a hitch so was fine, but mine now has a noticable dent in the back bumper. I reached out to the dealership on June 29th who told me the case has been closed by VW of America. I brought it back in on July 7th for them to address the issues, they reached out again to VW of America to file a claim and was told there is no fix at this time. They are continuing to see if there may be sof

Several times before I got the car stalled in the car wash which I thought that could no be important however yesterday Sunday 12, driving on I4 by Tampa bay in Florida when traffic was stocked and slow suddenly the car went off, so I geared neutral and started again. Then happened twice in total three times.

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, "low coolant" and "overheating" messages and the check engine warning light illuminated. On the first two occasions, the low coolant message appeared. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the road and inspected, and she observed a leak under the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer twice, where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired twice, but the failure reoccurred approximately two years later. The contact stated that on the third occasion, an "overheating, turn engine off immediately" message appeared and an alert warning chime went off. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off to cool down. The contact stated that when the vehicle was turned on, it began to overheat again. The vehicle was then towed to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump and a possible additional unknown failure were the cause. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The dealer advised the contact that they may need to replace the head gasket as well. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

I was driving on 2nd Street and realized I wasn’t going to make it through the light, so I stopped. I noticed that I had stopped in the crosswalk, so I decided to back up. Before backing up, I checked everything—I looked in my left mirror, my right mirror, behind me, and also at the rearview camera. There were no cars in sight behind me. As I started backing up, I heard a beeping sound indicating there might be a car behind me. I checked my mirrors again and looked at the camera, but there was still nothing there. I continued backing up and kept hearing the beeping sound. I checked again—mirrors and camera—and still saw nothing, so I kept going. I sped up slightly. Then suddenly, within seconds, my car slammed to a hard stop. It was a very abrupt emergency stop that caused my head to jerk forward and backward. It felt like someone had hit me from behind. Right after, I looked at my dashboard and saw multiple red warning lights and messages indicating that an emergency situation had occurred. I immediately checked my rearview mirror and side mirrors again, but there were no cars behind me at all, only vehicles beside me on my right hand side that were going straight, since I was in a left-turn position. I am in hospital because of my pain. I have pain in my neck and head , I’m dizzy, the room is spinning, I’m nauseous. My nose is stuffy and I feel like I have cold, and my vision is blurry.

The passenger airbag ‘off’ light remains on even when a passenger is sitting in the passenger front seat. This remains on even after I’ve taken it in for a different component for the airbag that was recalled.

Both my low beam headlamps went out WHILE DRIVING. This is a major safety concern. It is also not an easy or inexpensive fix. The entire assembly must be replaced and not just a bulb. It is a $3000 replacement cost. The LED lamp should NEVER go out. Isn't that why LED was put in these lights? Why did VW make a headlamp that must be completely replaced and why are they charging $1000 for each headlight?

Vehicle has heavy leak from water pump. Most vehicles of this model have extended warentee due to class action lawsuit from failing water pump, primarily the 4cylinder models, but it is a well known issue among the V6 models, and some of those are covered as well. Vehicle has 56K miles at this time.

The vehicle intermittently displays a “Steering lock faulty, stop!” warning and fails to start. When this occurs, the vehicle cannot be operated at all. This issue has occurred multiple times within a short period and has persisted despite prior repair attempts by authorized Volkswagen dealerships. The failure of the steering lock system prevents the vehicle from starting, creating a safety concern as the vehicle may become unexpectedly inoperable and leave the driver stranded. The repeated nature of this issue raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle.

Multiple low coolant alerts. Dealer inspected 3 times and denied problem while vehicle still under warranty. Dealer simply topped off coolant and denied finding leaks or any other issue. Now low coolant again and EPC/ check engine light. Took car to independent owned shop who confirmed 2 water pump failures. Dealer refusing accountability for missing water pump issues that led to possible overheating damage. Big bill but dealer says my vehicle is not part of the ongoing water pump issues with other 2018 Atlas. My vehicle is being repaired by independent shop at my expense. Available for inspection if needed to further this complaint. Help is appreciated and desperately needed. Thanks.

Automatic parking brake comes on every time I start my car or park. It won’t come out of parking brake. The auto parking brake will not turn off. I can get it to drive eventually but the parking brake light stays on.

