Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Volkswagen Atlas - part 1

The vehicle has an oil leak in the crankshaft with 70 k miles, dealership states not covered by vw.

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Car repeatedly shutting off while driving. Coal canister replaced multiple times but car has continued to shut off even after replacement.

I have an Atlas voltswagon 2021. I have a water pump leak issue with my vehicle. There is a recall warranty for this vehicle from 2014-2021 for this very reason, but my VIN is not underneath this because of the trim package I have. I believe this is ridiculous. My trim package sound not be excluded from this warranty if its a manufactural issue and the make, model and year are within this warrenty. I'm bringing this to your attention because it will cost me $2000 from a voltswagon dealership to fix and other people with my trim package will probably be dealing with this issue.

Oil leak at intake pipe to turbo joint. This is a well known problem with this engine.

My 2024 Volkswagen Atlas began displaying multiple warning messages involving the engine, drive system, and powertrain. Warning messages included “engine: error start/stop,” “drive system, please service vehicle,” and other engine/powertrain alerts. The vehicle has had intermittent check engine lights, shaking, rough operation, abnormal noises, and repeated warning messages that disappear and then return. This is a serious safety issue. The vehicle has lost power, stopped working, failed while in use, and broken down. On one occasion, when I attempted to drive forward, the vehicle moved backward instead. The vehicle displays repeated drive system and engine warnings and becomes unreliable during operation. I have children and regularly transport them in this vehicle, and I do not believe this vehicle is safe to drive. The vehicle is still under factory warranty, but I have been unable to obtain timely warranty service. The Volkswagen dealership in jackson, mississippi advised they have severe staffing limitations and limited diagnostic availability, and I was told I need to take the vehicle to another state for service. I was also told by Volkswagen customer service that towing assistance may be available under warranty, but when connected with towing assistance I was advised coverage was only for a very limited distance 6 miles! I was quoted approximately $1,900 to tow the vehicle to the available Volkswagen service location in louisiana. Because the vehicle is not safe or reliable to drive, I have also been forced to pay out of pocket for a rental vehicle while attempting to obtain warranty repairs. Vw refused to help me with a loaner or rental. I am filing this complaint because these issues appear to involve the engine, electrical system, and powertrain and create a serious risk of loss of power, unexpected movement, breakdown, or failure while driving.

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

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Our Atlas’ engine will turn off unexpectedly from time to time. This usually happens when the vehicle is stopped whether it be at a stop light, stop sign, carpool, etc. We brought it to the dealership and the replaced a part and indicated it should fix it; however the problem has persisted.

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I had the thermostat and water pump replaced at 57k miles. At 125k it needs to be replaced again. Costing me another $1700. I have read about numerous complaints about this issue.

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I was driving on the highway, and went to accelerate and my car went into limp mode in the middle of the highway and I was almost not able to get to the emergency lane due to not being able to accelerate. I took it to the nearest auto mechanic shop, and they informed they could not work on it or diagnose due to it being a Volkswagen. I then took it to the nearest Volkswagen dealership, and they said they have seen a lot of 2020 and newer Volkswagen cars going into limp mode randomly and not starting back up. They also removed the codes and diagnostic issues that were coming up. They said it was a fuel pump issue which they replaced and two days later my car went into limp mode again on the highway for the exact same reason, and my car wont start again. Every mechanic and tow truck driver I have talked to have all said the same thing with Volkswagens especially the newer ones going into limp mode and not starting. This car is not safe and accidents will happen if it is not fixed.

On multiple occasions the vehicle's engine will stall out in traffic when breaking. It happens every few weeks randomly. To correct the stall, I need to place the vehicle into park and restart the engine.

My vehicle is a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. It has a serious and recurring safety issue where the vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while driving. This has occurred on the freeway while driving at approximately 65–70 mph, which is extremely dangerous because the vehicle loses power while in traffic. After a previous repair at the dealer, the issue returned again after several months. The vehicle was previously scanned with a basic diagnostic tool, but no permanent solution was found. I have contacted dealerships, but I have had difficulty receiving assistance in spanish, and I have been ignored when requesting spanish-speaking support. Because of this, I will need to visit in person with someone who can help me communicate in english. I travel with my child in this vehicle, and the vehicle shuts off regardless of how long I have been driving, which creates a serious safety risk. This is a major safety concern as the vehicle shuts off without warning while driving at highway speeds. I am requesting a full investigation of this issue as a potential safety defect.

