U.S. public vehicle records

2021 Volkswagen ATLAS CROSS SPORT: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

165 owner complaints analyzed

14 distinct recall campaigns

14,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2021 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-03 (October 3, 2026). 18 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 53 of 165 complaints (32.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	56	33.9%
Electrical and battery issues	21	12.7%
Engine operation	14	8.5%
Steering behavior	9	5.5%
Fuel system concerns	6	3.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Air Bags

Service Brakes

Engine

Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking

Unknown Or Other

Exterior Lighting

Fuel/Propulsion System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	53
Air Bags	37
Service Brakes	36
Engine	33
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	25
Unknown Or Other	25
Exterior Lighting	18
Fuel/Propulsion System	16

Electrical System: 53; Air Bags: 37; Service Brakes: 36; Engine: 33; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 25; Unknown Or Other: 25; Exterior Lighting: 18; Fuel/Propulsion System: 16

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 147 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2021: 9; 2022: 66; 2023: 15; 2024: 30; 2025: 22; 2026: 23

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11416335 · 2021-05-12 (May 12, 2021)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO STOHLMAN VOLKSWAGEN (8433 LEESBURG PIKE, TYSONS, VA 22182) WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE PURGE VALVE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT. SOON AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REAPPEARED. THE CONTACT ALERTED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR FURTHER INSPEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11416335 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11418094 · 2021-05-21 (May 21, 2021)

On May 14, 2021, driving at approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light appeared flashing for the first time since purchase (purchase date April 30, 2021 - two weeks from vehicle purchase date), vehicle lost acceleration and shook aggressively on a major interstate highway. Owner pulled vehicle over to a safe location after driving approximately .25 miles after vehicle's check engine light initially illuminated. Owner had towing company transport the vehicle to the Volkswagen dealer in northern California where service indicated a faul…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11418094 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11425143 · 2021-07-16 (July 16, 2021)

Since purchased new on January 29, 2021, I have encountered the same issue. When stopped and about to accelerate, the vehicle will hesitate. This happens with the start/stop engaged and disengaged. As I press the accelerator, nothing happens, then suddenly the car will take off. This happened when I test drove the car (I chalked it up to the start/stop mode), sitting at a light making a U turn to the left.. Since purchase this has happened multiple times, usually when the vehicle wheels are turned to left or right but this past week-end, it ha…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11425143 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11431956 · 2021-09-07 (September 7, 2021)

About two weeks after purchasing my brand new VW Atlas Cross Sport 2021 (purchased March of 2021) the dash board warning systems have not properly worked. The screen constantly freezes and occasionally a warning appears for vehicle collision assistance when nothing is in front of me. The tire pressure light randomly comes on but the tires are always at the proper PSI. The auto start/stop will malfunction, the car will stop running to save power automatically at a red light but occasionally it gets confused and starts/stops over and over or will…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11431956 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11433818 · 2021-09-21 (September 21, 2021)

After getting a car wash the screen blacked out for around 24 hours. During that the backup camera did not work, the charging ports in the middle did not work, and I was unable to listen to the radio. Also, fluid keeps leaking in moderate puddles even when the air is not on.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11433818 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11438431 · 2021-10-27 (October 27, 2021)

Within my vehicle, fuel injectors are leaking fuel near engine compartment components that operate at high temperatures. A fuel leak, fuel odor and multiple illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) alerted me to the condition described above. Additionally, fuel was spewing from the engine component. All of the above incidents occurred on 2 separate occasions with new vehicle (2.5 months old) with 2300 miles on it, and vehicle is currently inoperable due to the above. This is the 2nd time the vehicle has been checked in for service to repai…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11438431 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11439471 · 2021-11-05 (November 5, 2021)

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with the driver control module failure. However, the driver control module was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. After receiving the vehicle back from the dealer, the driver’s side front window would not roll-up. Additionally, while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle would inadvertently shut off or engage the emergency park…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,344 miles reported. Look up ODI 11439471 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11442946 · 2021-12-06 (December 6, 2021)

There is a wiring harness that is faulty and it causes the car to think the door is open which causes the car to put the emergency brake on while coming to a stop.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11442946 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

14 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

20V702000 · Tires:Sidewall

Reported: 2020-11-13 (November 13, 2020)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.

Consequence: Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

20V712000 · Steering

Reported: 2020-11-17 (November 17, 2020)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.

Consequence: A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

20V716000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Reported: 2020-11-18 (November 18, 2020)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

21V026000 · Steering

Reported: 2021-01-27 (January 27, 2021)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.

Consequence: A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

21V132000 · Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | Wheels:Rim

Reported: 2021-03-03 (March 3, 2021)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The lug bolt holes on the wheels may have been machined incorrectly, preventing the wheel bolt from sufficiently attaching to the wheel bearing hub.

Consequence: An insufficiently attached wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four wheels, and as necessary, replace the wheels, lug bolts ,and wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q9.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

21V616000 · Electrical System:Wiring:Relays/Solenoids | Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers

Reported: 2021-08-06 (August 6, 2021)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Damaged relays may have been installed in the engine compartment fuse box, which could inadvertently activate the horn or engine starter.

Consequence: A horn or starter that remains activated for an extended period of time can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and as necessary, replace the relays, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97FR.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

21V812000 · Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing

Reported: 2021-10-15 (October 15, 2021)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Consequence: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

21V892000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module | Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System

Reported: 2021-11-17 (November 17, 2021)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.

Consequence: A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

22V086000 · Equipment:Other:Labels

Reported: 2022-02-16 (February 16, 2022)

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."

Consequence: 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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

22V152000 · Air Bags:Side/Window

Reported: 2022-03-28 (March 28, 2022)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.

Consequence: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

22V245000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors

Reported: 2022-04-13 (April 13, 2022)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.

Consequence: Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iD.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

22V514000 · Equipment:Electrical:Infotainment:Software | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Reported: 2022-07-20 (July 20, 2022)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

22V815000 · Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems

Reported: 2022-10-31 (October 31, 2022)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Consequence: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

24V464000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger

Reported: 2024-06-20 (June 20, 2024)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 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.

Consequence: 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 September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

165 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-03.