Dealer maintained with oil changes per the schedule. Cylinder head issue requiring engine replacement at 104,xxx miles. 3.6L VR6. This is unacceptable.

The passenger side low beam headlights failed at roughly 100k miles. The replacement part and labor quote from the dealership was roughly $1,500. I was able to find an OEM part online for $800 and install myself. Roughly 12,000 miles later the driver side low beam headlight has failed which will require a replacement as well.

Front parking lights do not remain on. Including lights under headlights and side marker lights. According to owners manual the parking lights should remain on while vehicle is off. The rear lights do remain on. The front lights turn themselves off after approximately 9 seconds. Condition started when lights were replaced by dealer with official OEM replacement units. Dealer has confirmed other examples of this year and model behave as described in the manual. Dealer has worked with VWoA engineers and have replaced multiple components (headlights, control modules, body control module) and attempted multiple software coding adjustments with no resolution found. Dealer is saying VWoA has no fix after having my vehicle since November 8th. I am concerned as I park my vehicle on roadsides while visiting job locations and now my vehicle has no illumination at the front while parked. Is there any definition of how long parking lights must illuminate?

My 2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 experienced a catastrophic engine failure at approximately 116,000 miles. The vehicle has been at a Volkswagen dealership for approximately six months (since July 2025) while repeated diagnostic attempts and repairs were made. I was ultimately informed that the engine requires full replacement. No clear warning was provided prior to failure, and the prolonged diagnosis resulted in the vehicle being unusable for an unreasonable length of time. Volkswagen of America has declined to offer assistance despite the severity of the failure and extended time out of service. I have reached out to Volkswagon and so has the dealership (Paul Miller Volkswagen of Bernardsville). We each created a case each on my behalf but Volkswagon of America has declined assistance. I am concerned about premature engine failure and the lack of resolution.

LED Low beam headlights failed while driving at night from a long distance trip. This presented a major safety issue for my family since we could not see the road. This is a common problem facing many VW Atlas owners with low milage too Also, VW will not cover the costs involved since each headlamp costs $1200 and is not covered under their highest tier warranty plan (Platinum Warranty) that we purchased. Now we have a family car that we can only drive during the daytime. California requires daytime running lights on rainy days too which also presents a visibility risk to my family. I recently received a warning from a traffic police officer because I worked late and had to use my bright lights to get home after the sun had set.

I received a brake booster fault caution which was followed by the BRAKE warning light being illuminated. When I applied pressure to the brakes, it almost felt as if the ABS was kicking in, on a flat, dry road. The brake pedal would "jump" and depress farther on its own like there wasn't a good vacuum for the brakes. I've taken it to my local VW service center and was informed they had to call VW Corporate for assistance in a fix and was given a list of components to possibly replace that "may" fix the issue but even after replacement, some customers still experience the same issue. I am currently awaiting an estimate but have significant concerns that any repair work may not actually address the root cause of this issue and when it's related to a major safety feature like the brakes, that presents a significant concern.

I am reporting a failure by Volkswagen Group of America to provide a safe and timely remedy for Safety Recall 23V-215. Per the manufacturer's notice, the front passenger seat is unsafe for use until repaired. I physically surrendered my vehicle to Merced VW on Dec 29, 2025, due to this grounding safety risk. However, both the dealership and VW Corporate (Case #07228209) have refused to provide a comparable 7-passenger loaner or a direct-bill rental, despite this being my family's primary transportation for three children. VW Corporate has denied reimbursement, citing a '3-hour' labor time, while ignoring the actual grounding period caused by parts backorders. I am currently forced to pay out-of-pocket for a rental to ensure my family's safety because the manufacturer has failed to provide the mandated no-charge remedy or safe alternative transportation.

Both low beam headlights went out within two weeks of each other and the vehicle just hit 100,000 miles. Dealership states that replacing the entire headlight assembly is the only fix and will cost $3,000. So now both headlights (safety issue) are out and the vehicle cannot be driven safely. Other VW Atlas vehicles are having the same issue around 50-60K miles. There should be a recall on the head lamps for safety concerns and liability reasons.