2 fuel injectors have gone bad and 2 more are on their way out with 52,000 on the car. Just outside of the 6 year warranty.

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Repeated concerns involving the reliable response to pressing the gas pedal. Directly after purchase notified dealership the vehicle felt unsafe to drive. That pressing the gas pedal did not guarantee the vehicle would predictably move forward. Response ranges from high rpm with no forward propulsion, delayed response with eventual slow or regular movement, high rpm with no forward movement when taking tight turn, feeling of incorrect gear. Most important when passing and accelerating or moving into traffic from stop you do not know how the vehicle will respond. Two Volkswagen dealers have inspected and state there is nothing wrong. Vehicle has recently had vacuum seals replaced which gave a temporary improvement of response feel but has degraded and left vehicle with a rough idle at stopping. Dealership has replaced based on check engine light: faulty breather valve evap solenoid vavle upper timing cover safety is put at risk when car presents an unpredictable response in entering traffic or initiating a maneuver requiring acceleration. Check engine light has appeared only on the most recent repair.

Vehicle has heavy leak from water pump. Most vehicles of this model have extended warentee due to class action lawsuit from failing water pump, primarily the 4cylinder models, but it is a well known issue among the v6 models, and some of those are covered as well. Vehicle has 56k miles at this time.

My vehicle has been taken in for the ac 3x now as well as the start stop feature stalling and not working twice. This most recent service repair is for a coolant leake and ac issue resulting in a head gasket needing to be replaced.

I am reporting a significant safety compliance issue involving a certified pre-owned (cpo) vehicle and the fraudulent reporting of a safety recall completion. On March 21, 2026, I attempted to purchase the vehicle listed above. This vehicle is subject to NHTSA recall 22v753 (vw campaign 13i4) regarding engine connecting rod failure. Before signing, I requested documentation proving the recall had been performed. The dealership staff repeatedly insisted that the recall "had to have been completed" as part of the cpo process. Upon my further insistence, the dealership finally admitted that the recall work had not been performed and stated it would "be completed on Monday. " however, a check of the VIN on [xxx] and vw’s public portal shows "0 open recalls," indicating the dealership has officially marked this safety recall as "closed" or "completed" in the system despite the remedy not being applied. This dealership is actively marketing and attempting to deliver a vehicle with a known engine failure risk as "certified" while falsifying federal safety records. This is a clear violation of the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act and poses an immediate risk to any consumer who might purchase this vehicle believing the safety defect has been remedied. VIN number is [xxx] I can't personally verify that the VIN number falls within the lot described, however given their response was "our bad we're doing this on Monday" I can only come to the safe conclusion in my purchase decision that it does recall this recall procedure and that they fraudulently marked this recall as completed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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

While driving on the highway at 65 miles per hour, my Atlas shut itself off. I had to put it into park and restart the ignition. It turned on after 2 attempts but just barely. It turned on and gave enough power to move forward very slowly but virtually no propulsion. It turned on briefly, I pressed the gas and then it shut off but had enough to cruise to get to the shoulder across the highway. There was no shoulder next to the lane I was in. Luckily the cars around me saw that I put my hazzard lights on immediately and did the same. Once at the shoulder, tho the system had shut down again. . . The Atlas suddenly engaged and sped up on its own. The control panel of the car was "resetting" itself still from the initial shutdown. The system appeared to reboot itself after putting into park and pushing the ignition button. And was still "processing" while I attempted to get it to the side of the road while it shutdown again. Once it was "rebooted" that's when the system appeared to "catch" and the car "sped up" by itself. Once all that happened, probably in the span of 5 minutes or so, I was able to drive 15 miles away safely to a gas station, turned off the car, got gas and it re-started like nothing had happened and drive fine home, about 2 miles further. The instrument panel including map and "driving screen" has shut down before while driving a few times, but never anything with the engine. While stopped at a light a few times, the car has previously "shut itself off" and restarted fine after being put into park and restarting ignition. This is by far the worst and most dangerous experience I've had that could have resulted in a fatal collision, had the cars around me not also been paying close attention and helped me out by slowing behind me and creating awareness for others approaching at 65-75 mph as well.

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the sound might be caused by unknown engine parts rubbing against each other. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 22v753000 (engine and engine cooling); and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

Driving on highway when engine shutdown suddenly and ended up on side of highway. Had a recall done a few months back for engine rods and dealership did not replace them and stated the test passed so not necessary.

