Complaint volume
464 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Volkswagen Atlas Complaints
464 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas, grouped by component category.
464 Total complaints
7 Crash reports
0 Fire reports
9 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are air bags, forward collision avoidance, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 7 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 9 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 137 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 20,914 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to air bags, forward collision avoidance, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Volkswagen Atlas?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Volkswagen Atlas
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas complaints?
7 Crash
0 Fire
9 Injury
0 Fatality
7 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Volkswagen Atlas complaint categories?
AIR BAGS 111
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 36
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28
SERVICE BRAKES 26
STEERING 21
ENGINE 19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 12
POWER TRAIN 12
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
464 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Vehicle has been to VW at least 10 times for same issue since 2021. Stalls at low speeds like in traffic or driving around neighborhood, and while decelerating from higher speeds causing a dangerous safety issue. Several components replaced some like the fuel evap canister and purge valve numerous times. Symptoms clear up for days or weeks at a time and than return. VW has been unable to correct this or or find cause, has had an “engineer” from VW look at it and cannot correct cause, only symptoms which than return. Evap canister and purge valve replaced numerous times, fuel tank and pump replaced, computer system flashed, nothing fixes the problem completely. Transmission was just replaced at less than 63k miles and failed again within 6 months second replacement just completed for transmission, VW had my truck from 4/30/2026 until 6/10/2026 and was unable to correct the stalling sputtering issue, and transmission continues to shift gears extremely hard at lows speed. The stalling issue is absolutely ridiculous that no solution can be found and the extended warranty VW provided because they can’t fix this runs out on the 31st of this month. I was only able to fix load 10!images of my work orders I have several kore if I can provide them somehow please let me know | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Hello, The auto start stop function on my vehicle has malfunctioned. The vehicle will turn off when coming to a stop and I am not accelerating (making turns). The vehicle also would not remote start. This happens even when the auto start/stop function is off. When taken to my local Volkswagen for diagnosis, they stated a new battery was needed and that I also had a gas tank issue ( stated that is was collapsing and that it was an issue with a lot of those models). I got a new battery and the issue was fixed for about a week and then it started doing the same thing again. Currently the auto start stop error appears at turn on along with the EPC (orange) light, remote start does not work, and will turn of when coming to a stop. This puts me and others at risk because the vehicle will have to placed in park and started again when making slow turns. Impacting drivers behind me because they are unaware of a sudden stop. The gas tank is a safety risk because according to Volkswagen mechanics the fuel tank can collapse and cause gas to leak in the street creating a fire hazard. This is also an issue because at times while filling the tank with gas, the pump will stop as if full, but it isnt. These issues have been confirmed with Volkswagen Savannah/AutoNation Volkswagen Savannah. The first warning light about the issue happened in January of 2026, in which the check engine light came on and the auto start stopped functioning. Thank you | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | SUSPENSION | The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the rear driver’s side of the vehicle. While the contact's wife was driving, the contact entered the rear back seat of the vehicle, where the sound was more pronounced. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact inspected and hit the rear driver’s side coil spring, which made the same abnormal clicking sound. The contact verified that there was no abnormal sound coming from the rear passenger’s side coil spring. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V904000 (Suspension), which the contact related to the failure. Both the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,800. | Crash: No Fire: No | 70,800 |