10.9%Usable mileage18 / 165 records

100.0%Valid incident date165 / 165 records

100.0%Valid filing date165 / 165 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates165 / 165 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
Electrical System	3331.1% ODI 11383956 · 7,655 mi WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE UPON COMING TO A COMPLETED STOP, VARIOUS FAULT MESSAGES ARE DISPLAYED 'ELECTRONIC BRAKE ERROR/DRIVER CONTACT SWITCH ERROR, START/STOP ERROR'. THE CAR DETECTS THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN EVEN THOUGH IT IS COMPLETELY CLOSED WHICH CAUSES PARKING BREAK TO ACTIVATE IMMOBILIZING THE VEHICLE ; THE START/STOP SYSTEM THEN ACTIVATES TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THIS MAKES PERFORMING ANY LOW SPEED MANEUVER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS AS YOU MUST FIRST FIND THEN PRESS THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BREAKING BUTTON/TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BREAK AND W… Look up ODI 11383956 at NHTSA ↗	5332.1% ODI 11433818 After getting a car wash the screen blacked out for around 24 hours. During that the backup camera did not work, the charging ports in the middle did not work, and I was unable to listen to the radio. Also, fluid keeps leaking in moderate puddles even when the air is not on. Look up ODI 11433818 at NHTSA ↗	1926.4% ODI 11452125 Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway. Look up ODI 11452125 at NHTSA ↗	315.8% ODI 11514836 Multiple issues since purchasing the vehicle in 01/2023. - First evening in the driveway all of the windows went down. The vehicle was not running. This has happened two other times. - I went out to me vehicle one day and the back tailgate had opened on its own. - One day I went out to the vehicle to put something in the back. Opened the hatch and the vehicle started "bucking" and would not stop. This lasted approximately 5 minutes. - Multiple times the vehicle will make a loud POP sound (sounds like a gunshot) and then I lose all media vo… Look up ODI 11514836 at NHTSA ↗	3334.0% ODI 11547232 Bought this vehicle on9/9/23 with 20 miles on it. 45 minutes later while driving home from the dealership the vehicle lost power and slowed to a stop in the road. We barely made it off the bridge and were nearly rear ended as it was dark. The dealership diagnosed a bad ECM. The manufacturer also inspected. The vehicle jerked consistently and grew worse before it lost power. Multiple warnings flashed and the check engine remained on. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer has rectified and says it is under review. Look up ODI 11547232 at NHTSA ↗	1147.8% ODI 11658431 Battery was dead 6 days after purchase and had to be towed to dealership. Dealership put a new battery in the vehicle on a Friday, 2 days later the battery was dead again. The dealership kept the vehicle for almost another 3 weeks and replaced 2 modules and the infotainment screen; this seems to have repaired the vehicle. If the car was left unlocked for 30 minutes and the radio would turn on and then turn on all of the electronics and drain the battery to dead. Once the vehicle was jumped with a jump box every warning light was on, and the veh… Look up ODI 11658431 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	2321.7% ODI 11350231 · 2,600 mi ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) WILL NOT WORK IF YOU REMOTE STARTED THE VEHICLE. TO GET IT NORMALLY WORK, YOU HAVE TO FULLY SWITCH OFF THE CAR AND THEN PUSH START IT. HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY VW DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING, THEN I NOTICED THAT REMOTE START WAS THE PROBLEM. SEEM TO ME THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF A SOFTWARE UPDATE FIX AS IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC ISSUES. Look up ODI 11350231 at NHTSA ↗	2515.2% ODI 11433818 After getting a car wash the screen blacked out for around 24 hours. During that the backup camera did not work, the charging ports in the middle did not work, and I was unable to listen to the radio. Also, fluid keeps leaking in moderate puddles even when the air is not on. Look up ODI 11433818 at NHTSA ↗	1216.7% ODI 11456897 Just bought the vehicle within the first day the radio systems turned off and cannot turn on again after 8 turn on the vehicle it affects all the safety systems because it's all connected to the radio. Vehicle was taken back to dealership which was reprogrammed and given back after one day it began again and now it's back at the dealership. They are saying they're going to put a brand new video but it's back on it and that I could still use my vehicle even though radio is not working correctly connecting to all the safety components. I was tol… Look up ODI 11456897 at NHTSA ↗	421.1% ODI 11514836 Multiple issues since purchasing the vehicle in 01/2023. - First evening in the driveway all of the windows went down. The vehicle was not running. This has happened two other times. - I went out to me vehicle one day and the back tailgate had opened on its own. - One day I went out to the vehicle to put something in the back. Opened the hatch and the vehicle started "bucking" and would not stop. This lasted approximately 5 minutes. - Multiple times the vehicle will make a loud POP sound (sounds like a gunshot) and then I lose all media vo… Look up ODI 11514836 at NHTSA ↗	2323.7% ODI 11561569 I was driving down the road and heard a weird noise as if something exploded…I look up and my sunroof had a big whole in it…I looked around to see if any trucks where by me and all the traffic was way behind or further up…. Nthn was near me to have cracked sunroof. I only had truck about 20 days or so… I believe it’s a defect and the dealer wants me to file it on my insurance.. Look up ODI 11561569 at NHTSA ↗	730.4% ODI 11658431 Battery was dead 6 days after purchase and had to be towed to dealership. Dealership put a new battery in the vehicle on a Friday, 2 days later the battery was dead again. The dealership kept the vehicle for almost another 3 weeks and replaced 2 modules and the infotainment screen; this seems to have repaired the vehicle. If the car was left unlocked for 30 minutes and the radio would turn on and then turn on all of the electronics and drain the battery to dead. Once the vehicle was jumped with a jump box every warning light was on, and the veh… Look up ODI 11658431 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine	98.5% ODI 11396572 · 7,000 mi PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENT AS IT EXPLAINS IT ALL Look up ODI 11396572 at NHTSA ↗	3320.0% ODI 11416335 · 1,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO STOHLMAN VOLKSWAGEN (8433 LEESBURG PIKE, TYSONS, VA 22182) WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE PURGE VALVE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT. SOON AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REAPPEARED. THE CONTACT ALERTED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR FURTHER INSPEC… Look up ODI 11416335 at NHTSA ↗	1926.4% ODI 11452125 Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway. Look up ODI 11452125 at NHTSA ↗	631.6% ODI 11546246 The car will stop suddenly at a red light or when slowing in traffic without warning. I have to stop the car, put in park, and restart the engine often when the light turns green and I'm not moving The ACC eco-feature is typically off/disabled, so it isn't the issue. A few scary times being in traffic at a red light and then the car stops working. Not an engine problem. Earlier versions have had a recall, but not my year. May need to consider extending the recall and fix. Look up ODI 11546246 at NHTSA ↗	1515.5% ODI 11548638 · 3,000 mi The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V593000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000. Look up ODI 11548638 at NHTSA ↗	521.7% ODI 11714711 Turned off car after arrival at destination got back into car 5 minutes after turned car on and dash light up with multiple error codes. Main one being engine/transmission issue. Message stated car could be driven but limited. Tried to put car in drive but couldn’t. Could only power on and off and put into neutral. Had to be towed to Volkswagen dealership on 1/30/26. No diagnosis yet and advisor stated they had to wait until Monday to open a case with Volkswagen. Car purchased July 2025 and only at 5242 miles. Since car was purchased the Blu… Look up ODI 11714711 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes	1817.0% ODI 11352958 · 250 mi OUR ATLAS WILL RANDOMLY SLAM ON ITS BRAKES AS IF AVOIDING A COLLISION ON AN EMPTY ROAD. THE LANE ASSIST WILL ALSO STEER YOU TOWARDS OBSTACLES (LIKE CONSTRUCTION BARRELS) AND FIGHT AS YOUR TRY TO CORRECT ITS ERROR. ISSUES HAVE ALL OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION TRAVELING DOWN A 2 OR 4 LANE ROAD. Look up ODI 11352958 at NHTSA ↗	3621.8% ODI 11448695 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Sport. The contact stated that upon depression of the brake pedal, an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the brakes. She stated that the failure was intermittent and that no warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had called and taken the vehicle to several dealers; Fiesta Volkswagen (8201 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110); University Volkswagen Mazda (5150 Ellison St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109); Garcia Volkswagen of Santa Fe (2560 Camino Edward Ortiz, Santa Fe, NM 87507)… Look up ODI 11448695 at NHTSA ↗	2230.6% ODI 11458159 This vehicle DOES has a recall listed for the door harness. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a return call from my dealship since NOVEMBER. I literally leave a message (after physically talking to someone) and NO ONE calls me back. The passenger front door is misaligned and does not close properly, the electronics go crazy and sensors randomly go off. I took the vehicle in one week after purchase regarding the above and was told they needed to get approved to get my car in and get me a loaner. Service stated my car would need to be se… Look up ODI 11458159 at NHTSA ↗	315.8% ODI 11563187 UNKOWN Brakes on brand new vehicle are exhibiting behavior that is not normal for a car of this size and relatively young age (miles). Measurably loud brake noise based on manufactures choice of materials in components leave concern on overall safety of brake system based on generally considered (except by dealer / manufacturer of course) unexpected behavior of vehicle braking system. Look up ODI 11563187 at NHTSA ↗	77.2% ODI 11541367 THREE TIME WHILE IN REVERSE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPS AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS CAR WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE TODAY Look up ODI 11541367 at NHTSA ↗	14.3% ODI 11698976 There’s a chemical smell entering the cabin of my vehicle from the engine ever since my car was serviced at the dealership. I’ve had headaches burning, watering eyes, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, eye twitching, and generally unwell. My daughter has had a cough and they refused to acknowledge any issue. They changed the filter and clean the vents and they’re saying nothing‘s wrong. There’s been multiple – alert since I bought the vehicle in April with them being the lane assist, throwing code all the time while I’m driving in any conditions the … Look up ODI 11698976 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags	2220.8% ODI 11387907 · 5,500 mi WE EXPERIENCED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ON BOTH SIDES AS A RESULT OF A LOW-SPEED CONTACT WITH A CURB. WE WERE LEAVING A STOP SIGN AT A T INTERSECTION ON A SNOWY ROAD AND THE CAR SLID MAKING THE LEFT TURN AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL HIT THE CURB. