This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The vehicle shuts down while driving. It has happen 3 times. Auto start/stop is disengaged each time. One incident (6/19/20) while driving 50mph, had to coast into a parking lot & restart the engine. Another (8/19/20) when slowing down to go into our driveway. Took the car to the dealer after each of these incidents. They could not diagnose the issue. Dealer has contacted VW tech & engineering. We have started file with VW customer care. We were instructed by VW that the next time it happens, leave the car where it stops & to call customer care for a tow. We also have had an issue with one key not being recognized by the car on several occasions. Today, the instrument display & the radio shut down while idling at cvs (auto start/stop was off).
When driving the vehicle the brakes will automatically engage slamming the car into a stand still and potentially being hit. There are sensors that activate the brakes and they go off when there is nothing around to set them off. Took the car in. They could not duplicate the problem. They called the tech assist line and they acknowledge this is an issue that they have heard of but will do nothing about it. They say if the brakes slam on then the sensors are working. This was happening to my car daily and I honestly was afraid to drive the car. This is a total safety issue for your car to slam on the brakes for no reason in an unsafe location. I have turned the maneuver braking off but I paid a lot of money for that feature that does not work safely. I also get other random warning lights that go off for no reason. They plug it in to look for codes and nothing shows up so they do not feel there is a problem to address.
Car just stops when leaving a parking lot and my driveway, no other cars are in the area. Braking is jerky alert system goes crazy with no one around the car just stops. This happen to us a total of 7 times so far. I the first time I reported to the dealer was on June 8 the car had 500 miles. Went back to the dealer late June and they test drove the car with us. It didnt stop but the service manger did witness the sensitive alerts and stated that he would contact the field manager. No follow up from the dealer was received for three weeks. This dealer is not acting in good faith. Then he says that there is no updates to the collision warning system and told us to call customer care. I have a 43,000 car that I am afraid to drive.
While driving 35mph, no one in either direction, flat street surface, braking system went on with the alert on dash and noise.it has happened 4 times where the cars braking system turns on, brakes while accelerating, and then it takes several seconds before you can move from the intersection, hoping not to have a collision from car that is behind.took to the dealers several times and they cannot verify. The engine light was on for several weeks.one dealer said they cannot see me for another 2 weeks. Called VW headquarters to get me in sooner. The triangle light with exclamation point was also on. The key light was on as well while my car was running, stating the keys were not in the car. When I went to accelerate, car turned off. Sunroof was leaking--have a video remote keys do not work all the time. Start up has issues, doors lock when I am close to the car for no reason, doors do not unlock from the inside until I turn on the car, the rear door does not open at times- have a video, if keys are in pocket, doors do not unlock easily(was told I have to hold the handle correctly or it will not open) the side alert system goes off all the time when nothing is there. Front windows would not go down -on receipt they stated they found windows were fine. Advisor told me that the button on the door was burned out, but they did not write that in the report. Steering issues where the car was moving right to left and very loose.
The vehicle was traveling at 25mph and we were about to cross railroad tracks. Just before reaching the tracks, the front assist system engaged and the vehicle applied the breaks automatically and came to a sudden and full stop. There was no reason for the system to engage since the road and the tracks were empty and the railroad ramp was in the upright position.
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
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While driving at low speeds, exiting a parking lot with a downward slope towards a street, the car's autonomous emergency braking system activated, immediately causing the vehicle stop unexpectedly. No other car was in front of the vehicle, indicating that the system perceives the road as an obstacle. The unexpected stop caused another vehicle behind me to nearly rear-end my vehicle. Additionally, they aeb system did not allow me to quickly restart acceleration, which left me temporarily stranded for a couple second perpendicular to the street.
Panoramic sunroof popped and shattered while driving on the highway. No evidence of any rocks or debris hitting it prior to it exploding. Glass showed outward depression, not inward, after cracking.
Vehicle would turn off while in drive. Originally happened when going in reverse up a hill, vehicle warning to put into park and manually restart. Happened 2 more times and was brought in for repair. Dealership was unable to duplicate the issue. It happened again and was brought back to the dealership. They contacted VW and recommended the fuel pump be replaced. They completed the repairs. Then a week later while driving on the parkway at approx. 75 mph the vehicle began slowing down, I was driving in the middle lane, I was able to start to get over to the shoulder as the vehicle started declining speed, I was unable to use the gas, so I was almost coasting to the shoulder. Then it stated put in park and start vehicle manually while the vehicle was still in drive and at a speed of 45. I was able to get to the shoulder and parked the vehicle, everything locked up. There was an epc light on, a check engine light. The vehicle was towed.
The remote start does not work and check engine light is on. It started around 1500km and went away after awhile. Now check engine light is back on and the remote start stop working again. This is so frustrating knowing the car does not even have 5000km.
I bought my brand new Atlas in October. We decided on Atlas due to the great safety ratings. Within a few weeks, the Atlas was in the shop for O2 sensor #1. the check engine came on while driving on a state road. A few weeks later it was in for replacement of steering rack. The extremely loud noises started while driving on a state road. A few weeks after that the second O2 sensor replaced. The check engine came on while driving on a state road. Now I have an appointment to bring it in on Monday because the remote start that I use every morning stopped working Tuesday. As of today, it hasn't even hit 3,000 miles.