Gas tank melted on top of the tank next to drive shaft and a hole was leaking gas- we are keeping the tank that was removed for investigation. Extreme safety issue that put my daughter and granddaughters at risk of fire/explosion when it was unknown that there was a gas leak while driving. The part was inspected by a repair shop in Lake Havasu AZ as well as the Capistrano Volkswagen, CA dealership and no explanation of the cause. Since the vehicle is out of warranty the VW.com and the dealership refused to replace without full charge. Insurance claim has been filed. There were no warning lamps messages or other symptoms of the failure. About 45 miles prior to gas leak detection, while fueling, the reverse pressure shutoff did not work, and a significant amount of gas was released at the station. No indication of a leak from the gas tank until the car stopped, then significant release onto the ground was observed.

While driving, the vehicle suddenly loses engine power and shuts off without warning. This has happened multiple times and creates a serious safety hazard because it happen in traffic multiple times . The problem appears to be related to the fuel pump control module and/or electrical wiring failure. Additionally, the power windows stopped functioning due to a failure in the driver door wiring harness, which is a known issue on this vehicle model year. The electrical malfunction and engine stall appear to be connected. This issue has been repaired because the dealership stated the warranty is expired, but this is a safety defect that can lead to a crash. There is also an open unrepaired recall on this vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection.

Both headlamps in vehicle stopped working within a month of each other. Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it. Volkswagen claims lights should last longer than this. Online forums are riddled with this issue, and headlamp price is unreasonably high for a family vehicle ($700-1100 per headlamp). Headlamps are also backordered, making driving the vehicle unsafe at night and under certain weather conditions.

Low engine coolant light came on and began overheating all within a short period of time. Mechanic stated is has a blown/defective head gasket. It is currently being repaired by a mechanic as we need the car to drive our young children. A quick Google search has shown this is an ongoing issue as there is a class action lawsuit with law group, Sauder Schelkopf.

Our 2018 VW, when extremely hot temperatures would make a very loud grinding/squealing sound. Then the AC would intermittently work, sometimes it would blow cold, and sometimes it would not. Eventually, the AC stopped working altogether. There is a strong, hot, burning smell that comes through the vents during these times. These issues have caused extreme visibility as my windows fog up in humid conditions, causing me to not be able to see. I was almost in a car accident from this due to not being able to see and being in a large amount of traffic, trying to pull over to the side. This happened probably because the AC also dehumidifies the air for defogging. We had our VW into the Morris dealership, being sent home each time, stating nothing was wrong. The last time we had it in demanding something was not right. They stated the AC Compressor is not engaging now. Well, this explains why, every time it is hot and humid or raining, my windows are fogging up, causing me to not be able to see anything. This is an extreme safety hazard and has been for me and my children. This also explains the musty smell because this can cause mold and bacteria to grow due to trapped moisture. This is hard when this is our only family car, and many safety hazards.

This is a common issue with this car that is dangerous. The Evap Purge High Flow Control goes out and makes the vehicle stall randomly.

I have had this vehicle since 2020. Two months after I bought it, the vehicle would turn off at random. I took it to VW and they change the carbon air canister. It stopped for a while but now it back. When stopping the car randomly shits off. Not auto energy saving off. Restart your engine in 5:30PM traffic type of restart your engine. Slowing down, shut off. Backing up, shut off. I have a 2019 Atlas as well and the same thing happens. This is extremely dangerous and unsafe. VW claims either they dont know what the issue is because there is no service engine light and no code produced.

While operating the vehicle felt a jerk and then the check engine, oil, and EPC warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated and lost power on the highway, we were able to coast to the nearest parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the high pressure fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired But was said the 2018 atlas had a known fuel tank issue which caused all the gas to rush to one side allowing air and pressure changes in the system could this is be what led to the fault of the high pressure fuel pump. The vehicle code was reproduced at the dealership. No prior warning signs.