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING MORE THAN 10-15 MILES AN HOUR AND THE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL IS ONLY SCRAPES. WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AND HAVE HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY COLLISION EXPERTS THAT HAVE DOCUMENTED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED BASED ON THE … Look up ODI 11387907 at NHTSA ↗	3722.4% ODI 11445299 I was in a front end collision, no airbags were deployed. Look up ODI 11445299 at NHTSA ↗	1013.9% ODI 11458159 This vehicle DOES has a recall listed for the door harness. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a return call from my dealship since NOVEMBER. I literally leave a message (after physically talking to someone) and NO ONE calls me back. The passenger front door is misaligned and does not close properly, the electronics go crazy and sensors randomly go off. I took the vehicle in one week after purchase regarding the above and was told they needed to get approved to get my car in and get me a loaner. Service stated my car would need to be se… Look up ODI 11458159 at NHTSA ↗	526.3% ODI 11610041 The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. Look up ODI 11610041 at NHTSA ↗	55.2% ODI 11607109 · 800 mi The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated there were audible chimes and alarms sounding during the failure. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage w… Look up ODI 11607109 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	1312.3% ODI 11445922 When turning the car on there are sometimes multiple errors: start-stop, driver door contact sensor, acc, and electronic brake. The car beeps very loudly telling me the engine is running (obviously). While driving, with or without current errors, the driver side windows will roll down, the doors will unlock and the car will apply emergency braking (out of no where) stoping the vehicle without warning. Supposedly this is an issue with the driver door wiring harness and apparently the part is almost impossible to get. The vehicle has been sitting… Look up ODI 11445922 at NHTSA ↗	2515.2% ODI 11447234 My brand new 2021 cross sport (12,600 miles) suddenly started displaying multiple (5) error messages while I was driving. One of the errors was “driver door contact switch”. The check engine light came on and WHILE driving my car spontaneously began activating emergency braking maneuvers even though there was no potential for a collision. This happened numerous times and I was nearly rear ended with my son in the car. The car-net app indicated I need to take the car in for service but did NOT indicate the red “stop driving” icon. I took the car… Look up ODI 11447234 at NHTSA ↗	912.5% ODI 11457363 I had a bad fuel pump. Emergency brake engages on its own while in drive, engine light on, windows down by themselves, door beeping loudly Look up ODI 11457363 at NHTSA ↗	15.3% ODI 11687902 Our VW Atlas Cross Sport 2023 was involved in an accident on August 3, 2025 where the Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning did not work. Firstly, we reported issues with our brakes several times and took the vehicle to Rick Case VW in Weston/Davie more than once to rectify this problem. However, the problem has never been fixed, and persisted up until the time of the accident. Secondly, the vehicle's navigation system stopped working during the week of July 28th, and this was reported to Rick Case VW on July 30th. Attempts… Look up ODI 11687902 at NHTSA ↗	88.2% ODI 11541367 THREE TIME WHILE IN REVERSE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPS AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS CAR WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE TODAY Look up ODI 11541367 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Fuel/Propulsion System	43.8% ODI 11558349 The fuel tank collapsed, leading to the fuel indicator not presenting accurate fuel levels, which lead to the cars immediate shut down on the highway at high speeds. Resulting in us almost getting hit by other drivers at high speeds. As we were losing power the epc light and engine light came on, however nothing prior. After taking it to the VW service department, we were told this is a common issue and when they were first presented with it they contacted VW assistance and were given a test to perform to determine the integrity of the fuel tan… Look up ODI 11558349 at NHTSA ↗	169.7% ODI 11418094 On May 14, 2021, driving at approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light appeared flashing for the first time since purchase (purchase date April 30, 2021 - two weeks from vehicle purchase date), vehicle lost acceleration and shook aggressively on a major interstate highway. Owner pulled vehicle over to a safe location after driving approximately .25 miles after vehicle's check engine light initially illuminated. Owner had towing company transport the vehicle to the Volkswagen dealer in northern California where service indicated a faul… Look up ODI 11418094 at NHTSA ↗	79.7% ODI 11452125 Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway. Look up ODI 11452125 at NHTSA ↗	210.5% ODI 11546921 The components that failed or malfunctioned was the fuel pump & fuel system components. During the 1st incident, while driving at approx. 50 mph, I quickly lost acceleration, which caused me to slow down very quickly until I had no acceleration power - this took a matter of 10 seconds or less. After losing power, the smell of gas consumed the cabin, & the engine was unable to start, resulting in the vehicle having to be towed. This incident happened at 1,005 miles on a brand new car. I had only owned it about 2 1/2 weeks. This happened 2 more… Look up ODI 11546921 at NHTSA ↗	55.2% ODI 11607846 Vehicle had multiple engine malfunction lights appear and start/stop failures. Vehicle failed to start properly and speed was limited to prevent damage engine. Happened while I was driving it and I had to pull over and had the vehicle towed. An authorized dealer, Auto Import Inc in Brainerd, MN has had the vehicle since July 29th. They are unable to diagnose the problem, want to send the vehicle elsewhere and VW quality technicians have not shown up to inspect the vehicle. I had noticed prior to the engine failure that my fuel economy was not… Look up ODI 11607846 at NHTSA ↗	313.0% ODI 11688536 My fuel gauge was stating I had approx 300 miles to empty. I was traveling on the interstate when the vehicle lost power and different warning lights came on dash. I was able to safely get on to shoulder of highway. Vehicle stopped on its own. I was unable to get it to go into gear or even start. I had it towed to Volkswagen dealership. I was told my floating fuel sensor got lodged near fuel line which gave false fuel gauge readings. So basically it ran of gas but I never had any signs I was getting low on fuel since gauge still showed 300 mil… Look up ODI 11688536 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Exterior Lighting	54.7% ODI 11623689 Daylight Running Lights (LED stripe) went out but in order to replace it, the whole headlight chassis need to be replaced because it’s embedded as part of the head light chassis instead of by replacing the LED running stripe alone. This needs to be part of recall to as it’s a safety issue without daylight running lights Look up ODI 11623689 at NHTSA ↗	1810.9% ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗	34.2% ODI 11694246 The front light led bulbs died. First it was the driver side at 53k miles, now the passenger side. The car has less than 55k miles. The price for the repair is outrageous. $2,000 for just ONE led bulb change. I’ve seen forums and many, many WV Atlas have the same problem. WV should be responsible for this. $4,000 total for two light bulb replacements! It’s insane! Look up ODI 11694246 at NHTSA ↗	15.3% ODI 11767981 Daytime Running Lights Failure - 2023 Model with 82,000 miles. Found numerous instances in online forums and social media post about problem. Daytime running light doesn't work which puts at risk Yes, problem has been confirmed. No component has not been inspected. No warnings or messages. Noticed daytime running light was not working. Look up ODI 11767981 at NHTSA ↗	11.0% ODI 11617392 Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am writing to express my frustration with the ongoing issues with my Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Despite repeated repair efforts, the situation has become unsustainable. As a one-car household, visiting the dealership multiple times a month is both financially and personally stressful. While the service department has been excellent in trying to address the problems, the recurring issues are straining my relationship with the dealership. I need a reliable vehicle, especially given the $… Look up ODI 11617392 at NHTSA ↗	14.3% ODI 11763726 The rear taillight lens on my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport cracked without an impact or collision. Water has entered the taillight assembly through the crack, creating condensation/water inside the lamp and a potential risk of lighting or electrical failure. The vehicle is still within its new-vehicle warranty, but Volkswagen/the dealer declined to repair the assembly. The taillight remains available for inspection. There was no crash, fire, injury, or police report. I understand that similar taillight cracking and water-intrusion problems… Look up ODI 11763726 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Electrical System	3,700–11,282 mi	8,000 mi	5	ODI 11457600 · 13,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, various electrical failure had occurred with the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently brake without incident as the check engine warning light would appear on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlock while his wife was outside the vehicle with the engine running. The contact's wife was forced to enter the vehicle threw the fron… Look up ODI 11457600 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457637 · 3,700 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the windows started rolling down and up independently. On another occasion while driving approximately 20 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance Emergency Automatic Braking engaged erroneously. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was made aw… Look up ODI 11457637 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457702 · 1,500 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, all the windows independently rolled up and down and the electric braking system would not operate. The air bags error light, Auto START/STOP, Lane Assist feature, and door contact switch illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and diagnosed with a wiring harness failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,500. Look up ODI 11457702 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	11,000–35,000 mi	17,000 mi	5	ODI 11467088 · 45,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph the driver suddenly steered to the right to avoid a collision with a second vehicle and suddenly the front passenger-side air bags and both the driver side and passenger side curtain airbags erroneously deployed causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a curb. After the incident, the driver suffered from anxiety but no physical injuries were reported. No police report was taken. The cause of the failure was n… Look up ODI 11467088 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11474923 · 11,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that the front and rear passenger’s side windows activated and rolled down independently and without warning. The contact also stated that the windows occasionally failed to roll up after multiple attempts. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The contact then received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V152000 (Air Bags). The dealer was notified about the recall and the contact was scheduled an appoint… Look up ODI 11474923 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11479958 · 7,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle in front of him swerved into another lane and he noticed there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway 40 feet away from his vehicle. However, the automatic emergency braking system failed to engage. The contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the other vehicle due to the short distance. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness to the lower back, … Look up ODI 11479958 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes	Too few reports for a range	16,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11448695 · 16,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Sport. The contact stated that upon depression of the brake pedal, an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the brakes. She stated that the failure was intermittent and that no warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had called and taken the vehicle to several dealers; Fiesta Volkswagen (8201 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110); University Volkswagen Mazda (5150 Ellison St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109); Garcia Volkswagen of Santa Fe (2560 Camino Edward Ortiz, Santa Fe, NM 87507)… Look up ODI 11448695 at NHTSA ↗