| Jun 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | XXX as my husband, child and myself drove from [XXX] to [XXX] our SUNROOF exploded. We heard a loud boom noise sounded like a balloon exploded. My little one started crying looked around and the sunroof shattered into tiny pieces. I called VW Customer Care according to them the agent she said she didn't see a recall but had heard somewhere that it's common. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | AIR BAGS | I am reporting a potential safety defect involving the airbag system of my Volkswagen Atlas vehicle. At approximately 65,000 miles, my vehicle displayed the warning message: “Error: Airbag, Faulty airbag.” Because an airbag malfunction creates a serious safety concern, I contacted my local Volkswagen dealer on September 23, 2025 to ask whether there was an active recall related to this issue. I was informed that there was no pending recall for my vehicle. I later contacted Volkswagen Customer Care because I was concerned about using this vehicle as a family vehicle for my two elementary school children. The Volkswagen representative informed me that there was an airbag recall affecting certain vehicles of same year/model and that an extended warranty/coverage was associated with that recall. However, when I contacted the Volkswagen dealership again, I was told that my vehicle was not covered because there was no recall and my vehicle was outside the warranty period. I am concerned that a known airbag-related safety issue may exist in vehicles of the same model, but my vehicle is excluded from the recall or extended coverage even though it is experiencing the same safety-related warning. I am also concerned about the inconsistent information provided by Volkswagen Customer Care and the dealership. I request that NHTSA review whether this airbag fault represents a broader safety defect and whether my vehicle should be included in any recall or safety campaign. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Multiple occurrences where forward collision warning goes off with no vehicles Incident 1. 5/15/2026 Road: Highway I-94 Weather: Clear and sunny Condition: Cruise control on, light traffic, nearest vehicle at least 4 cars in front, 2 vehicles behind and to the right (fast lane), driving in the middle left lane. Forward collision warning went off and took cruise control off. No vehicles stopping in front of me. Incident 2. 6/3/2026 Road: Urban side streets Weather: Clear and sunny Condition: Coasting towards a roundabout approximately 200' from the intersection, no vehicle in front, no vehicle behind, no animals, people or objects on the road. Forward Collision Warning went off under no threat of collsion. Incident 3: 6/14/2026 Road: 2 lane urban road. Weather: Dusk, clear, no rain, Condition: paved road, no animals, no vehicle in front, vehicle behind, approaching an intersection, coasting (light was yellow) towards intersection. , evening dusk, clear no rain, no precipitate, clear roads. Fwd. Collision warning went off, going straight. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The air conditioning drain tube clogged and leaked into the air bag control module and caused an entire electrical failure in my car with air bag sensors, braking, windows rolling down, doors locking and unlocking automatically while driving, etc as well as the carpet getting mold. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | SUSPENSION | The contact owns 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while his wife was driving 45 MPH, she heard a clunking noise coming from the rear vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear coil springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired as the rear coil springs are being repaired as of today. The contact related to the failure NHTSA Campaign Number:18V904000 (SUSPENSION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 89,000 |
| May 2026 | LANE DEPARTURE | When the lane assist is active the vehicle will launch the car into other lanes without any reason or warning. This has been an ongoing issue since we bought the car. When driving I have been launched into the the next lane over. At a stop light I have had the vehicle jump into the other lane. We have told the dealer about the issue and have been told it will be fixed with a recall. I don't see there is an active recall. The lane assist is more dangerous than it is helpful. It is a feature we paid for and cannot even use. My wife was driving the car on 5/26 during the rain and she told me the car would not stay in the center lane and kept moving her back and forth from one lane to the next creating a very dangerous situation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | For powertrain: failure of right front CV axle before 100k miles on a certified pre-owned vehicle; associated failure of shocks and struts in right front axle. The problem was inspected by an ASE certified VW mechanic, attested to be true and shown to us, and repaired. There were no warning lamps/lights, and the finding was made on a full vehicle inspection when brought in for a brake pad change. The issue appeared at approx 79000 mi on the odometer, 3 months after purchasing the vehicle. Obviously failure of the CV joints and components provide a risk to drivers and other motorists with the potential for injury due to steering and suspension failure during operation. Engine: the water pump was discovered to have begun to fail at approx 89000mi during a routine oil change service in May 2026. The mechanic states the issue is not noticeable without removal of the brush guard from under the engine compartment, and therefore may be missed by owners. A warning for “low coolant” is only shown once the level has dropped sufficiently. There is not currently a recall open for this part, confirmed with VW service center at a dealership May 27, 2026. This is harmful physically and financially for owners, passengers, and motorists as it can lead to catastrophic engine failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | Vehicle