I purchased this vehicle 5 months ago and it has less than 6K miles on it. Yesterday, while driving in the rain, I noticed the storage nook under the radio compartment was wet. I looked up and saw water dripping from the ceiling on passenger side console. I did take video of dripping. It dropped water while moving and at a complete stop, so long as it was raining. I've looked online and see this is a very common complaint on forums. I brought my vehicle to VW dealer today at 8am and it is still there at 3:32 am. I called to get a status and the return call said that I need a new drainhose and that it needs to be ordered. They said it will be in 2 days and they will call to schedule repair. I asked what happens if subsequent damage is caused by this issue and was told "we usually just have to replace carpet". this tells me that they're well aware of this defect. This dealership does not give loaner vehicles. I'm nervous after reading numerous complaints about this and reading of people who've had their vehicle in the shop repeatedly for this problem. I'm filing a complaint on my first go round because of all I've read and the response I got from the dealership.
We bought this new vehicle on November 8, 2019. An extremely strong odor protruded from this vehicle inside the cabin when the vehicle was idling and when turned off. It smelled like burning paint or an engine burning smell. It was nauseating and made my six year old son very sick. This was our primary and most important, vital concern and worry.
Forward collision avoidance false(unprompted) activation- conditions-4 lane road with center turn lane, weather dry, daylight, traffic moderate. Driving straight at 30 mph steady speed with no cars ahead in close proximity the car detected an obstacle and entered autonomous braking almost to a complete stop. My wife was driving and I scanned all directions for a potential hazard. There were cars in the center turn lane but none entering or exiting from either direction or even making slight steering corrections that the sensors could have interpreted as a impending collision threat. Fortunately no cars were close behind us that could have resulted in a rear end collision. Although this is the first event for our Atlas our friends Atlas has had multiple similar events that they have tried to recreate the scenario with no success. The dealer was not able to find any faults with their car. We have yet to bring our Atlas in for diagnostics.
The gas consumption is below what Volkswagen claims and advertises. Our car averages 14 mpg instead of 19 mpg. On user forums, other Atlas owners have complained about averaging 14 mpg. When we put the car in reverse, it starts to roll forward. The transmission jolts while driving. Since we got the car, the check engine light has been on for an evap leak. The dealership "fixed" it. However, several hours later, the check engine light came back on.
Vehicle auto locks with rfid keys in the car which locked child in the car. Driver entered vehicle using rfid key fob (using touch sensor on door), placed 1.5 year old child in the rear passenger side 2D row seat into an approved 5pt car seat and shut the door. Driver placed purse with key fob into passenger seat and shut the door. Walked around to place older child into driver side 2D row seat the door was locked and could not be opened. All doors were locked due to a 45 second timeout feature. The keys and child were locked into the car requiring first responders to break the driver's window to unlock the car from the inside. The alarm sounded upon breaking the glass, and when the unlock button on the driver door was pressed, the doors unlocked and the key fob was retrieved to silence the alarm. The child was in the vehicle for over 20 minutes in a ca desert. This occurred on an air force base, where first responders logged and reported the incident.
Auto braking system causes car to brake when exiting a driveway. Alerts to the road as an obstacle when going down an incline. The system reads road as an obstacle, like a person or car. Braking system causes car to brake leaving driveways. Car comes to a complete stop, engine cuts off with car in traffic - oncoming traffic. This is the brake manuevering system - reads road as a hazard causing the car to automatically apply the brakes. Brakes are applied suddenly and the force is as if I am being hit at a high speed from behind. That is what I thought happened. Takes 15-20 seconds to restart the car, during which time I 'm in traffic or half in traffic and half in the driveway subject to great bodily harm from other cars those that do not expect me to be stopped there or from cars behind me this places me, my family, passengers and other drivers at great risk of harm. This has happened numerous times and at numerous different speeds. Each time I have been lucky to have avoided being hit. I have been told that this is how the car is designed and that there is no fix for this except to turn off the system which also turns off the system should a hazard appear before my vehicle. I was required to turn off the system myself because VW has stated it is a liability for them to turn it off. The date listed is the first time it happened but it has happened close to a dozen times. I have taken the car in twice only to be told that there is nothing they can do as the system is operating as designed. VW has told me that the system cannot differentiate and to ensure the braking does not go on (although it will still beep and alert) I must exit all driveways no faster than 3 mph. When exiting into high traffic areas, such as where I live this will place me at grave danger.
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 of our panoramic sunroof had exploded. The shade was open and the tempered glass fell on our entire family including two children aged 7 and 4. there was no impact from an outside object. The initial picture shows what it looked like from inside the car immediately after this occurred. We closed the sunshade to stop glass from falling into the vehicle until we could get to a safe spot. The two pictures from outside the vehicle are after the sunshade was closed. The final picture shows glass inside the vehicle next to my son's feet.
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.
- El Paso, TX, USA
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- New Lenox, IL, USA