Engine	Too few reports for a range	11,344 mi	3 (sparse)	ODI 11416335 · 1,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO STOHLMAN VOLKSWAGEN (8433 LEESBURG PIKE, TYSONS, VA 22182) WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE PURGE VALVE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT. SOON AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REAPPEARED. THE CONTACT ALERTED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR FURTHER INSPEC… Look up ODI 11416335 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11439471 · 11,344 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with the driver control module failure. However, the driver control module was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. After receiving the vehicle back from the dealer, the driver’s side front window would not roll-up. Additionally, while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle would inadvertently shut off or engage the emergency park… Look up ODI 11439471 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11523151 · 47,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The electronic power control (ECP) and check engine warning light was illuminated after driving approximately 20 to 30 minutes at 55 MPH or higher, the vehicle suddenly powered off inadvertently. The contact would restart the vehicle immediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the O2 sensor and the pressure pump. The failure persisted; however, the cause of the failure was not found when the vehicle was returned to the dealer to be diagnosed. The failure persisted and recur… Look up ODI 11523151 at NHTSA ↗
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	Too few reports for a range	10,500 mi	4 (sparse)	ODI 11457600 · 13,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, various electrical failure had occurred with the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently brake without incident as the check engine warning light would appear on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlock while his wife was outside the vehicle with the engine running. The contact's wife was forced to enter the vehicle threw the fron… Look up ODI 11457600 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11458240 · 8,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving at 8 MPH, the automatic emergency braking system engaged and the vehicle stopped abruptly. The emergency parking brake warning light illuminated. An audible message "Ignition Is Turned On" was engaged. The contact stated that he disengaged the emergency parking brake and continued to drive; however, the failure reoccurred while driving at low speed as he was approaching a traffic light. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle windows rolled down ind… Look up ODI 11458240 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11479958 · 7,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle in front of him swerved into another lane and he noticed there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway 40 feet away from his vehicle. However, the automatic emergency braking system failed to engage. The contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the other vehicle due to the short distance. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness to the lower back, … Look up ODI 11479958 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	5	None	ODI 11623462 The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000(Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. Look up ODI 11623462 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11623744 My car was purchased on Sept 5th, only to be told there was a recall and could not legally be released to me. Its been months and still no answers. Look up ODI 11623744 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11624105 I am writing to inquire about the carbon canister in my 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport which was purchased from Schumacher VW 3720 Northlake Blv, Lake Park FL 33403. I understand that Volkswagen has a known issue with the carbon canisters in certain models, and I am seeking clarification on whether my vehicle qualifies for this coverage. My vehicle has experienced recurring issues, including stalling in traffic and when coming to a stop, which raises significant safety concerns. These stalling events pose potential hazards not only for mysel… Look up ODI 11624105 at NHTSA ↗
2024-12	3	None	ODI 11628902 · 30,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken to the vehicle, where coolant was added to the vehicle; however, the low coolant warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cooling system was replaced. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed an abnormal coolant odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken ba… Look up ODI 11628902 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11629921 I own a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport that more recently in June 2024 received a recall on its Passenger Airbags stating that it may not function properly in event of a crash. I want to point out that this is the only vehicle in the family and teenagers do ride in the front seat. I was informed of the recall via my Progressive App in June 2024 and Volkswagen who issued the recall did not inform me until end of August 2024 a 3 month delay. I have been in communication with Volkswagen Corporation to work together to come up with a plan to re… Look up ODI 11629921 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11629952 I own a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport that more recently in June 2024 received a recall on its Passenger Airbags stating that it may not function properly in event of a crash. I want to point out that this is the only vehicle in the family and teenagers do ride in the front seat. I was informed of the recall via my Progressive App in June 2024 and Volkswagen who issued the recall did not inform me until end of August 2024 a 3 month delay. I have been in communication with Volkswagen Corporation to work together to come up with a plan to re… Look up ODI 11629952 at NHTSA ↗
2025-01	2	None	ODI 11635651 The Daytime running LED lights are commonly known to go out in this years 2021 VW atlas cross sports. The car gives a check light for these lights and each light had to have the entire headlight replaced. 1500 a peice. This causes issues with being able to get inspection stickers. I can’t even get a headlight bc this part is on back order bc this is such a common problem with this car. These parts need to be recalled Look up ODI 11635651 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11639455 The windshield on this vehicle is unsafe. VW either has a design issue with the angle of the windshield or an issue with the type of material the windshield is made out of. Since owning the vehicle I have had to have 2 windshield repairs in the last 3 months, both of which were covered by insurance “free” of charge (or so I thought) however the charges were reflected on my insurance as claims, which, in return raised my insurance $150 on my next 6 month renewal. My vehicle is my daily driver and I’m worried that one day my windshield is going t… Look up ODI 11639455 at NHTSA ↗
2025-02	2	None	ODI 11645114 Car dealership attempted to fix recall related to Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS). Dealership technicians experienced issues completing the repair and contacted the vehicle manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer claims that the issues experienced during repair are due to damage and are refusing the pay for any fix to the recall. I am not aware of any damage the system would have experienced, other than being known to be defective and under recall. The manufacturer's proposal is that I pay approximately $1,300 to replace the sy… Look up ODI 11645114 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11645383 While driving and coming to a stop or slowing down the cars engine will shut off. This is extremely dangerous when in traffic and you have to come to a complete stop and put it in park to manually restart the car. The dealer cannot seem to reproduce the issue but the same day I picked it up from having it looked at it died on me twice in the same day. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealership as far as I know as we are the second owner. There was no warning when this started happening. It gives no warning when it… Look up ODI 11645383 at NHTSA ↗
2025-03	4	None	ODI 11646156 I received notification via carfax, VW app, AND by mail about the passenger air bag faulty PODS system recall in September 2024. I was told by my local dealership there was no active fix for the issue at the time. I then had my 50k mile service completed in December 2024 the week before Christmas and the service department stated they still had not received a fix for the recall code and that it would be rolling out in stages and to wait for a resolution. It is now March 2025 and I do not feel safe driving this vehicle with my family knowing … Look up ODI 11646156 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11648046 Hood Release Cable. The hood release cable, which runs from the release lever inside the car to the latch under the hood, broke. I can't open my car hood. I've been looking online and it seems that this is a common issue and very expensive to repair and Volkswagen is the only onewiths the proper tools to fix the problem. Look up ODI 11648046 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11648048 Hello, My car has a musty smell inside the cabin. I have tried all the recommendations, such as changing the cabin filter, running the AC, and using disinfectant sprays, and the odor does not disappear. I have allergies, and when I drive my car, it feels like I can't breathe. I do not have the means at the moment to change cars. Look up ODI 11648048 at NHTSA ↗
2025-04	1	None	ODI 11652776 · 11,282 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the front passenger's side and rear passenger's side windows opened unintendedly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started experiencing the failure after the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) sensor mat and wiring harness were replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer performed… Look up ODI 11652776 at NHTSA ↗
2025-05	1	None	ODI 11660420 White smoke coming from under the hood. Tire sensor has been replaced service several. One tire at a time Look up ODI 11660420 at NHTSA ↗
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	6	None	ODI 11670690 Driver side headlight stopped working after a little over 4 years but less than 50,000 miles. On coming drivers from other side of road are distracted by only one light working and tend to serve toward my car. No warning signs or messages appear in the car. Unfortunately, outside of warranty and the entire light console needs to be replaced. Appears to be a common problem on the Atlas Cross Sport 21' and per dealer parts on back order. Look up ODI 11670690 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11671303 The daytime running lights have gone out. Look up ODI 11671303 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11673073 Car is stalling at slow speeds during heavy traffic, pulling into a parking spot, slowing down to cross a two lane highway, or moving slowly in a drive-through. This vehicle stalled unexpectedly on the tollway during the morning rush hour to Chicago. It also stalled at a four-way stop with limited visibility for drivers behind me on 6/18/2025. I had to call 911 because I was stalled at a busy intersection and the car would not restart. The engine light will come on and I’ll get a “start/stop” error even when I shut off that feature. The diagnos… Look up ODI 11673073 at NHTSA ↗
2025-08	3	None	ODI 11679171 I own a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport with approximately 34,000 miles, purchased as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. The brakes make an extremely loud, metal-on-metal screeching noise when driving slowly, reversing or driving on hills. The sound is harsh and high-pitched, resembling worn-out or defective brake pads or rotors. I brought the issue to a VW dealership, and they confirmed the noise but claimed it is “normal” and offered no repair. The sound is consistent and worsens on incline. This issue raises serious safety concerns, including… Look up ODI 11679171 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11681814 The Car has Stalled at Stoplights 3 different times. There was a message on the dashboard that told me to "manually restart the engine". I put the car in park and restarted the engine. Note: I don't use the "Eco Stop Start" mode. I'm not sure what caused this problem but in reviewing some forums it may be an N80 Valve and/or a Carbon Canister. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. Obviously, a stalled car could be a safety risk for the driver and others. I will be taking it to a dealer but they seemed to think it may be the batter… Look up ODI 11681814 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11682812 What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The throttle and engine. Car is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle will lose ability to accelerate when crossing busy intersections or traveling on highways, resulting in the car slowing down significantly and not allowing me to accelerate out of the way of vehicles. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, I have given the dealers… Look up ODI 11682812 at NHTSA ↗
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	2	None	ODI 11693442 I was driving on the freeway and the car slowed down on me, almost to a stop! This could have been fatal! I am glad I had the time to move the the right lane for emergency. This needs to be reported and don't let other VW owners deal with this issue! it's a BIG safety issue! Look up ODI 11693442 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11694382 My vehicuel vibrate at low speed or hight speed, speed does not descrimita, the steering wheel vibrate in a very strange way, when the car hit a bump, at any speed, it vibrate like a motor, for a short period of time, and them it goes back to normal, until agiang I hit a bump Look up ODI 11694382 at NHTSA ↗
2025-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	1	None	ODI 11704740 The passenger day time running light quit working randomly. This also is part of the lamp that provides cornering light. Without this, it decreases visibility early morning or evening driving. The issue has been confirmed with a mechanic and is a huge impact for this vehicle model. There were no warning lights or alerts about an issue prior to the failure of the part. Look up ODI 11704740 at NHTSA ↗
2026-01	2	None	ODI 11708500 My car only has 58,000 and my car is leaking coolant and I was advised I need to replace the water pump at $15,000. I see there was a settlement already for Volkswagen’s however, my Volkswagen Atlas cross port is not included although it is in the same year as those cars with the settlement it needs to be added so that way the warranty can be extended by 80,000 miles. Look up ODI 11708500 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11709724 A loud squeaky noise come from the brakes. When I took it to Volkswagen. They said there’s an issue with the brakes that was installed by the manufacturer however, they will not fix it because there is no recall. They said that the brakes that’s the factory installed has something has copper in it and that’s causing the issue. I have another friend with the same make and model of the car and suffering from the same issue. My concern is it just a loud noise or is it a safety issue because of the brakes? Look up ODI 11709724 at NHTSA ↗
2026-02	2	None	ODI 11714960 · 35,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that after being stopped at a traffic light, while making a left turn in the snow, the contact was unsure if the vehicle had fallen into a pothole or had driven over a speed bump when the driver's side curtain air bag, and the passenger's side curtain air bags, unexpectedly deployed. Additionally, unknown sensors were beeping, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the sensors beeped while driving in the snow. No warning light was illuminated. There were no injur… Look up ODI 11714960 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11717947 Exactly at 50,000 miles, both Daytime Running Lights stopped working This is a very well known issue in the owners community and seems very o purpose, since to fix it, instead of just having to replace a bulb or small part, dealer requires to replace the whole headlight assembly Look up ODI 11717947 at NHTSA ↗
2026-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	2	None	ODI 11733702 Over course of ownership, I have taken 2021 Atlas Cross Sport in for routine service, to include grinding brakes during normal driving conditions. The brakes will squeak when first beginning the drive for the day. The brake issue becomes more pronounced when braking from various speeds such as 65MPH to a gradual stop. There is a loud and progressively grinding noise during this time. The dealership was made aware of this within a week’s time and they specifically looked into this matter and advised once again, “normal.” Look up ODI 11733702 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11734837 Defective sway bar links Look up ODI 11734837 at NHTSA ↗
2026-05	4	None	ODI 11736576 The Hood latch is broke and I am unable to get into the hood without tremendous effort. Look up ODI 11736576 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11737483 Subject: Formal Safety Complaint – Structural Manufacturing Defect – 2021 VW Atlas Cross Sport (VIN: [XXX] ) To the NHTSA and Volkswagen Customer CARE: I am formally reporting a significant safety hazard regarding my 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Incident Details: Incident Date: 05/07/2026 Current Mileage: 76,305 miles VIN: [XXX] Supporting Documentation: See attached files image.png and image_2.png. Description of the Problem (Per Certified Technician): As documented in the attached invoice from Vacaville Volkswagen (image.png), the… Look up ODI 11737483 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11738490 Daytime running lights are non replaceable and a hazard left unfixed. The dealer refuses to acknowledge this or do anything but charge me 1600 dollars to replace. We don't have that kind of money just sitting around these days and they refuse to do anything. DRLs are critical for visibility. We had an extended warranty and they replaced 1 side last year instead of both. Now that the warranty is up they are telling us we are out of luck with this hazard driving around the street. Look up ODI 11738490 at NHTSA ↗
2026-06	4	None	ODI 11743802 The vehicle has ghost braking issues and on top of all the screens go black periodically for no reason at all(they aren’t being touched). Look up ODI 11743802 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11744410 One of the day time running lights have burned out. The car just turned 5 years old with about 70,000 miles. In reviewing some posts online a lot of owners have complained about the same thing. Also you cannot replace the bulb, you have to replace the entire unit. Look up ODI 11744410 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11744876 The vehicle SOS communication/warning system began malfunctioning in February 2026. I am receiving an alert stating there is an SOS Malfunction and to service the vehicle immediately. On February 18, 2026, the VW dealership conducted extensive testing on the vehicle and determined that the J949 SOS module required replacement as it could not be reset or remedied. Diagnosis - internal electrical failure. The dealership advised that this is a known issue to VW and that there are several other customers with the same issue and waiting for the mod… Look up ODI 11744876 at NHTSA ↗
2026-07	5	None	ODI 11750701 Right side daytime running light went out. Confirmed by dealer and headlamp assembly was replaced. Look up ODI 11750701 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11751935 I have not the slightest idea what is going on with the vehicle that I just bought on June 25th 2026. I have a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas crossover and the car stopped on me three times today. And when I arrived in my garage it said that the engine was hot. I will be taking it to the dealership tomorrow. Look up ODI 11751935 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11751936 When I am driving the vehicle the brakes are always squeaking. When I took it to the dealership they stated that there was nothing wrong with the brakes. When I Google this this seems to be a common issue with the Volkswagen Atlas. But one thing also just the other day when I stopped on the brakes it felt like someone was slamming behind me. Look up ODI 11751936 at NHTSA ↗
2026-08	2	None	ODI 11755031 Got an airbag alert light on driver console. Took it to VW dealer in [XXX]. They said the driver side airbag has a short to ground. And it’s not covered under the warranty. And it’s $2000 to fix. There has been a lot of problems with the wire harness from the manufacturer. And I feel like they should repair it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Look up ODI 11755031 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11758610 · 60,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for an oil change, and it was discovered that the hood latch cable had either disconnected or snapped off. While attempting to open the hood, the interior hood release handle was inoperable, and the hood could not be opened. The dealer was contacted and stated that a cord needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. Look up ODI 11758610 at NHTSA ↗
2026-09	2	None	ODI 11762392 The right daytime running lights have failed. It creates a safety hazard for driving. The only remedy is to replace the entire headlight which is costly. This is due to poor manufacturing that lets in water to damage the led. Look up ODI 11762392 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11762990 The Passenger DRL strip light went out. My car has approximately 75,000 miles on it. I bought it used. No warranty for this. I understand this is a common issue with this model. Look up ODI 11762990 at NHTSA ↗
2026-10 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2022: 50 complaints · 2023: 16 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2022	23	37	50
2023	8	15	16