experiences intermittent front end vibration and shaking at highway speeds, sometimes during light braking. The vibration feels similar to driving over rumble strips and can become strong enough to affect steering feel and driver confidence. The issue occurs intermittently and is more noticeable at higher speeds. Volkswagen dealership inspected the vehicle and recommended replacement of the steering rack and tie rod components. During the inspection, I was informed the steering rack/tie rod related component was currently on backorder, raising concern that this may not be an isolated issue affecting only this vehicle. Front brake pads and rotors were replaced afterward through an independent repair facility in an attempt to correct the issue, however the vibration and shaking still continue while driving. Vehicle currently has approximately 87,000 miles. No warning lights were present at the time of the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | SUSPENSION | Both coil springs on vehicle failed under normal driving conditions. Less than 70k on the vehicle. We heard a weird noise while driving and saw one broken. When we brought in for repair, both were broken. VW has had recalls on similar aged vehicles but not ours. No warnings etc. Took picture of one but not the other because we didn’t even know it was broken. Dealership said cars are just not made like they are used to. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES | We purchased a 2019 Atlas in 2020 and recently had to take it to the dealership in [XXX] multiple times with no answers as to why the steering is shaking and the car vibrating at speeds over 50 mph. Apparently according to this complaint link, [XXX] it is very common and consumers have had the same poor response from their dealerships to fix this safety concern. I got a quite (PARTS ONLY) for $1181.85 and feel there is no way we are responsible for this cost to resolve an Atlas safety issue after expressing concern over and over and over again. File attached for your review. We have an impeccable driving record, have not had any accidents and take pride in our vehicle ownership. However, this experience over the past 8 months has been nothing but a nuisance and we are highly concerned for the safety of our family while driving the 2019 Atlas. Please review and contact us to resolve this matter at your earliest convenience. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | SUSPENSION | Both rear coils for my rear suspension broke at the same time. There was a recall for the 2019 VW Atlas back in January 2019 for rear suspension coils due to breakage. My vehicle was purchased in July of 2019. My VIN is not listed with the prior recall however I find it odd that after 56,000 miles both of my rear coils break at the same time. My car is used to travel to and from work on local roads (7.2 miles round trip). My vehicle is on its 3rd set of tires and I asked the VW dealership if there were any problems with my suspension because of the excessive wear. I was informed that everything looked fine and now both of my coils are broke. Luckily the breakage did not cause me to have a MVA, but with this known issue in the 2019 Atlas, I feel that my car should be covered under this recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I took my 2019 Volkswagen Atlas to Family Volkswagen in [XXX] on April 28, 2026. They were supposed to fix my airbag recall and I told them many times about the issues i've been having that is tied to the carbon canister/ purge valve issues on my car (extended warranty (VWP-23-04) They disregarded every thing I told them about my fuel tank audibly popping out, the vacuum seal on my gas cap, the start/stop intermittently working. They are charging me a $225 diagnostic fee and saying they can't do anything about it because the codes are passive right now. They see the code high purge flow (N80) and the carbon canister code, but are not listening to me about my issues. They keep telling me it's just a battery issue because of the start/stop error. A battery issue would not cause the gas tank popping noise/vacuum seal suction on the gas tank, or my car sputtering/dying. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Bad steering rack for 2019 Atlas VW. No recall announced but multiple vehicles having similar issues nationwide. Car has always had a small vibration in the steering and over time it has steadily gotten worst. I recently added new tires and an alignment. the problem is mechanical in nature and presents an extreme safety risk to the vehicle. The vehicle has been looked at multiple times in the past few years by a VW dealership. Nothing until recently has a problem been identified. VW dealership even mentioned “this should not happen with a vehicle that is this new” | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | I have a coolant leak. The first time presented to the VW service department, I was told it is a known issue and to add coolant if it isn’t a big leak or concern. I have been doing that, but now the leak is an everyday thing. I took it back to the service department and they said I need a new water pump and a belt. I asked about this known issue and they said I don’t qualify to have a recall for this. In researching this, I see because it is a known problem there is an extension of warranty to 8 years and 80,000 miles. My Atlas has 77,000 and I am requesting to have the needed repairs completed under the Good Will of Volks Wagen due to this being offered to other owners. Thank you for your consideration. