40 complaints reported

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
40
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2019

BATTERY HAS BEEN DYING AND WAS DEAD THIS MORNING. 2 YEAR OLD CAR IN SAN DIEGO TEMPERATE WEATHER. 18K MILES. FROM FORUMS, IT SEEMS THIS CAR HAS FAULTY STOCK BATTERIES THAT CANNOT SUSTAIN THE START/STOP STRAIN ON THE BATTERIES. HAVING TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT. UNCERTAIN THEY WILL PROPERLY COVER IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2019
Nov 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO J BERTOLET VOLKSWAGEN (555 RTE 61, ORWIGSBURG, PA 17961) WHERE IT HAD BEEN KEPT SINCE AUGUST 14, 2019. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ONE OTHER TIME ON FEBRUARY 1, 2019 WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEDDY VOLKSWAGEN (3743 BOSTON RD, BRONX, NY 10466) WHERE THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR THREE MONTHS AND REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND THE CONTACT WAS OFFERED HALF OFF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT PRICE (WITHOUT LABOR). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2019
Sep 2019

FUEL DISTRIBUTION RAIL PRESSURE PIPE LEAKING FUEL. SMELLED FUEL WHEN WALKING PAST VEHICLE ON 8 MAY 2019 WHEN STATIONARY AND NOT RUNNING. FUEL WAS VISIBLE ON TOP OF ENGINE BELOW PIPE.. WAS RETURNED BY DEALER ON 17 MAY19 AFTER THEY ACKNOWLEDGED LEAK AND RESET SEALS. ON 9 JUN 2019, SMELL OF FUEL WAS DETECTED WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. FUEL VISIBLE ON TOP OF ENGINE BELOW PRESSURE PIPE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND HAD AGAIN BEEN SITTING OVER NIGHT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2019
Jul 2019

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CANYON IN HEAVY SNOW, THE GRILL SHUTTERS ICED SHUT. ONCE DOWN, WE DROVE ABOUT 20MINS ACROSS TOWN, THEN STARTED A LONG CLIMB UP A FREEWAY, ABOUT 20MINS OF CONSTANT UPHILL. ON REACHING THE TOP I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE OIL TEMP, WHICH IS NORMALLY AROUND 200DEG, HAD REACHED 230DEG, AS THE OIL COOLER IS BEHIND THE GRILL SHUTTERS, AND WASN'T GETTING ANY AIR FLOW. THERE WAS NO WARNING FROM THE CAR THAT THE SHUTTERS WERE STUCK SHUT, OR THAT THE OIL WAS GETTING HOT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2019
Apr 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK COOLANT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEGEND VOLKSWAGEN (SIDE A, 158 MERRICK RD, AMITYVILLE, NY 11701) WHERE THEY REPLACED THE RADIATOR AND ADDED COOLANT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT SMELLED COOLANT OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS REGARDING THE COOLANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLANT ODOR BECAME WORSE OVER TIME AND COULD BE SMELLED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,672.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Apr 2019 Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SWEET AND MUSTY ODOR EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT AND OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED HEADACHES AND NAUSEA DUE TO THE ODOR. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WINN VOLKSWAGEN (39695 BALENTINE DR, NEWARK, CA 94560, (510) 344-2013) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK AND AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 190150480. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT REQUESTED A BUYBACK OF THE VEHCILE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,300.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2018
Feb 2019

TWICE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. HAD TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND RESTART. BOTH TIMES IT WAS IN THE MORNING DURING RUSH HOUR ON A CITY STREET WITH INFANT IN THE CAR, VERY SCARY AND STRESSFUL! THE CAR USUALLY START/STOPS TO SAVE ENERGY BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT TURNS COMPLETELY OFF IF YOU'RE STOPPED AT A LIGHT!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Jan 2019

VEHICLE HESITATES EXCESSIVELY UNDER ACCELERATION AT TIMES, IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS. WON'T BACK UP A MILD GRADE (LIKE A DRIVEWAY) WITHOUT EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH. WON'T ACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING BEHIND A TURNING VEHICLE WITHOUT EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Jan 2019

BATTERY WILL NOT TURN ON, CAR IS ONLY 12 MONTHS OLD, THERE WERE NO ISSUES FOR THE REASONING FOR THE BATTERY TO NOT WORK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Nov 2018

THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT WENT ON 3 DAYS AGO. WHEN I FIRST START THE ENGINE IN THE MORNING OR AFTER HOURS OF PARKING, THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT WENT ON. AFTER THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GOES UP, I HAVE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND ON AGAIN TO HAVE THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT DISAPPEARED. THIS IS AN ONE YEAR OLD VEHICLE WHICH HAS 10500 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN 6 BRANDS OF VEHICLES IN MY LIFE BUT THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME TO HAVE A COOLANT PROBLEM. I CHECKED THAT NO COOLANT LEAKING AND SHORTAGES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Oct 2018

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND I HAD TO MANUALLY TURNED THE CAR ON TO PROCEED. SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN I WAS WAITING TO OPEN MY GARAGE. THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF, I HAD TO TURN IT BACK ON MANUALLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2018
Sep 2018

2ND ATTEMPT AT REPAIRING OIL LEAK OCCURRING FROM ENGINE BAY LOCATED AROUND OIL FILTER HOUSING ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE. WAS NOT PROPERLY TORQUED FROM FACTORY ON FIRST OCCURRENCE HOUSING COULD BE TURNED WITH A WRENCH. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE TOOK 2 MONTH AFTER OIL CHANGE TO SHOW SAME SYMPTOMS. THIS OCCURS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS AND VEHICLE RARELY SEES DIRT ROADS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2018
Mar 2018

AUTO STOP SENSOR MY ATLAS JUST HAVE 1000 MILES AND IT HAS STARTED WITH PROBLEMS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Mar 2018

CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILURE. NEW VEHICLE, 17 DAYS SINCE DELIVERY, 704 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT DRIVING VEHICLE AT 30MPH ON SURFACE STREET EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASH. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A METAL KNOCKING SOUND THAT WAS IN TIME WITH ENGINE SPEED. TOWED TO DEALER. SOUND WAS CONFIRMED TO BE ROD KNOCK. OIL PAN WAS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION. METAL FOUND THROUGHOUT THE PAN. NEW LONG BLOCK ORDERED. BLOCK REPLACED AND DURING TESTING VACUUM PUMP FAILED DUE TO CONTAMINATION. REMOVED AND REPLACED PUMP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2018
Feb 2018

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. USED 1AND 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL AT 3250 MILES(WHICH WAS ADDED BY THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. TODAY 1/2/18) WAS BOUGHT AS A NEW VEHICLE 9/17 WITH ONLY 12 MILES ON ODOMETER.(12/25/17) FIRST THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT, THEY SAID IT WAS THE GAS CAP.ONE WEEK LATER THE CHECK OIL LEVEL ALARM LIT . THEY CHECKED IT SAID NO EXTERNAL LEAKS, THEY ADDED THE 1 1/2 QUART OIL , SAID TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE LEVEL. I AM SCARED TO TAKE THIS CAR ON ANY TRIPS WITH THIS CAR. ALSO THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS AT THE MINIMUM LEVEL, THE SERVICE OPEN THE CAP AND THE LEVEL DID RISE, BUT WHY IS THAT?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas has 40 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.