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2022	71	0	1
2023	19	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Electrical System	Air Bags	Service Brakes	Engine	Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	Unknown Or Other	Exterior Lighting	Fuel/Propulsion System
Electrical System	—	2 ODI 11463332 I own a 2021 Atlus Cross-Sport and the last month I have had several electrical issues with it. It first started with my driver's windows would automatically roll down, then my radio would tune in/out, my check engine light comes on and then the passenger side air bag would turn off. I then would have my parking break come on when I rolled into a stop which included consistent beeping and alarms going off. Being a concern, I brought it into Volkswagen and was told that there was a recall on a faulty wiring harness. They agreed to place me into … Look up ODI 11463332 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11482036 Windows open on their own. Emergency Brake engages at low speed, left me in the middle of oncoming traffic as I was about to slowly turn. At times continuously has the alarm bell own. Has Keyless entry, however often times Car Alarm goes off. Eliminating AC lights very dim hard to see. Radio screen sometimes is just blacked out. Look up ODI 11482036 at NHTSA ↗	17 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457085 on 2/2/22 Brought vehicle to nearest dealership.Upon inspection they ordered a HARNESS;TECH CHECKED AND FOUND LOST COMMUNICATION WITH DOOR CONTROL MODULE DRIVER SIDE DOOR MODULE FAULTY PART ON ORDER. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request keeping in mind underivable safety issues. on 2/02/2022 to start with ,drove into dealership because of windows on drivers side opening, dash board lights all lit up.on 2/14/2022 while driving on highway and thru streets emergency brake would go on and give a hard brake stop. lights on and beeping… Look up ODI 11457085 at NHTSA ↗	10 ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11498340 The remote start will not work related to fuel system issues, which concerns me and has an affect on the car stoping during driving. Look up ODI 11498340 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11572494 its been about 3 occasions , one being yesterday 2/16/24, as i was on the freeway my vehicle began to stall and it displayed , Error : stop/start, display said to manually start, got off the freeway and had to put my car into park then restart again. I almost got hit and forsure bad accidents could have happened. the other occasion was about a week ago exactly, i was on a turning lane, as i was in the middle of turning, the car stopped while in motion and it displayed the same message. I almost got hit by a vehicle. i've called my nearest… Look up ODI 11572494 at NHTSA ↗	15 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457202 Car started engaging emergency brake while driving. Started off in park and progressed. Windows would roll down and lights would come on. Took in to VW. They said door harness needs replaced. No ETA for part. They said they had a temporary fix that they did but It did not even make it out of the parking lot of service without the ebrake engaging again. Refused to drive it home and was given a loaner a few days later. Loaner tiguan did same thing within an hour of leaving the dealership. I returned it immediately and showed them the video of the… Look up ODI 11457202 at NHTSA ↗	9 ODI 11433818 After getting a car wash the screen blacked out for around 24 hours. During that the backup camera did not work, the charging ports in the middle did not work, and I was unable to listen to the radio. Also, fluid keeps leaking in moderate puddles even when the air is not on. Look up ODI 11433818 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11448693 Error message “driver door contact switch” occurs, drive door and driver side passenger windows roll down, locks disengage, alarms ding and causes a sensor to engage the emergency parking break which occured both while stationary or while moving. Look up ODI 11448693 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗	4 ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11569541 The failing component is the passenger side daytime running light. This light no longer illuminates. After searching for a fix for the problem, this appears to be a very common problem for the VW Atlas Cross Sport. The vehicle is available for inspection. The daytime running light has not been working since the vehicle hit about 55,000 miles. No warning of the daytime running light being out. Look up ODI 11569541 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11635651 The Daytime running LED lights are commonly known to go out in this years 2021 VW atlas cross sports. The car gives a check light for these lights and each light had to have the entire headlight replaced. 1500 a peice. This causes issues with being able to get inspection stickers. I can’t even get a headlight bc this part is on back order bc this is such a common problem with this car. These parts need to be recalled Look up ODI 11635651 at NHTSA ↗	4 ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11498340 The remote start will not work related to fuel system issues, which concerns me and has an affect on the car stoping during driving. Look up ODI 11498340 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11593663 My Wife has been driving our kids in our certified Preowned Atlas and this is the 3rd time she has stated then when slowing down or coming to a complete stop the vehicle shuts off completely and it's not due to the auto stop feature we have it switched off whenever we drive. On many forums I've researched when going into more in depth I found multiple people clamming it's a occurring thing for a lot of 21 atlas owners some even saying mid drive the vehicle shuts off and it's extremely dangerous because if your on the freeway or on a busy street… Look up ODI 11593663 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	2 ODI 11463332 I own a 2021 Atlus Cross-Sport and the last month I have had several electrical issues with it. It first started with my driver's windows would automatically roll down, then my radio would tune in/out, my check engine light comes on and then the passenger side air bag would turn off. I then would have my parking break come on when I rolled into a stop which included consistent beeping and alarms going off. Being a concern, I brought it into Volkswagen and was told that there was a recall on a faulty wiring harness. They agreed to place me into … Look up ODI 11463332 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11482036 Windows open on their own. Emergency Brake engages at low speed, left me in the middle of oncoming traffic as I was about to slowly turn. At times continuously has the alarm bell own. Has Keyless entry, however often times Car Alarm goes off. Eliminating AC lights very dim hard to see. Radio screen sometimes is just blacked out. Look up ODI 11482036 at NHTSA ↗	—	3 ODI 11449005 brakes are squeaking at 15k , airbag light on, cracking noise when turning corners Look up ODI 11449005 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11480042 This is a well known issue but their has now been several incidents where my forward braking should have activated and did not and now stela’s on 4 different occasions 2 of which were on the highway where the emergency brake was triggered and i have lost control of the vehicle , yet in completely empty parking lots now two separate times i have been able to catch on video that it told me i was within 12 inches of something and there is nothing. I’ve had this issue starting 10/21 and happened as recently as 8/7 and it’s almost gotten me killed… Look up ODI 11480042 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11482036 Windows open on their own. Emergency Brake engages at low speed, left me in the middle of oncoming traffic as I was about to slowly turn. At times continuously has the alarm bell own. Has Keyless entry, however often times Car Alarm goes off. Eliminating AC lights very dim hard to see. Radio screen sometimes is just blacked out. Look up ODI 11482036 at NHTSA ↗	0	4 ODI 11448786 My adaptive cruise control AND airbags FAILED when traffic ahead of me suddenly stopped. (There was NO airbag deployment.) I crashed into the person in front of me who then hit the person in front of them. The vehicle is available for inspection. I told the dealership at my 10k scheduled maintenance it was not braking or recognizing vehicles in front until it was so late I had to manually brake. I had a bunch of stuff in the front seat to where the passenger airbag light was on. It also DID not deploy. If someone had been there without a seatbe… Look up ODI 11448786 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11463332 I own a 2021 Atlus Cross-Sport and the last month I have had several electrical issues with it. It first started with my driver's windows would automatically roll down, then my radio would tune in/out, my check engine light comes on and then the passenger side air bag would turn off. I then would have my parking break come on when I rolled into a stop which included consistent beeping and alarms going off. Being a concern, I brought it into Volkswagen and was told that there was a recall on a faulty wiring harness. They agreed to place me into … Look up ODI 11463332 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11479958 · 7,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle in front of him swerved into another lane and he noticed there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway 40 feet away from his vehicle. However, the automatic emergency braking system failed to engage. The contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the other vehicle due to the short distance. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness to the lower back, … Look up ODI 11479958 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0
Service Brakes	17 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457085 on 2/2/22 Brought vehicle to nearest dealership.Upon inspection they ordered a HARNESS;TECH CHECKED AND FOUND LOST COMMUNICATION WITH DOOR CONTROL MODULE DRIVER SIDE DOOR MODULE FAULTY PART ON ORDER. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request keeping in mind underivable safety issues. on 2/02/2022 to start with ,drove into dealership because of windows on drivers side opening, dash board lights all lit up.on 2/14/2022 while driving on highway and thru streets emergency brake would go on and give a hard brake stop. lights on and beeping… Look up ODI 11457085 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 11449005 brakes are squeaking at 15k , airbag light on, cracking noise when turning corners Look up ODI 11449005 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11480042 This is a well known issue but their has now been several incidents where my forward braking should have activated and did not and now stela’s on 4 different occasions 2 of which were on the highway where the emergency brake was triggered and i have lost control of the vehicle , yet in completely empty parking lots now two separate times i have been able to catch on video that it told me i was within 12 inches of something and there is nothing. I’ve had this issue starting 10/21 and happened as recently as 8/7 and it’s almost gotten me killed… Look up ODI 11480042 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11482036 Windows open on their own. Emergency Brake engages at low speed, left me in the middle of oncoming traffic as I was about to slowly turn. At times continuously has the alarm bell own. Has Keyless entry, however often times Car Alarm goes off. Eliminating AC lights very dim hard to see. Radio screen sometimes is just blacked out. Look up ODI 11482036 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11457368 My car would activate the emergency brakes for no reason. A safety risk for myself, my family and anyone on the road near me. I was late to work several times as the parking brake would become stuck and not allow me to drive. The car would shake and the engine light would come on causing me to think my car would leave me stranded. The windows would roll down and get stuck and go up and down. My brakes and rotors were warped and would squeak and make a terrible grinding noise. Everyday was new problem that would come and go until it beca… Look up ODI 11457368 at NHTSA ↗	10 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11451605 My vehicle is having issues with the drivers door contact switch. The emergency break will come on spontaneously while driving the vehicle. Look up ODI 11451605 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457202 Car started engaging emergency brake while driving. Started off in park and progressed. Windows would roll down and lights would come on. Took in to VW. They said door harness needs replaced. No ETA for part. They said they had a temporary fix that they did but It did not even make it out of the parking lot of service without the ebrake engaging again. Refused to drive it home and was given a loaner a few days later. Loaner tiguan did same thing within an hour of leaving the dealership. I returned it immediately and showed them the video of the… Look up ODI 11457202 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 11457085 on 2/2/22 Brought vehicle to nearest dealership.Upon inspection they ordered a HARNESS;TECH CHECKED AND FOUND LOST COMMUNICATION WITH DOOR CONTROL MODULE DRIVER SIDE DOOR MODULE FAULTY PART ON ORDER. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request keeping in mind underivable safety issues. on 2/02/2022 to start with ,drove into dealership because of windows on drivers side opening, dash board lights all lit up.on 2/14/2022 while driving on highway and thru streets emergency brake would go on and give a hard brake stop. lights on and beeping… Look up ODI 11457085 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11645383 While driving and coming to a stop or slowing down the cars engine will shut off. This is extremely dangerous when in traffic and you have to come to a complete stop and put it in park to manually restart the car. The dealer cannot seem to reproduce the issue but the same day I picked it up from having it looked at it died on me twice in the same day. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealership as far as I know as we are the second owner. There was no warning when this started happening. It gives no warning when it… Look up ODI 11645383 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine	10 ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11498340 The remote start will not work related to fuel system issues, which concerns me and has an affect on the car stoping during driving. Look up ODI 11498340 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11572494 its been about 3 occasions , one being yesterday 2/16/24, as i was on the freeway my vehicle began to stall and it displayed , Error : stop/start, display said to manually start, got off the freeway and had to put my car into park then restart again. I almost got hit and forsure bad accidents could have happened. the other occasion was about a week ago exactly, i was on a turning lane, as i was in the middle of turning, the car stopped while in motion and it displayed the same message. I almost got hit by a vehicle. i've called my nearest… Look up ODI 11572494 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 11457368 My car would activate the emergency brakes for no reason. A safety risk for myself, my family and anyone on the road near me. I was late to work several times as the parking brake would become stuck and not allow me to drive. The car would shake and the engine light would come on causing me to think my car would leave me stranded. The windows would roll down and get stuck and go up and down. My brakes and rotors were warped and would squeak and make a terrible grinding noise. Everyday was new problem that would come and go until it beca… Look up ODI 11457368 at NHTSA ↗	—	2 ODI 11457368 My car would activate the emergency brakes for no reason. A safety risk for myself, my family and anyone on the road near me. I was late to work several times as the parking brake would become stuck and not allow me to drive. The car would shake and the engine light would come on causing me to think my car would leave me stranded. The windows would roll down and get stuck and go up and down. My brakes and rotors were warped and would squeak and make a terrible grinding noise. Everyday was new problem that would come and go until it beca… Look up ODI 11457368 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457564 In Aug/Sept Windows drivers side go down at will. Parking brakes engages when I slow down to stop, at times difficult to disengage. Bells constantly ring while driving. Lane assist notification of problem comes on at will. Something about Drives side message of no electrical connection. Engine light constantly on. Doors lock, unlock at will. I took vehicle to dealership for scheduled oil change in Feb 2022 and told them what was happening and was told there was a recall and parts to be ordered. I returned the next week for dash lights (engine,… Look up ODI 11457564 at NHTSA ↗	10 ODI 11520322 We have had this Atlas Cross Sport R-line for 2 years. Over these two years, the car will intermittently stall when I come to a stop sign or stop light. Many times it has nearly caused an accident. I consistently turn the auto on-off OFF as it is not a feature I like, the problem happens with that feature disabled. Since I am the main driver, and my husband rarely is in the car, I thought that it was a normal feature. In the past several weeks it has continued to stop and nearly killed me at a major intersection in my area. I took the atlas in… Look up ODI 11520322 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11530564 Start/stop error occurred on dashboard and a day later the check engine came on. I took it in to get diagnosed & was told the software was recalled and needed updated. A few days later the start/stop error came back on, engine light came on, car was jerking and my engine would shut off as I am driving and would tell me to start my engine manually. I was then told the evap purge valve and evap canister needed replaced. These 2 items were the first 2 line items on the diagnosis they first ran & did not check. Look up ODI 11530564 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11575433 Engine light keeps popping on due to supposedly the evaporative canister and valve are faulty. While driving my car acts as if the start/stop function is turned on (I turn it off because I don’t like it) and starts to turn off my engine while I am creeping in traffic (major traffic). This was June 2023. February 2024 same issue occurred and canister and valve needed replaced (not even a year later). A few days later the start/stop error popped up again and my car is starting to turn off while driving or creeping in traffic, with that function … Look up ODI 11575433 at NHTSA ↗	0	11 ODI 11418094 On May 14, 2021, driving at approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light appeared flashing for the first time since purchase (purchase date April 30, 2021 - two weeks from vehicle purchase date), vehicle lost acceleration and shook aggressively on a major interstate highway. Owner pulled vehicle over to a safe location after driving approximately .25 miles after vehicle's check engine light initially illuminated. Owner had towing company transport the vehicle to the Volkswagen dealer in northern California where service indicated a faul… Look up ODI 11418094 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11473444 I was driving the car and it stalled on me. I had to start the car again. The car has not reproduced the incident again. I brought the car to two different service departments but they found nothing. One service department said to change my gasoline. Look up ODI 11473444 at NHTSA ↗
