2018 Volkswagen Atlas Brakes

MY 2018 VW ATLAS BRAKE SENSORS THAT ACTIVATE WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT MAY CAUSE A CRASH SLAMMING THE BRAKES ON. THAT WOULD BE GOOD IF IT WAS REASONABLE BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THE BRAKES SLAM ON JUST DRIVING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY!! I HAVE TAKEN IT TO VW AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS WITHIN THE DESIGN SETTINGS. IT ALWAYS DOES IT WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT SO WHEN PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY IT IS A CRAP SHOOT WHETHER IT WILL ACTIVATE THE BRAKES OR NOT, AND IT IS GOING TO CAUSE A ACCIDENT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN OR WHERE IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I WROTE A COMPLAINT AT CAR COMPLAINTS.COM AND I SAW SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WORRY ABOUT THE SNOW AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IT IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION PLEASE HELP WITH GETTING VW TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

HI MY WIFE DRIVES A 2018 ATLAS AS OUR FAMILY CAR. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING HAS SUDDENLY ENGAGED WHEN THERE WERE NO CARS NEAR THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE PARKING ON FLAT SURFACES IN AN EMPTY LOT, PARKING IN EMPTY LOT ON A VERY SLIGHTLY INCLINE, AND WHILE CRUISING WITHIN A HIGHWAY LANE WITHOUT A CAR IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OR BEHIND US. UNPREDICTABLE UNCONTROLLED SUDDEN BRAKING IS DANGEROUS AND CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE COLLISIONS. THE ATLAS IS A VEHICLE WHICH IS COMMONLY USED TO TRANSPORT FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN. I HOPE A NHTSA RECALL CAN BE ISSUED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

AS I'M DRIVING AND TAP MY BREAKS, MY STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND THE DEALER TELLS ME MY FRONT ROTORS ARE WARPED. I'VE ONLY DRIVEN 20,000 MILES AND I'VE GOT TO REPLACE THE ROTORS? THEY TELL ME I'VE GOT TO PAY AND IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY, I CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME. ITS A LOW MILEAGE SUV WITH ROTOR ISSUES, THAT TELLS ME VW USES LOW QUALITY PRODUCTS AND WON'T STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT.

EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY PREVIOUS RECALLS I HAVE JUST HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING LESS THAN 5 MPH. ACTIVE START STOP SYSTEM (FUEL EFFICIENCY) WAS ENGAGED BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS ACTIVE. VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC HEADED DOWNHILL. I WAS EXITING A PARKING GARAGE ON A CITY STREET.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. SHORTLY AFTER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN AND HAD TO BE DEPRESSED WITH FULL FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEFTIN WESTLAKE VOLKSWAGEN (3550 AUTO MALL DR, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91362) ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHERE THEY REPLACED THE LOW PRESSURE SENSOR FOR THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE VACUUM HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,039.

AS I WAS GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION THE CAR AUTOMATIC BRAKING TURNED ON AND CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I WAS ALMOST T-BONED BY ANOTHER CAR. THERE ARE NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME. CLEAR DAY. 85 DEGREES. 9 AM.

THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM KEEPS ACTIVATING WITHOUT REASON, SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, WHEN THERE ARE NO OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS EVEN WHEN 'FRONT ASSIST' AND 'LANE ASSIST' ARE SWITCHED OFF. DURING OUR TRIP FROM TEXAS TO ARIZONA AND BACK, THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES. IT ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SWITCHED ON, WHILE IN THE LEFT LANE, PASSING A SEMI TRUCK. EACH TIME, THE ATLAS WAS CLEARLY IN OUR LANE AND THE TRUCK WAS DEFINITELY IN ITS LANE, NOT WANDERING OVER THE LANE DIVIDER. IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN ON A STRAIGHT AWAY AND ALSO WHEN PASSING A TRUCK ON A LEFT CURVE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. IF ANY VEHICLE HAD BEEN CLOSE BEHIND US WHEN IT ACTIVATED, IT WOULD HAVE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF US.