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE | The contact owned a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds, when veering towards the left or right with the vehicle, the vehicle would turn in the opposite direction the steering wheel was being directed. The contact would have to turn the steering wheel in the desired direction to straighten the vehicle and turn it towards the intended direction. The lane assist would cause the vehicle to misread the direction of the road and turn the vehicle in the opposite direction. The failure had become progressively worse and more persistent. The contact stated that while driving past a driveway, the Lane Assist determined there was a curb near the vehicle, aggressively turning the vehicle towards the curb, causing the vehicle to crash into the mailbox near the driveway. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The mailbox was damaged. The contact stated that they received bruises to their hands from attempting to correct the direction of the vehicle, and no medical attention was needed. The police were contacted, and a police report was made; however, the contact was waiting for the police report identification number. After the incident, the contact learned that their vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags), which explains that the air bags may fail to deploy. The remedy for the recall had not been completed before the incident occurred. The dealer was informed of the failure; however, the contact had not heard back from the department that they needed to speak with. The manufacturer was contacted; however, a complaint was not filed. The contact was advised to call back to file with the correct department, which was closed at the time. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | 85,000 |
| Mar 2026 | SUSPENSION | I recently purchased this vehicle used on February 28. On March 20th, I hit a pothole not realizing that my driver's side and passenger side rear springs had broken. The driver's side is completely sideways with no support. I traveled with my [XXX] nieces and [XXX] nephew not realizing it was unsafe. When I took the car to the mechanic, he informed me that 2019 VW Atlas had a recall on the rear coil springs. My car was not included in that. It is currently unsafe to drive, and will require repairs. I have not made a car payment yet. There was a tire warning but when I checked the tires, they were fine so when I reset the warning, nothing came back as an issue. This put the lives of my young nieces and nephews at risk of serious harm. I would like VW to pay for the repairs but they won't because it's not part of recall 42J2/42J3, NHTSA recall 18V904000 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | Vehicle vibrates and rumbles at very low speeds and almost feels like the engine is giving out. I was told by my local VW dealership that the rack and pinion steering is failing and is the cause for this vibration. When attempting to have the problem resolved by their mechanics, I was told that it could take 30 days to get the part. After 60 days of waiting for the part, I cancelled the order and took my deposit back. I've recently learned that this part needed to replace rack and pinion can take up to 7-12 months to acquire. I am interested in seeing this mechanical issue being recalled by the NHTSA to have Volkswagen held responsible for such a travesty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving over a bumpy road surface at 5-10 MPH or at higher speeds, the front end of the vehicle shuddered significantly. The vehicle was taken to Firestone, where it was determined that the front stabilizer coupling rod had failed. The contact related the failure to Volkswagen Campaign Number: 40R1; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a power-steering rack and pinion failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the case was escalated to the supervisor. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 166,000 |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | Component Failed: ABS Braking System / Wiring Harness. Safety Risk: While driving at highway speeds with my service animal, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic ABS failure. The brakes became unresponsive, and the dashboard displayed multiple critical safety warnings, nearly resulting in a collision. Confirmation: The failure was confirmed by Schumacher VW (West Palm Beach) during a forensic inspection. They identified the cause as a corroded/damaged wiring harness—the exact defect visible in a diagnostic video from Jim Ellis VW one week prior. Warning Symptoms: "Front Assist" and sensor warning lamps appeared on [XXX]. I paid Jim Ellis VW for a diagnostic; however, they failed to repair the visible defect and later falsely denied to the BBB that the diagnostic ever occurred. Summary: This vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) has a documented safety defect that was identified by a technician but concealed by dealership management. This concealment led to a total loss of braking assist while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at Schumacher VW. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 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 17: Total loss of heat occurred during a highway drive without a dashboard warning lamp | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |