2022 Volkswagen Atlas Owner Complaints

Software update for the vehicle. Since we have completed the update we have had issues with the Radio unit flashing in and out intermittenly and finally the unit went black and will not work at all. This is now showing multiple fault codes including. Engine control module 1 (U105400), Brakes 1(C102D00), Adaptive Cruise Control (U112100), Dash Board (U111000), Gateway (U105400), Telematics Communication Unit (B104914, U112100,B1916f4), Light Control Left 2 (U140700,C123AFA) Light Control Right 2 (C123AFA). None of these codes started till the System update happened.

NHTSA ID

11756322

Incident

Jul 31, 2026

i was exiting HWY 45 at highway speed. the car began to stutter, i lost control of the propulsion of the vehicle, the breaks did not seem to work, the EPC light came on after rolling to a stop. i had to put the car in park and upon turning the car off and back on the cars EPC light went off and i was able to drive it home. it now sits in my driveway and has not been moved since.

NHTSA ID

11755826

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

While traveling at highway speeds with my family on our way to a college visit, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of propulsion due to a complete breach of the automatic transmission oil cooler lines (Part numbers: 3QF317801C and 3QF317820C). The breach caused hot, pressurized transmission fluid to violently spray out of the vehicle, covering the highway and completely coating the vehicle traveling directly behind us, creating an immediate multi-car road hazard. The sudden loss of fluid instantly destroyed the transmission internals, disabling the vehicle on a high-speed highway and requiring us to be towed to a Volkswagen dealership. The certified VW dealership technicians inspected the vehicle and explicitly identified the issue as a factory assembly flaw. They confirmed that these two parallel, closed-loop fluid lines were routed from the factory with zero clearance, causing them to rub together under normal engine vibration until friction wore a hole through both walls. This built-in engineering and routing defect poses a severe safety hazard due to sudden, un-alerted power loss in fast-moving traffic and the spraying of highly flammable fluid onto hot engine components and surrounding vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11755619

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

While driving my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, the infotainment system began malfunctioning. The audio stopped working intermittently, the touchscreen went black and displayed corrupted graphics, and the backup camera repeatedly cuts in and out or fails to display anything. Pressing the backup camera button can cause the infotainment system to shut down completely. I attempted to reset the system through a soft reset by pressing the power/volume button for 20+ seconds and when that didn't work I did a hard reset by disconnecting the battery for 15- 20 mins, but the issue persists. Because the camera is unreliable or unavailable when reversing or for my blind spots, I believe this creates a safety hazard by reducing rear visibility and increasing the risk of a backing collision and side collisions

NHTSA ID

11752976

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

This car has increasingly started stalling out as I come to a stop in traffic at lower speeds. There is no consistent pattern behind when it will occur. At times, I feel my car's engine start to shudder like it's going to stall, but it is not immediately followed by stalling. I have taken it to a dealer last month because it stalled at least three times in a month. They replaced the battery because they couldn't find cause, and this past Sunday, the car stalled as I pulled into a parking spot and shut off. Each time, I have my auto engine off disengaged. It is NOT the engine turning off at a red light and re-engaging when I take my foot off the brake. The car will turn off and not throw any error codes, making it impossible for techs to determine the problem. The dash will tell me to "Please start engine manually" and it has started up each time.

NHTSA ID

11751841

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

Daytime running light went out and needs the whole assembly to be replaced which is $1400+ from the dealership. Vehicle is barley 4 years old

NHTSA ID

11749401

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

The Daylight Driving Lights have failed 2X. Very expensive fix. Seems to be a common problem.

NHTSA ID

11749159

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

The hood release latch/cable is broken. It worked when we took it into the dealer for a blend door actuator repair and oil change. The dealer claims it is a “known issue” for this model vehicle but they can’t repair it at no cost, despite it working just fine when we dropped it off. If this is a known issue (which I’ve seen many complaints about it online) then VW should be repairing or replacing the defective parts, not forcing that expense onto consumers.

NHTSA ID

11747710

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

Description of the Issue: I am filing a complaint regarding a premature coolant leak and failure of the engine water pump on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for an unrelated safety recall service. During their multi-point inspection, the dealership technicians officially diagnosed a coolant leak coming directly from the water pump. At only 70,000 miles, this component should not be failing. This constitutes a major safety hazard. If left unrepaired, a water pump leak leads to sudden engine overheating, loss of power, and potential catastrophic engine failure while driving, placing the driver and passengers at severe risk on the road. Volkswagen has a well-documented history of premature water pump failures across several models. I request that the NHTSA investigate this known defect in the 2022 model year to hold the manufacturer accountable and prevent future safety incidents.