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	15 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457202 Car started engaging emergency brake while driving. Started off in park and progressed. Windows would roll down and lights would come on. Took in to VW. They said door harness needs replaced. No ETA for part. They said they had a temporary fix that they did but It did not even make it out of the parking lot of service without the ebrake engaging again. Refused to drive it home and was given a loaner a few days later. Loaner tiguan did same thing within an hour of leaving the dealership. I returned it immediately and showed them the video of the… Look up ODI 11457202 at NHTSA ↗	4 ODI 11448786 My adaptive cruise control AND airbags FAILED when traffic ahead of me suddenly stopped. (There was NO airbag deployment.) I crashed into the person in front of me who then hit the person in front of them. The vehicle is available for inspection. I told the dealership at my 10k scheduled maintenance it was not braking or recognizing vehicles in front until it was so late I had to manually brake. I had a bunch of stuff in the front seat to where the passenger airbag light was on. It also DID not deploy. If someone had been there without a seatbe… Look up ODI 11448786 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11463332 I own a 2021 Atlus Cross-Sport and the last month I have had several electrical issues with it. It first started with my driver's windows would automatically roll down, then my radio would tune in/out, my check engine light comes on and then the passenger side air bag would turn off. I then would have my parking break come on when I rolled into a stop which included consistent beeping and alarms going off. Being a concern, I brought it into Volkswagen and was told that there was a recall on a faulty wiring harness. They agreed to place me into … Look up ODI 11463332 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11479958 · 7,000 mi The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle in front of him swerved into another lane and he noticed there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway 40 feet away from his vehicle. However, the automatic emergency braking system failed to engage. The contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the other vehicle due to the short distance. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness to the lower back, … Look up ODI 11479958 at NHTSA ↗	10 ODI 11449374 Front drivers door wiring harness has malfunctioned causing every error light on dash and info center to come on and causes Emergency brake to be applied even while driving the drivers side front and rear window both roll down 5 inches sometimes car will not restart tire monitoring lights come on head light warnings it is literally every warning light and sounds start beeping door won't lock or unlock alarm just randomly goes off so they had to unhook battery. took to shop 11-23-2021 and has still been in shop for 66 days as of 1-29-2022 and pa… Look up ODI 11449374 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11451605 My vehicle is having issues with the drivers door contact switch. The emergency break will come on spontaneously while driving the vehicle. Look up ODI 11451605 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457202 Car started engaging emergency brake while driving. Started off in park and progressed. Windows would roll down and lights would come on. Took in to VW. They said door harness needs replaced. No ETA for part. They said they had a temporary fix that they did but It did not even make it out of the parking lot of service without the ebrake engaging again. Refused to drive it home and was given a loaner a few days later. Loaner tiguan did same thing within an hour of leaving the dealership. I returned it immediately and showed them the video of the… Look up ODI 11457202 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 11457368 My car would activate the emergency brakes for no reason. A safety risk for myself, my family and anyone on the road near me. I was late to work several times as the parking brake would become stuck and not allow me to drive. The car would shake and the engine light would come on causing me to think my car would leave me stranded. The windows would roll down and get stuck and go up and down. My brakes and rotors were warped and would squeak and make a terrible grinding noise. Everyday was new problem that would come and go until it beca… Look up ODI 11457368 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11457564 In Aug/Sept Windows drivers side go down at will. Parking brakes engages when I slow down to stop, at times difficult to disengage. Bells constantly ring while driving. Lane assist notification of problem comes on at will. Something about Drives side message of no electrical connection. Engine light constantly on. Doors lock, unlock at will. I took vehicle to dealership for scheduled oil change in Feb 2022 and told them what was happening and was told there was a recall and parts to be ordered. I returned the next week for dash lights (engine,… Look up ODI 11457564 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Unknown Or Other	9 ODI 11433818 After getting a car wash the screen blacked out for around 24 hours. During that the backup camera did not work, the charging ports in the middle did not work, and I was unable to listen to the radio. Also, fluid keeps leaking in moderate puddles even when the air is not on. Look up ODI 11433818 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11448693 Error message “driver door contact switch” occurs, drive door and driver side passenger windows roll down, locks disengage, alarms ding and causes a sensor to engage the emergency parking break which occured both while stationary or while moving. Look up ODI 11448693 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗	0	2 ODI 11457085 on 2/2/22 Brought vehicle to nearest dealership.Upon inspection they ordered a HARNESS;TECH CHECKED AND FOUND LOST COMMUNICATION WITH DOOR CONTROL MODULE DRIVER SIDE DOOR MODULE FAULTY PART ON ORDER. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request keeping in mind underivable safety issues. on 2/02/2022 to start with ,drove into dealership because of windows on drivers side opening, dash board lights all lit up.on 2/14/2022 while driving on highway and thru streets emergency brake would go on and give a hard brake stop. lights on and beeping… Look up ODI 11457085 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11645383 While driving and coming to a stop or slowing down the cars engine will shut off. This is extremely dangerous when in traffic and you have to come to a complete stop and put it in park to manually restart the car. The dealer cannot seem to reproduce the issue but the same day I picked it up from having it looked at it died on me twice in the same day. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealership as far as I know as we are the second owner. There was no warning when this started happening. It gives no warning when it… Look up ODI 11645383 at NHTSA ↗	10 ODI 11520322 We have had this Atlas Cross Sport R-line for 2 years. Over these two years, the car will intermittently stall when I come to a stop sign or stop light. Many times it has nearly caused an accident. I consistently turn the auto on-off OFF as it is not a feature I like, the problem happens with that feature disabled. Since I am the main driver, and my husband rarely is in the car, I thought that it was a normal feature. In the past several weeks it has continued to stop and nearly killed me at a major intersection in my area. I took the atlas in… Look up ODI 11520322 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11530564 Start/stop error occurred on dashboard and a day later the check engine came on. I took it in to get diagnosed & was told the software was recalled and needed updated. A few days later the start/stop error came back on, engine light came on, car was jerking and my engine would shut off as I am driving and would tell me to start my engine manually. I was then told the evap purge valve and evap canister needed replaced. These 2 items were the first 2 line items on the diagnosis they first ran & did not check. Look up ODI 11530564 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11575433 Engine light keeps popping on due to supposedly the evaporative canister and valve are faulty. While driving my car acts as if the start/stop function is turned on (I turn it off because I don’t like it) and starts to turn off my engine while I am creeping in traffic (major traffic). This was June 2023. February 2024 same issue occurred and canister and valve needed replaced (not even a year later). A few days later the start/stop error popped up again and my car is starting to turn off while driving or creeping in traffic, with that function … Look up ODI 11575433 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11454640 Emergency brake engaged while driving, car warning beeps and warning alerts while stopped and while driving, windows opening while driving - cannot be closed from driver side, car alarm activated when opening door. Dealer states the problem is a door harness and parts not available. They state there is a problem with many other VW Atlas 2021 cars. Over 80 in their lot with same problem. Look up ODI 11454640 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	4 ODI 11459784 UNKNOWN: 3/22 Vehicle stalled two times at 70 mph on a highway. Increased steering wheel vibrations/ shaking Increased gas pedal vibrations Overall vehicle shaking increased after this occurred Took it to dealer which had it in the shop until 3/25. Stated couldn’t find anything wrong. Went to pick it up on 3/25 and STOP/START ERROR appeared. Left it until Monday. Talked to technician and stated car misfired last week but couldn’t find anything else and cleared error code. April 4th Car stalled and stuttered three times on a major highway at … Look up ODI 11459784 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11624133 My 21 VW atlas cross sport now will not remote start. As well, it CONTINUES with the sputter and stall at low speeds. In and out of parking spots, backing in and out of driveway, the most important scenario being complete stall out crossing a median and multiple lanes of oncoming traffic… Look up ODI 11624133 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11674641 Start stop error on 7/15/25. Engine light on 7/16/25. Drove the car to AutoZone and the diagnostic code was P0496 EVAP System High Purge Flow. VW dealership said it was okay to drive vehicle with engine on until my appointment on 7/24/25. Filled up the car with gas on 7/18/25, but the fuel gauge only went up to 7/8 of a tank and 365 miles to empty. After driving 51 miles, the fuel gauge was full and 430 miles to empty. After driving 116 miles, the fuel gauge dropped back down to 7/8 of a tank and 365 miles to empty. The car stalled today whil… Look up ODI 11674641 at NHTSA ↗
Exterior Lighting	4 ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11569541 The failing component is the passenger side daytime running light. This light no longer illuminates. After searching for a fix for the problem, this appears to be a very common problem for the VW Atlas Cross Sport. The vehicle is available for inspection. The daytime running light has not been working since the vehicle hit about 55,000 miles. No warning of the daytime running light being out. Look up ODI 11569541 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11635651 The Daytime running LED lights are commonly known to go out in this years 2021 VW atlas cross sports. The car gives a check light for these lights and each light had to have the entire headlight replaced. 1500 a peice. This causes issues with being able to get inspection stickers. I can’t even get a headlight bc this part is on back order bc this is such a common problem with this car. These parts need to be recalled Look up ODI 11635651 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 11455989 While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The Look up ODI 11455989 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	—	0
Fuel/Propulsion System	4 ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11498340 The remote start will not work related to fuel system issues, which concerns me and has an affect on the car stoping during driving. Look up ODI 11498340 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11593663 My Wife has been driving our kids in our certified Preowned Atlas and this is the 3rd time she has stated then when slowing down or coming to a complete stop the vehicle shuts off completely and it's not due to the auto stop feature we have it switched off whenever we drive. On many forums I've researched when going into more in depth I found multiple people clamming it's a occurring thing for a lot of 21 atlas owners some even saying mid drive the vehicle shuts off and it's extremely dangerous because if your on the freeway or on a busy street… Look up ODI 11593663 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	11 ODI 11418094 On May 14, 2021, driving at approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light appeared flashing for the first time since purchase (purchase date April 30, 2021 - two weeks from vehicle purchase date), vehicle lost acceleration and shook aggressively on a major interstate highway. Owner pulled vehicle over to a safe location after driving approximately .25 miles after vehicle's check engine light initially illuminated. Owner had towing company transport the vehicle to the Volkswagen dealer in northern California where service indicated a faul… Look up ODI 11418094 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11458829 I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu… Look up ODI 11458829 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11473444 I was driving the car and it stalled on me. I had to start the car again. The car has not reproduced the incident again. I brought the car to two different service departments but they found nothing. One service department said to change my gasoline. Look up ODI 11473444 at NHTSA ↗	0	4 ODI 11459784 UNKNOWN: 3/22 Vehicle stalled two times at 70 mph on a highway. Increased steering wheel vibrations/ shaking Increased gas pedal vibrations Overall vehicle shaking increased after this occurred Took it to dealer which had it in the shop until 3/25. Stated couldn’t find anything wrong. Went to pick it up on 3/25 and STOP/START ERROR appeared. Left it until Monday. Talked to technician and stated car misfired last week but couldn’t find anything else and cleared error code. April 4th Car stalled and stuttered three times on a major highway at … Look up ODI 11459784 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11624133 My 21 VW atlas cross sport now will not remote start. As well, it CONTINUES with the sputter and stall at low speeds. In and out of parking spots, backing in and out of driveway, the most important scenario being complete stall out crossing a median and multiple lanes of oncoming traffic… Look up ODI 11624133 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11674641 Start stop error on 7/15/25. Engine light on 7/16/25. Drove the car to AutoZone and the diagnostic code was P0496 EVAP System High Purge Flow. VW dealership said it was okay to drive vehicle with engine on until my appointment on 7/24/25. Filled up the car with gas on 7/18/25, but the fuel gauge only went up to 7/8 of a tank and 365 miles to empty. After driving 51 miles, the fuel gauge was full and 430 miles to empty. After driving 116 miles, the fuel gauge dropped back down to 7/8 of a tank and 365 miles to empty. The car stalled today whil… Look up ODI 11674641 at NHTSA ↗	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