Wednesday (02/18/2026), while driving to work, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road at a red light. It would not move at all. I had to call roadside assistance, and the vehicle was ultimately towed. Being stranded in the middle of an intersection with traffic approaching at speed was not only humiliating — it was life-threatening. Vehicles were coming from behind, and I narrowly avoided what could have been a serious accident. Suddenly, my dashboard started showing all sorts or error and warning message. It showed esc (electronic stability control) error, hill start assist error, maneuver braking function currently not available, error start/stop, rear traffic alert is currently not available, transmission error etc. To make matters worse, the tow truck took approximately 1. 5 hours to arrive, leaving me exposed at a busy junction the entire time. This incident caused significant mental distress and professional consequences, as I was unable to reach my office and had to formally explain my absence with supporting documentation. This level of unreliability from a new vehicle is simply unacceptable. It has not even been a year since I purchased this vehicle, and I have experienced repeated issues from the very beginning. This situation is extremely frustrating and completely unacceptable for a brand-new vehicle. Beyond these serious safety incidents, I have faced ongoing issues with the infotainment system since purchase. I was repeatedly told it was a software issue and that it had been fixed, yet the problem continues to persist.

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I am submitting this urgent safety complaint regarding my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas vr6 , currently at approximately 85,000 miles, purchased through carvana. Critical safety concerns: epc warning light illumination engine shutdown events while driving pronounced bottom-end engine noise vehicle is unreliable and poses a serious risk to my safety timeline & escalation attempts: November initial rattling noise reported, likely indicative of developing engine issues multiple requests to carvana for inspection and escalation were refused, including authorization for a regional technical specialist/field engineer review at a certified Volkswagen dealership vehicle was not properly shipped to my address, causing additional hardship formal escalation letters submitted to Volkswagen corporate and carvana without resolution complaints filed with louisiana attorney general – consumer protection, better business bureau auto line, and now NHTSA personal impact: I have a service-connected disability, and this vehicle failure has severely impacted my mobility and independence. The situation presents a real safety hazard both for myself and others on the road. Given the serious safety implications, I request that NHTSA investigate this vehicle as a potential safety defect and ensure appropriate corrective action is taken. Thank you for your attention and urgent consideration of this matter. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle turned on and quickly shut off. Vehicle health report sent a warning of the engine and transmission and powertrain needing to be serviced immediately.

The vehicle warning lights come on and off to make it seem like I am about to hit or to close to something when I am not moving at all. The vehicle putts and stalls while driving like it wants to cut off. It also does this when I am at a complete stop as well as if I am backing up warning lights on the dash appear than disappear sometimes as well.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine and the hvac systems. Specifically, a persistent "ghost misfire"—where the engine vibrates and shudders without triggering a dashboard warning light—and a total heater failure. The vehicle is currently held at the dealership; all service records (ro# 367641, 367891, 367980, 368179) are available. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the "ghost misfire" causes shaking and hesitation during acceleration, creating a risk of losing power or stalling in high-speed traffic. Because the vehicle's diagnostics do not trigger a warning light for this condition, the driver has no advance notice of a potential engine failure. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. Dealership technicians confirmed the misfire on Feb 9 (ro# 367891) and found a defective spark plug gap (. 024” vs. . 036”). On Feb 25, the service consultant confirmed the "ghost misfire" remained active. The heater failure was confirmed via a 'heater support pump dry run' fault code (ro# 367641). 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the vehicle has been inspected by dealership technicians. Formal complaints have also been filed with the California bureau of automotive repair and the California attorney general. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? symptoms began following a service on Jan 30. Feb 8: exhaust malfunction light (mil) appeared briefly with severe shaking. Feb 9–present: exhaust malfunction warning lights appeared briefly and then disappeared, but the engine vibration and "ghost misfire" symptoms remain active and undetected by the vehicle's onboard diagnostics. Feb total loss of heat occurred during a highway drive without a dashboard warning lamp.

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact was unable to move to the side of the road and called the police. The police helped to push the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission control module needed to be updated. The transmission control module was updated; however, several weeks later, while the vehicle was at the dealer for a maintenance check, the contact was informed that there was an oil leak. The dealer found engine oil inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

While operating my vehicle, the engine shuts off and stalls unexpectedly, including while driving at low speeds. When this occurs, the vehicle loses power and must be manually restarted, creating a dangerous situation, especially in traffic. This issue began within the first year of ownership and has continued despite multiple service visits. Early on, the dealership was unable to diagnose the issue and at times stated the condition was “normal. ” Volkswagen dealerships later identified the issue as related to a defective canister / evap system component. The same component has required multiple repairs, including a repeat failure after the initial repair. Volkswagen issued an extended warranty covering this defect. Despite these repairs, the vehicle continues to shut off and stall, including while driving. The vehicle has also experienced remote start failures with messages instructing the driver to manually start the engine, which a dealership confirmed is related to the same defect. This creates an ongoing safety risk, particularly because I transport children in the vehicle.