The power steering control module failed while the vehicle was traveling at highway speeds. When the failure occurred, the power steering completely cut out. It is extremely difficult to maneuver the vehicle without power steering. My wife would not have been strong enough to safely maneuver the vehicle if she found herself in a situation where she needed to make even a minor evasive maneuver. Had there been more traffic on the road she could have caused an accident since her ability to steer was severely impacted. An orange warning light first came on. VW says to safely drive the vehicle to be inspected. In our case, the red power steering warning light came on less than 10 min later, well before we could make it to a technician to have it inspected. At the exact same time the red light illuminated, the vehicle's power steering system completely failed. A VW dealership has inspected the vehicle and found the steering control module to be defective. The only repair is to fully replace the steering rack which includes the steering control module in one piece. The part is back-ordered for several months which indicates that VW is unable to keep up with the supply required to fix this issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the EPC (Emergency Parking Control) warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed a tune up and that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact decided not to have the vehicle serviced at that time; however, the vehicle began to shut off while at a complete stop. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer for the repair; however, the vehicle continued to intermittently shut off. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V536000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); and linked the failure to the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

ECM light came on, while going 60+ on expressway. Car lost ability to accelerate and began to sputter. Unable to adjust speed and had to pull over to shoulder in fast moving traffic.

I buckled my son in his car seat and set my purse in the passenger seat and walked around the vehicle and in about 10 seconds it locked itself WITH the keys inside. The engine was off and I live in Tx so it was already very hot in the car. We used a pole through the cracked window to click the unlock button on the passenger door, we hit it twice and the car did not unlock, then I used a hanger to click the unlock button on the driver door. I clicked it and the car still did not unlock. We then tried breaking the windows and were unable to break the glass with a hammer, tire iron, rock, and even a high velocity Pellet gun. We were able to pull the trim from around the window on the outside and bend the glass out just far enough to use the hanger to pull the handle and get into the car. The car should never have locked with the keys inside, the unlock buttons INSIDE the car should have worked when pressed 3 times. Glass is great. Very strong but I was terrified when it would not break.

In October 2024, my air conditioning was blowing hot when I had just had it recharged in June 2024. I took it to vw in pasadena, ca. They noted that there was an oil leak being caused by the breather valve aka the pcv valve which was making oil leak into the ac components. It took a few visits to get this resolved as a smell was in my car that was making me feel sick afterward. Eventually it was fixed and my car seemed to be okay. Until a month ago when my husband got into an accident and once we got my car back from the body repairs within 24 hours, my oil light came on. At first I thought it was because of the accident but it turned out it wasn't. It was due to the breather valve again. This was confirmed by vw covina. This is unsafe because it can cause oil to leak into other components of the vehicle and cause them to fail. Your head gasket and oil pan can also be affected and maybe more, I'm not sure what else as I am not a mechanic. But I know this is an issue with many atlases from a simple Google search, there are thousands of people experiencing the same. I do not have the documentation for the current repair as they are working on my car right now so I dont have the paperwork yet. If you all contact me in a few days, I'm sure I should have it by then and would be happy to provide it.

ECP light came on and vehicle entered limp mode

I have owned this car since 2018. I’ve had the “Brake Booster Faulty” error come on at least once a year. It’s very scary as the car just locks up. Luckily it has only happened driving locally, without anyone behind me, but this could lead to a SERIOUS accident. I have brought this to the VW dealer at least 3 times over the years and every time they say they cannot replicate or find any issues. It happened again last week, and again today. I have read that many people have experienced this issue but there is not much info out there on whether there is a fix. I really wish this would be addressed.

We replaced a cracked windshield in our VW Atlas, and we now need to replace it again. This vehicle seems prone to windshield cracks, as we are not aware of a rock hitting it. This crack started at the very top edge of the windshield, and has grown to about 20 inches.

Brake booster Faulty/Brake Booster Failure light displays on the dash along with the red Brake light and a loud beeping sound. The brakes feel shaky and the vehicle doesn’t brake well for about 30 second after. It feels as if the brakes are palpating or skipping instead of a solid grip. After about 30-45 second those lights go back off and brakes resume normal breaking but the ABS light comes on. This issue has happened twice so far and random times when not braking. It appears to be other reports of this issues in the 2018 models but not recall. Other year models have had brake issues recalled l. This is a major safety issue and should be addressed with Volkswagen to resolve it. This will and probably has cause accidents.

Water pump failure of a 2018 VW Atlas with 69000 miles.

The fuel tank system keeps failing. It will not show how much gas is in the car even after filling up. It is a risk because the fuel could run out in the middle of driving and leave the driver in an accident or stranded. The car stalls randomly when the fuel tank system error is on and it is very scary.

Back seat belt won’t un latch buckled in behind diver seat daughter is skinny enough to squeeze her way out safety issue. Just stopped working and now is stuck.