6 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

36 mentions · 21.8% of complaints

Median mileage: 12,172 mi (12 usable records).

ODI 11416335 · 1,000 mi

Look up ODI 11416335 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11418094

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ODI 11431956

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Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Stalling or loss of power

15 mentions · 9.1% of complaints

Median mileage: 32,500 mi (2 usable records).

ODI 11459784

UNKNOWN: 3/22 Vehicle stalled two times at 70 mph on a highway. Increased steering wheel vibrations/ shaking Increased gas pedal vibrations Overall vehicle shaking increased after this occurred Took it to dealer which had it in the shop until 3/25. Stated couldn’t find anything wrong. Went to pick it up on 3/25 and STOP/START ERROR appeared. Left it until Monday. Talked to technician and stated car misfired last week but couldn’t find anything else and cleared error code. April 4th Car stalled and stuttered three times on a major highway at …

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ODI 11461712

Car stalled at red light before getting on the highway. As I was merging on the ramp to 295, the car started stuttering, and steering wheel was vibrating severely. EPC and Engine light popped on. Had to pull over and was almost hit by a truck. Turned on ok. A minute into the drive the EPC and Engine light popped on again and car started stuttering again. Was on major highway so had to pull off at next exit and pulled into a parking lot. Customer Care sent a tow truck, and the SUV was towed to Salem County VW in Monroeville, NJ. Called Sale…

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ODI 11473444

I was driving the car and it stalled on me. I had to start the car again. The car has not reproduced the incident again. I brought the car to two different service departments but they found nothing. One service department said to change my gasoline.

Look up ODI 11473444 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Brake response concerns

4 mentions · 2.4% of complaints

Median mileage: 13,000 mi (3 usable records).

ODI 11448695 · 16,000 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Sport. The contact stated that upon depression of the brake pedal, an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the brakes. She stated that the failure was intermittent and that no warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had called and taken the vehicle to several dealers; Fiesta Volkswagen (8201 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110); University Volkswagen Mazda (5150 Ellison St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109); Garcia Volkswagen of Santa Fe (2560 Camino Edward Ortiz, Santa Fe, NM 87507)…

Look up ODI 11448695 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11457600 · 13,000 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, various electrical failure had occurred with the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently brake without incident as the check engine warning light would appear on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlock while his wife was outside the vehicle with the engine running. The contact's wife was forced to enter the vehicle threw the fron…

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ODI 11475702

I was pulling into a parking spot, my foot on the brake pedal, hand ready to shift car into park. At that time the rev counter went up to 7000, the car jumped the curb, I stepped hard on the brake but the car kept going. The car stopped when it slammed into a parked car so hard that it pushed the parked car into the street. No warning lights and the airbag did not deploy. Unsure of what malfunctioned. Anyone can inspect it. VW has been uncooperative and has told me several different stories about getting it looked at by a VW rep. The car had ov…

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Matching rule

Fuel smell or leak mentions

2 mentions · 1.2% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11438431

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ODI 11458829

I purchased a New 2021 VW cross sport in 02/21. I have had multiple safety-related issues 1. Car randomly stopped; check engine light illuminated. visited dealer was told the fuel injectors were faulty. Dealership replaced. When I drove the vehicle home, there was an intense smell of gasoline. Went back to dealer was told there was a fuel leak. This is a safety risk as the vehicle could catch fire. 2. Car randomly stopped loud squeaking’s sound can be heard. Visited the dealership was told the main engine gasket seal was leaking. Again a hu…

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Matching rule

\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b

Hard or delayed shifting

1 mentions · 0.6% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11530564

Start/stop error occurred on dashboard and a day later the check engine came on. I took it in to get diagnosed & was told the software was recalled and needed updated. A few days later the start/stop error came back on, engine light came on, car was jerking and my engine would shut off as I am driving and would tell me to start my engine manually. I was then told the evap purge valve and evap canister needed replaced. These 2 items were the first 2 line items on the diagnosis they first ran & did not check.

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Matching rule

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 0.6% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11602874

Driving under 10mphs (in slow moving traffic or parking lot, etc.), the vehicle engine turns off and power steering also shuts down. I reported this issue to VW Service and they were able to reproduce the issue but are unable to find a fix for it. When the issue appeared AUTO START/STOP error flashed on the dash board. I avoided an accident this week when the vehicle turned off in rolling traffic. Vehicles behind me swerved to avoid crashing into me since my car engine and power steering turned off. The dealership said the vehicle is safe to d…

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Matching rule

\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b