Automatic Emergency Braking problems of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

Ten problems related to automatic emergency braking have been reported for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas based on all problems reported for the 2024 Atlas.

1 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 11/14/2025

I’ve owned the Atlas for a little over a year now and throughout the year the vehicles infotainment system and electrical system has had several recurring issues. I’ll get notifications while I’m driving of the front and rear sensors being inactive, the entire infotainment system will periodically reboot while driving, the automatic braking system unexpectedly engaged on a couple occasions - even when there was not a collision hazard, the systems bluetooth connectivity will go on and off while driving which affects my ability to use gps and creates a distraction while trying to correct, the infotainment system will crash while I’m in reverse which takes away the use of the back up camera, and just the other day the voice control activated while I was driving (without being prompted) and I couldn’t deactivate it without manually rebooting it while I was driving. I did a few google searches to find a resolution but it appears many others are having similar issues. These recurring issues have distracted my attention while driving and have created some dangerous situations that could have easily caused a crash or incident.

2 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 11/01/2025

The brakes are grinding, pads were checked at local shop and were noted to be 11mm and should not be grinding.

3 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 10/17/2025

Over the air software update causing the infotainment system to fail and shut down causing all the safety systems to not work. The infotainment system in this car also contains the climate control, am/fm radio, hands free communication, and all charging devices which will not work either. Vw has no solution, resetting the system does nothing ( hard or soft).

4 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 07/07/2025

While going through an automated car wash, I experienced a critical malfunction at the end of the belt. When it came time to shift my vehicle from neutral into drive, the car would not respond. Every time I attempted to shift into drive, the emergency brake would automatically engage, preventing the vehicle from moving forward. As a result, I was stuck at the end of the car wash belt. The car behind me, unable to stop due to the forward momentum of the belt, was pushed into my vehicle. Their vehicle sustained damage from hitting my trailer hitch, although my car did not appear to be physically damaged. This incident created a clear safety hazard, not only putting me at risk but also directly causing a rear-end collision. I believe the failure was related to either the automatic emergency braking (aeb) system or the shifting mechanism. However, I am not a mechanic, and this is my best assessment. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This malfunction created an immediate safety risk by leaving my car immobilized in a narrow, automated space, with another vehicle in motion behind me. The inability to shift into drive and the automatic engagement of the emergency brake contributed to the collision. The issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed, but the Volkswagen dealership has been contacted and is scheduled to perform diagnostics next week. The other vehicle involved in the collision was inspected by longmont auto body & glass, who provided a repair estimate of $1,495. 39. My own vehicle has not yet been physically inspected by the manufacturer. Warning signs or symptoms prior to failure: during the car wash, proximity alarms were sounding, indicating that I was close to or might hit an object (likely the wash brushes), but I received no specific dashboard warning messages related to the shifting or emergency brake system before the failure occurred.

5 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 12/02/2024

We were driving down the interstate with cruise control on. There were no other cars around us thank goodness but the car slammed on the brakes with no warning. If someone had been behind us we would have been rear ended and possibly hurt.

6 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 11/30/2024

Error with drive system was caused by engine overheating. Maneuver braking function triggered and faulty throttle body issue discovered.

7 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 06/10/2024

Our vehicle's gps system will not calibrate and the navigation system is completely off when driving. The affected safety and driving systems have caused our car to stop suddenly at freeway speeds on the freeway, as well, while driving in town, our safety deterrent systems will alert constantly due to the wrong location is being sent to the car. Volkswagen company notified dealerships yesterday to prepare for an onslaught of consumer complaints about this issue. There is no expected timeline to deal with this directly as it is not a hardware issue but rather a cellular gps issue with verizon wireless. Volkswagen has no intent on dealing with the safety issues with this car and accepts that your car may stop suddenly on the freeway because the car thinks you are in a school zone. My family's safely comes first and we can no longer drive our car.

8 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 04/14/2024

Breaking is very harsh when the car is cold. Makes rough sounds and feels like having grinding rocks between breaking pads and disc. Sounds could also be described like being under water. Very unsafe to break. Breaks very rough and sudden. No pump action on the breaks when is performing like this. Dealership acknowledged the problem saying is a recurring situation but they say there are no safety issues with it and refuse to fix it or change the unit in 3 different occasions. They cleaned the breaks offering a temporary repair but this did not fixed anything.

9 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 03/02/2024

Driving on a straight road in the rain approximately 45-50 mph with no other cars in front. Automatic braking system went on 3 times within 200 yards. Very scary- could have been rear-ended or hydroplaned.

10 Automatic Emergency Braking problem

Failure Date: 12/31/1969

The braking system and driver assist feature (“maneuver braking function”) on my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas have repeatedly malfunctioned. The vehicle displays the warning message “maneuver braking function currently not available,” accompanied by loud grinding and mechanical noises when braking. The issue began shortly after purchase and has persisted despite three separate service visits to Volkswagen of wesley chapel. During these visits, the dealership noted they are aware of an issue with the Atlas brakes but they had not seen it occur with the error message coming up. Later, the service team claimed they replicated the issue and said it was caused by the car being left in “transport mode” at delivery. I was told that removing transport mode fixed the problem, but the same symptoms and warnings reappeared on my drive home. At my third visit, I was told the car was never in transport mode and that this was a known issue with the vw Atlas that could not be repaired but that they were concerned with the error message. They said they removed the error message- but did not actually fix anything that could prompt the error message. Upon leaving the car is contuing to make the same sounds, grinding and produce the error message upon braking. The problem has been reproduced and acknowledged by the dealership but not corrected. The braking behavior remains inconsistent, and the grinding sensation suggests a mechanical fault. Because this affects the braking system and a safety assist feature, it poses a risk of reduced braking performance or delayed response time in traffic, putting occupants and others at risk. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request.


Other Forward Collision Avoidance related problems of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

Automatic Emergency Braking problems
10
Adaptive Cruise Control problems
9
Warnings problems
6

Atlas Service Bulletins
Atlas Defect Investigations