2019 Volkswagen ATLAS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Volkswagen ATLAS has 693 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 8.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: air bag error light showed up when i turned on my car, under 3,000 miles on car car was driven the night before and driver reported air bag error light flashing and then remained steady on..

9 crash reports 11 injuries

693

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

8.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

137 complaints

20%

• AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT SHOWED UP WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR, UNDER 3,000 MILES ON CAR CAR WAS DRIVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND DRIVER REPORTED AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT FLASHING AND THEN REMAINED STEADY ON.
• STRUCK A LARGE POTHOLE WITH DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL WHILE TRAVELING 15MPH ON A ROUNDABOUT WHICH APPARENTLY CAUSED THE SIDE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. NO BODY DAMAGE AND NO APPEARANCE OF SUSPENSION DAMAGE. TIRE AND WHEEL REMAINED INTACT, DROVE STRAIGHT TO DEALERSHIP FOR CLOSER LOOK/EXPLANATION AS TO WHY
• PURCHASED A 2019 ATLAS SE4MOTION. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. THE SUV HAD 40000 MILES ON IT. THIS WAS ON A SATURDAY 12.19. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER ON 12.21, VW SAID IT WAS A MODULAR PROBLEM. CAR WAS FIXED A WEEK LATER BUT THAN AIR BAGS ACTIVATED. THE CAR WAS FIXE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT SHOWED UP WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR, UNDER 3,000 MILES ON CAR CAR WAS DRIVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND DRIVER REPORTED AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT FLASHING AND THEN REMAINED STEADY ON.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

99 complaints

14%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINED ROAD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM BEEPED WHILE ERRONEOUSLY SENSING SOMETHING WAS AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DISPLAY THE PERSO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINED ROAD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM BEEPED WHILE ERRONEOUSLY SENSING SOMETHING WAS AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DISPLAY THE PERSO
• CAR HAS STOPPED ABRUPTLY IN TRAFFIC ON TWO OCCASION IN WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INNOCUOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. FIRST WAS TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON A SLIGHT DECLINE AND NO HAZARDS, SLOW MOVING MODERATE TRAFFIC (ABOUT 25 - 30 MPH), WHERE THE CAR WAS COASTING (DRIVE NEITHER ACCELERATING OR BRAKING) IN PE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINED ROAD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM BEEPED WHILE ERRONEOUSLY SENSING SOMETHING WAS AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DISPLAY THE PERSO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

76 complaints

11%

• MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SAFETY FEATURE ENGAGED WHEN DRIVING ON AN INCLINE OR OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THE SAFETY FEATURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AREA EMITTED A BEEPING AND GRINDING NOISE
• CAR BRAKES BY ITSELF THINKING THERE IS ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY EVERYTHING IS OK DONT FOLLOW TO CLOSE. THEY SEEM TO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF OUR CAR. THIS COULD BE A PRETTY BAD SITUATION IF THE VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

71 complaints

10%

• MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL
• UPON ACCELERATING MY 2019 VW ATLAS DOWN AN EMPTY STREET BETWEEN 10 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR THE AUTONAMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CAR SUDDENLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP JOLTING US FORWARD. IT WAS SO UNEXPECTED THAT MY HANDS SLIPPED OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND LANDED ON THE DASH BOARD.
• WHILE DRIVING A WARNING BEGAN TO FLASH STATING,"ONLY EXIT VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION." THE A/C WILL NOT BLOW HARD AND THE HEATED SEATS NO LONGER WORK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE ELECTRICAL IS NOT WORKING. WITH EQUIPPED LANE ASSIST, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ITS ACCURACY. THE CURRENTLY HAVE ACKNOW

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

61 complaints

• DEFECT IN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. ALSO, INCORRECTLY CODED DATA CONTAINER WHICH FAILS TO PROVIDE AUDIBLE WARNING WHEN THE DRIVER OPENS THE DOOR WHICH INCREASES RISK OF VEHICLE THEFT.
• WATER COLLECTING ON FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD. A/C DRIP LINE PINCHED OR DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY IS THOUGHT TO BE RESPONSIBLE
• ON THE TENTH DAY OF OWNING OUR BRAND NEW VEHICLE, WE WERE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 74 AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND IN THE LOW 90S. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND AND THE FRONT PANEL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DEFECT IN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. ALSO, INCORRECTLY CODED DATA CONTAINER WHICH FAILS TO PROVIDE AUDIBLE WARNING WHEN THE DRIVER OPENS THE DOOR WHICH INCREASES RISK OF VEHICLE THEFT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 693 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT SHOWED UP WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR, UNDER 3,000 MILES ON CAR CAR WAS DRIVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND DRIVER REPORTED AIR BAG ERROR LIGHT FLASHING AND THEN REMAINED STEADY ON.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINED ROAD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM BEEPED WHILE ERRONEOUSLY SENSING SOMETHING WAS AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DISPLAY THE PERSO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY BATTERY DIED WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF BRAKES OR WHEEL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)