2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS SEL HAS A SAFETY SYSTEM CALLED MANEUVER BRAKING. THE FUNCTION OF THE BRAKING IS 'MANEUVER BRAKING PROTECTS THE DRIVER FROM A COLLISION. IT PREVENTS UNPLEASANT DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER, AND TO ANY OBJECTS NEAR THE VEHICLE,' SAYS DEVELOPER LYNN BRENNECKE. I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC. IT WAS NIGHTTIME, MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, CLEAR WEATHER, AROUND 70 DEGREES. THE AREA WAS A RESIDENTIAL/INDUSTRIAL MIX. THE PARKING LOT EXIT HAD A SLIGHT SLOPE. WHEN THE TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR I ACCELERATED TO ENTER THE TRAVEL LANES AND THE ATLAS ACTIVATED THE "MANEUVER BRAKING" THEREFORE BRINGING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I WAS WELL INTO THE SECOND TRAVEL LANE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO OBSTACLES SUCH AS OTHER VEHICLES, TRAFFIC CONES, ANIMALS, BRANCHES ETC. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY, WHAT IF THE BREAK IN TRAFFIC WAS NOT LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP COMPLETELY AND RESTART BEFORE TRAFFIC ARRIVED. I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE ATLAS WILL SUDDENLY DECIDE IT IS TIME FOR A "MANEUVER BRAKING" EPISODE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.

THE AUTONOMOUS BREAKING SYSTEM AND PEDIATRIAN WARNING SENSORS ARE MALFUNCTIONING MAKING MY CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. SINCE IT'S PURCHASE IN JANUARY 2018, THE BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP AT LEAST 10 TIMES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CAN RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM WHEN I AM MOVING SLOWLY ON AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. IN ADDITION, AS I SLOW DOWN TO APPROACH A STOP SIGN OR A RED LIGHT, THE ALARMS GO OFF SUGGESTING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE ROADWAY AT LEAST HALF OF THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY LOCAL VW SERVICE STATION THAT THERE ARE NO ERRORS BEING RECORDED BY THE CAR'S SYSTEM THAT CAN BE CORRECTED AND AT THIS TIME ALL ATLAS CARS THAT THEY HAVE TESTED ON THE LOT ARE HAVING DOING THE SAME THING. THEY WERE ABLE TO RECREATE THE AUTO-BRAKING ON A HILL ON THEIR LOT, BUT HAVE NO WAY TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING. ON SATURDAY, 8/18/2019 WHILE I WAS SLOWLY PULLING OUT OF A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN DOWN AN INCLINE THE CAR BRAKES LOCKED UP AFTER I ENTERED THE ACTIVE ROADWAY- AS A RESULT I WAS NEARLY T-BONED BY A CAR THAT HAD JUST MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO THE SAME ROADWAY. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THAT DRIVER WAS MOVING SLOW ENOUGHT TO STOP. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED VW CAR NET, I WAS CONNECTED TO MY DEALER, AND THEY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. AS I MENTIONED ABOVE, AFTER 5 DAYS THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE INITIATED A COMPLAINT WITH VW OF AMERICA AND AM WRITING TO TELL YOU THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A CAR THAT WILL STOP ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD WAY. I DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY TO BE THE VICTIMS OF A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT AND WANT THIS PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE THERE IS A CATASTROPHE FOR ME OR ANOTHER ATLAS OWNER. PLEASE ME KNOW HAVE OTHER INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM.

I BOUGHT A VW ATLAS 2018 EXPECTING THE FRONT ASSIST FEATURE, WHEREBY IF THE SUV DETECTS AN OBSTACLE IN ITS PATH, IT WILL ENGAGE THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND AVOID A COLLISION. UNFORTUNATELY I AM EXPERIENCING A SITUATION WHERE THE FEATURE COULD CAUSE A COLLISION. FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH VM SERVICE, THE SENSOR THAT DETECTS OBSTACLES POINTS FROM THE GRILL, DIRECTLY OUT, AND PARALLEL TO THE ROAD. WHEN DRIVING ON A DOWN SLOPE THAT LEVELS OUT, THE SENSOR WILL DETECT THE ROAD, AND, ASSUMING IT IS AN OBSTACLE, ENGAGE THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE TO AVOID COLLISION. AT SPEEDS >10MPH, THERE IS NO DETECTION. BUT, I DISCOVERED (MULTIPLE TIMES) THAT ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM A CAR PARK CREATES THE DOWN ANGLE, AND (BECAUSE ITS IS ESSENTIAL TO DRIVE SLOWLY EXITING A CAR PARK TO FULLY OBSERVE THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC) THE SPEED WHEREBY THE FEATURE ENGAGES AND STOPS THE SUV. IN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THIS HAS STOPS US IN INCOMING TRAFFIC, WITH THE REAL POSSIBILITY OF A DRIVERS SIDE COLLISION. I HAD STARTED TO DISABLE THE FRONT ASSIST FEATURE BUT DISCOVERED THIS MUST BE DONE ON EVERY TRIP, AND OF COURSE (A) SOMETIMES THIS IS FORGOTTEN AND (B) OTHERS DRIVING THE SUV MAY NOT REMEMBER OR EVEN KNOW. I FEEL THAT THIS FEATURE (ACKNOWLEDGEDLY A GREAT SAFETY FEATURE WHEN DRIVING ON A LEVEL ROAD), IS ACTUALLY A POTENTIAL COLLISION HAZARD WHEN DRIVING IN THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

