Complaint volume
433 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
2021 Volkswagen Atlas Complaints
433 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas, grouped by component category.
433 Total complaints
8 Crash reports
1 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 exterior lighting, air bags, 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 8 crash reports, 1 fire report, 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 36 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 21,554 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to exterior lighting, air bags, 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 2021 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.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas complaints?
8 Crash
1 Fire
9 Injury
0 Fatality
10 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Volkswagen Atlas complaint categories?
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 47
AIR BAGS 37
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 33
ENGINE 28
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 25
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 25
SERVICE BRAKES 22
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 13
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 11
STRUCTURE 11
433 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) DISENGAGES AND SHOWS ACC ERROR, IF THE CAR WAS REMOTELY STARTED AFTER THE SUV IS PARKED WITH ACC STILL ON. DRIVER MUST TURN OFF THE CAR AND MANUALLY RESTART, OR ENSURE THAT THE ACC IS TURNED OFF BEFORE NEXT REMOTE START. VW IS AWARE OF THIS AND IT IS COMMONLY DISCUSSED ON ALL VW CONSUMER FORUMS. VW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND DESCRIBES IT AS A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING PROBLEM. STILL NO REPAIR, AND WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO US WHEN PURCHASING. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THIS PROBELM ON THE VW FORUMS. DEALERS ARE CLAIMING ALL SORTS OF REASONS FOR THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY OPERATOR ERROR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 245 |
| Feb 2021 | WHEELS | THE VEHICLE COLLECTS SNOW/ICE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING CAUSING IT TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE. RCM FROM VW CALLED TOLD ME TO KEEP DRIVING WHEN IT IS VIOLENTLY SHAKING BECAUSE THE SNOW WILL MELT WHILE YOUR DRIVING IN -10 DEGREE WEATHER. I HAVE HAD VEHICLES THAT COLLECT SNOW WHEN IT IS PARKED OR GO THROUGH A 15 INCH TALL DRIFT BUT NEVER THIS BAD AND NEVER WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER MULTIPLE TIMES ON A 35 MILE DRIVE ON PAVED ROADS TO CLEAN SNOW OUT AND RISK GETTING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES. WHICH HAS ACTUALLY ALMOST HAPPENED TWICE. OTHERWISE IT STARTS TO SHAKE SO BAD I FEAR I WILL LOOSE CONTROL AND ROLL THE VEHICLE. HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME WE GET A SNOW STORM. I HAVE HAD OR DRIVEN OVER 20 VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE COLLECT SNOW WHILE I WAS DRIVING 55-65 MPH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,100 |
| Feb 2021 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | MY WIFE'S 2021 ATLAS CRUISE CONTROL HAS NOT WORKED SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY 2020. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE VIA REMOTE START (APP OR REMOTE) IT DISABLES THE ENTIRE FRONT END COLLISION SYSTEM AND THE CRUISE DOES NOT WORK. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 3 WEEKS IN TOTAL NOW WITH NO FIX IN SIGHT. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THAT WE WAIT 6 WEEKS TO SEE IF WE QUALIFY FOR THEIR LEMON LAW STANDARDS. NO LOANER WAS OFFERED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50 |
| Dec 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MY WIFE HAD JUST GOTTEN ONTO INTERSTATE AND TIRE LIGHT COMES ON. WAS TRYING TO GET TO NEXT EXIT TO CHECK BUT HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND THEN CAR STARTED SWERVING. GOT TO SIDE OF ROAD AND ALL THE TIRE WAS GONE FROM RIGHT REAR EXCEPT RIM BEAD AREA AND ABOUT 1 INCH OF SIDEWALL. NEW CAR WITH 680 MILES USING PIRELLI SCORPION ZERO 265/45 R21 104T TIRES THAT WERE FACTORY INSTALLED. AFTER TOW REPAIR REPLACE WITH SPARE TIRE I LOCATED ALL THE TREAD TIRE AGAINST MEDIAN WALL ON HIGHWAY WHERE IT HAD STOPPED. EXCEPT FOR HAVING SEPARATED FROM RIM BEAD OF TIRE IT WAS INTACT. IT WAS LIKE A RUBBER BAND WITH NO SIDES. HAVE HAD THE 2021 ATLAS FOR 10 DAYS AND ONLY 680+ MILES ON TIRES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 680 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, I STARTED MY CAR AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN THE RAIN. AFTER BACKING MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN PROPELLING FORWARD, WATER (EASILY 1.5-2 CUPS) CAME OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ONTO THE PANELING BELOW. THE WATER CAME OUT OF THE BUTTONS AS THEY WERE PUSHED ON THE PANEL. IN ADDITION, THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, YOU COULD SEE THE CONDENSATION IN THE BUTTONS. AS A RESULT, THE AC/HEAT PANELING DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE CAR, THE PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP AND AT TIMES, I COULD NOT TURN OFF SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS. THIS HAPPENED FOR AT LEAST 4 DAYS. I CALLED MY VW DEALERSHIP ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29TH WHEN I DISCOVERED THIS. HOWEVER, VW COULD NOT FIT ME IN TO LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND. ALSO TO NOTE, THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND GONE OFF SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. I WILL ALSO ADD THE ENTIRE DRIVER'S SIDE CEILING FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE SUNROOF WAS SATURATED WITH WATER. ONE PUSH OF THE FINGER AND WATER WOULD COME SEEPING OUT OF THE CEILING. AFTER TAKING IT TO VW THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH ANY SEALING OR ANY LEAK. I FEEL CONFIDENT THE SUNROOF WAS SHUT WHILE MY CAR WAS OUTSIDE AS IT HAD BEEN RAINING/SLEETING FOR A WEEK AND I HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE SUNROOF. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Oct 2020 | AIR BAGS | I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE AROUND THREE WEEKS AGO. IT IS A BRAND NEW 2021 VW ATLAS. TWO DAYS AGO THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH INDICATING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM/ISSUE WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG. MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE ISSUE FIRST AND SAID THAT IT OCCURRED WHEN HE STARTED THE CAR INITIALLY. THE LIGHT SEEMS TO STAY ON WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 800 |
| Aug 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS AND IS RENDERED USELESS WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED UTILIZING REMOTE START. VEHICLE MUST BE STOPPED TURNED OFF AND STARTED WITH PUSH BUTTON IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE MALFUNCTION AND USE CRUISE CONTROL. VOLKSWAGEN USA TECHNICIANS TOLD DEALER TECHNICIAN THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 150 |
| Jul 2020 | SEAT BELTS,SEATS | REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS CAN BECOME CAUGHT IN OVER-SHOULDER SEAT RELEASE LEVER (AFFECTS ALL REAR SEATS, EXCEPT MIDDLE BENCH SEAT). THIS CAN PREVENT SEAT BELTS FROM RETRACTING PROPERLY. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WHEN MIDDLE ROW SEATS ARE RETURNED TO SEATING POSITION FROM FOLD-DOWN POSITION. THIS SLIGHTLY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE T TO BE SEAT TO RELEASE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,086 |