Driving my car only a few minutes and it caught fire and blew up. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Son was barely able to get out before engine burst into flames.

I was driving on the road and my car just turned off. The car turned off mid drive. When I tried to turn the car on again, the engine revved and within a few seconds the car turned off again. The dash showed an error message "error: drive system. Please service vehicle. " when the tow truck came, the tow truck driver said he has seen this issue before with vw Atlas cars. He tried to turn the car on again, and the same thing happened. When this happened, I felt extremely unsafe because the car just stopped in the middle of the street and I was unable to turn it back on or get it to move from the middle of the street. Thankfully it was not a busy street and there were no cars behind me. There were no warning messages prior to the failure. The car initially started as usual with no warnings of this problem prior to beginning the drive. The error message only appeared after the car stopped mid drive and before the dash screen shut off. The car was towed to the service center. They acknowledged the problem and have not been able to provide a reason for the malfunction.

Dealer maintained with oil changes per the schedule. Cylinder head issue requiring engine replacement at 104,xxx miles. 3. 6l vr6. This is unacceptable.

My vehicle has p0420 and p0430 code errors, indicating a problem with the catalytic converters/emission system. There is a current recall on 2018 vw Atlas vehicles for this issue, but it does not include my vehicle. It appears this recall needs to be extended as the same issue is occurring on other 2018 vw Atlas vehicles.

The vehicle has experienced multiple serious safety failures involving the steering, electrical system, and powertrain. Most recently, while driving, the steering wheel locked unexpectedly, causing a temporary loss of control. Multiple dashboard warning lights began flashing, and the epc light turned on and off repeatedly. I had to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and restart the engine to regain control. The camshaft/camshaft position sensor and steering system appear to be malfunctioning, and the issues have recurred multiple times. The vehicle has been taken to a dealer for inspection and repairs several times, but the failures continue. These problems have created a serious safety risk, as loss of steering and erratic electrical behavior can lead to accidents, putting myself, passengers, and others on the road at risk. Warning lamps first appeared intermittently after prior repairs, but the steering wheel lock incident is the most severe event to date.

In July 2022, vw replaced the cylinder head and gaskets of my 2019 vw Atlas due to warped head. The vehicle was brought in for service because the low coolant light was on. The repair was done under warranty. In January 2024, the low coolant light came on again 31k miles after the first repair. We were told it was normal for this vehicle to burn coolant. Service refilled coolant. Since that time customer would refill the coolant when the low coolant light came on which was approximately every 6 months. Customer made appointment to bring in the vehicle because the low coolant seemed to be more frequent with evidence of a coolant leak. On November 6, 2025, service department informed customer that the water pump was bad and needed to be replaced. On November 7, 2025, service department informed customer that they couldn't hold pressure and they had to test the block which would be on November 10, 2025. On November 10, 2025, service department informed customer that coolant was leaking into the head due to warped head.

Engine turns off completely traveling at moderate speeds in drive gear while approaching and then stopped at lights or stop signs. Issue became more constant and prevalaint with time. Message then shows up " please start engine manually p". Vehicle then has to be put in "park" and manually restarted. All this is completed in a panic and a rush as your are on a road with traffic and cars behind you. Randomness and type of stall makes it difficult to document issue live and in it's entirety as it happens. Issue cannot be foreseen. This is a very dangerous situation and a accident waiting to happen. This is a known issue on this model vw commencing in prior year models as documented by thousands online on forums, chats with documented fixes. Such as one being extended warranty "vwp-23-04 on part. Vw dealers visited refuse to address potential causes or related parts as issue cannot be "recreated". Have presented documentation of times and dates this has happened and pictures of dash message but since vehicle "technically" doesn't show a fault, issue is not being addressed by dealers. Vehicle completely shutting off while driving is extremely dangerous for driver and passengers, as well as other drivers.

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while checking fluid levels in the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the coolant reservoir was low. The contact stated that there was no sign of a coolant leak, but coolant needed to be added to the reservoir weekly. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a coolant leak that was draining into a protective shield underneath the engine compartment. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.