NOTIFIED ON 06/15/18 THAT MY VEHICLES BRAKE CALIPERS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH INSUFFICIENT CHROME COATING WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF GAS BUBBLES AND CREATE A SOFT BRAKE POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH. THERE WAS A STOP SALE ASSOCIATED WITH MY VIN ON 05/25/18 BUT I WAS NOT INFORMED UNTIL 06/15/18. ON 06/15/18 I WAS TOLD TO STOP DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. THERE IS STILL NO ETA ON WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE OR WHEN MY VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED TO ME.

2018 ATLAS SEL, EQUIPPED WITH AUTONOMOUS BREAKING TO "PREVENT" COLLISIONS. WHEN VEHICLES TRAVEL DOWN AN INCLINE LIKE A DRIVEWAY, THE EMERGENCY BREAKING FEATURE WILL UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE AND SUDDEN STOP. WHEN THIS OCCURS, I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. I AM REQUIRED TO CHANGE GEARS AND/OR RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS POSES A EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE AS THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF A PRIVATE DRIVE AND ON TO A ACTIVE ROADWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A SIDE ON VEHICLE COLLISION. ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SERVICE MANAGER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. SERVICE MANAGER ALSO TESTED ANOTHER VW ATLAS ON THE SALE LOT WITH THE SAME FEATURE. STRIVE MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WITH THE OTHER ATLAS AS WELL. SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, REPORTING THE VEHICLE IS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED." ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO VOLKSWAGEN. AFTER A THREE WEEK PERIOD, VOLKSWAGEN REPORTED THAT THEY WERE DECLINING TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE ISSUE, STATING THE VEHICLE WAS 'OPERATING AS DESIGNED." THIS ISSUE POSES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE NO ONLY TO THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD. VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN GIVEN NOTICE OF THE ISSUE AND REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OF TAKE ACTION.

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OUR 2018 VW ATLAS HAS HAD ITS EMERGENCY BRAKING FEATURE ENGAGE IN AN UNEXPECTED AND DANGEROUS WAY. SPECIFICALLY, DURING URBAN DRIVING WHEN HAVING TO TRAVERSE THE NORMAL DIP FROM DRIVEWAY TO STREET, ACROSS A GUTTER OR OTHER LOW POINT, THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM ABRUPTLY HALTS THE VEHICLE AND DISABLES MOVEMENT. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS EXTREMELY JARRING AND SHUTS DOWN NORMAL OPERATION, REQUIRING SOME SORT OF GEAR CHANGE OR RESTART. IT OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN ACCELERATING FASTER OVER THE DIP RESULTING IN A MORE BUMPY MOVEMENT. IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO TURN INTO MOVING TRAFFIC QUICKLY. IT LEAVES THE VEHICLE AND PASSENGERS ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AS WE'RE PERPENDICULAR TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AS A MOTHER OF 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS, I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED.

I WAS TURNING LEFT ON A BUSY ROAD OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HAD ALL THREE OF MY KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME. MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TURNED ON WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND STOPPED MY CAR HEADING EAST/WEST IN TRAFFIC HEADING NORTH/SOUTH. MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AND SUDDENLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TURNED OFF AND MY CAR SPED FORWARD INTO THE TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO SWERVE TO THE SIDE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER CARS BEFORE ANY ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE KILLED MYSELF AND ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN.

I CAME TO A FULL STOP AS I WAS ABOUT TO EXIT A DRIVEWAY. SINCE THERE WERE NO VEHICLES APPROACHING FROM EITHER DIRECTION AND THERE WERE NO OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF ME, I STATED TO PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED MY VEHICLE WITH NO JUSTIFICATION. THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM FAILURE CAN RESULT IN INJURY.