NHTSA ID

11746821

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

Hello, I have a 2022 VW Atlas with 54,250 miles. I noticed today when I started up by car that the DRL (daytime running lights) was dimmed to the point where I didn't even notice it on. This seems to be an issue with Volkswagen Atlas's years 2021-2023. It is currently out and anyone can come look at it at anytime. This seems to be a larger issue, many people complaining about this online and the cost to replace / fix the issue is over $1500 with parts and labor. The design makes it so the entire headlight needs to be replaced. Without daytime running lights, I feel like I am not seen as easily so I could be in an accident much easier. I brought the issue to the dealer and they said they see a lot of these failing between 40K - 60K miles. No warning, one day it was working the next it wasn't.

NHTSA ID

11746755

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

I started the car to cool off and stepped out of the car and the curtain airbags deployed on both sides of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11745516

Incident

Jun 21, 2026

The Daytime Running Lights are integrated into the headlight assembly so when the ights fail they cannot be replaced by the car owner by replacing a bulb. They also fail at very low mileage. Mine have failed before 70k miles. To replace the DRL the entire housing must be replaced and this costs upwards of $2k per headlight or $4k for both. That is almost 10% of the purchase price of the car! For headlights that the owner should be able to buy and replace themselves for $60

NHTSA ID

11741478

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

All the airbags in the car deployed from a minor impact; it is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11741017

Incident

Jan 12, 2026

Ever since I bought this vehicle, it stalls randomly. Apparently this is a major issue with this car and complaints are all over the Internet by owners. I have a child and I am afraid to drive the car. I have bought the car to get fixed and it is still stalling. It appears that thousands of people have the same issue as some sort of canister needs to be replaced but even shortly after it is replaced, my vehicle stalls along with everyone else’s. Also, my info entertainment center has issues and my airbag has an error code right now. From what I am reading, this vehicle is a major hazard and is very dangerous to drive.

NHTSA ID

11739751

Incident

May 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the emergency brake engaged without warning. All the warning lights were illuminated. The windows went up and down without application. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V152000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Volkswagen South Towne Service and Parts Department: 11000 Frontage Rd, South Jordan, UT 84095, where it was diagnosed that the driver door module had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who informed there was no warranty coverage and no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11738050

Incident

Jul 1, 2022

Mileage

10,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11734524

Incident

Apr 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11733052

Incident

Apr 22, 2026

The connecting road bearing broke apart. Caused the engine to shut off while driving. No, the problem has not been confirmed but all the symptoms and issues point to it. They found metal shavings in the oil and oil filter. The EPC light came on prior to it occurring.

NHTSA ID

11732970

Incident

Jan 24, 2001

The daytime running lights are know to fail within 30-50k miles and the only option is to replace the whole housing unit. This is an unreasonable expectation that customers are purchasing a vehicle at 40-60k and then having to set aside 2k for a headlight replacement.

NHTSA ID

11730536

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Bought the car and it is constantly stalling on me at low rpm’s, and then won’t start again for 10 minutes. I don’t want to drive it because I never know when it’s going to happen. I’ve taken it to dealer twice and they tell me they do not know what is the problem.

NHTSA ID

11728865

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11725333

Incident

Feb 23, 2026

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 21: 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)

NHTSA ID

11724456

Incident

Feb 16, 2026

On the week of 10/13/2025, I had an oil sensor alert appear after a recent oil change. I took the vehicle in on 10/30/2025 for a diagnostic check and was told the oil separator sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. After the service was completed, the total was $906.42 of which I paid $580.99 out of pocket post my extended warranty claim payment. I received a recall notice in November 2025 for Emissions Service Action 10LP - Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve / Oil Separator. The same issue I just paid for in October 2025.I had an unsuccessful attempt dealing with Jim Ellis Volkswagon in Kennesaw to try and retrieve a refund directly from them. I subsequently completed and emailed the reimbursement form to Volkswagon on 1/2/2026. I have not received any communication to them in regards to my reimbursement claim.

NHTSA ID

11722862

Incident

Oct 20, 2025

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my request was denied. The only assistance offered was a 20% dealership discount, which does not adequately address the issue. I believe this situation reflects: •A potential design defect (non-serviceable LED component) •Unreasonable repair costs due to lack of modular repair options •Failure of a component that should not fail under normal conditions in such a short time frame Desired Resolution: I am requesting that Volkswagen provide goodwill assistance to cover a significant portion (preferably full coverage) of the headlight assembly replacement. Additionally, I encourage Volkswagen to review this design approach, as it places an unfair financial burden on customers for failures of non-serviceable components. I am seeking a fair and reasonable resolution consistent with customer satisfaction and product reliability expectations.

NHTSA ID

11719144

Incident

Feb 19, 2026

My remote start no longer works since the VW update. Intermittent electrical issues with “check tail light” message. VW has changed the light and module and it’s still happening.

NHTSA ID

11716186

Incident

Feb 6, 2026