Complaint volume
109 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
2023 Volkswagen Atlas Complaints
109 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas, grouped by component category.
109 Total complaints
4 Crash reports
0 Fire reports
5 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, engine, 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 4 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 5 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 9 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 38,247 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to air bags, engine, 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 2023 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.
2023 Volkswagen Atlas
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas complaints?
4 Crash
0 Fire
5 Injury
0 Fatality
5 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2023 Volkswagen Atlas complaint categories?
AIR BAGS 19
ENGINE 13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8
SERVICE BRAKES 7
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 4
POWER TRAIN 3
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2
109 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | ENGINE | There was a recall on my PVC part in my 2023 atlas. An effect of a clogged pvc is an oil leak. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system relieves built-up pressure inside your engine. When it fails or clogs, this pressure traps air inside the crankcase. The excess pressure often forces oil out through the weakest points, which can mimic a bad seal or gasket. I took my car to the dealership in Md and they claim that I need to get new seals on several parts of my car but they claim that my oil leak its not related to the PVC. This is a 2023 car with one owner and no previous problems. There are thousands of complaints online about the PVC part continuing to fail and continuing to cause oil leaks in consumers cars. The oil leak has also caused my driving belt to fail and in my case shred while driving. This is unsafe and makes cars slow down instantly and can cause major car accidents. Why are consumers expected to pay for seal replacements when its related to failed parts on a car. The VW dealership said that my engine light would need to be on for them to say its a result of the failed PVC but my engine light was on when I dropped my car off. The dealership said they will not replaced parts that were effected from failed PVC due to car being out of warranty. My research tells me that Volkswagen is legally responsible. Because auto manufacturers are governed by strict liability laws, they are responsible for injuries and property damage flowing from the defective product they sold.VW wants consumers to pay $842 dollars to replace a part that cost less than $20. The VW company said that I needed to get my recall repair done earlier in order for them to honor the damages however Ive never seen a recall that came with a time limits on car repairs. This is highway robbery and VW needs to be held responsible for failing to maintain accountable and damages to consumers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The daytime running lights are not working. It is a safety concern by not being seen easily by oncoming drivers. No warnings were given prior to going out. This seems to be a common problem among same vehicle make and model according to forums on the internet. The only way to be repaired is to replace the entire headlamp assembly at a cost of $1500-$2000 which is not feasible. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When vehicle was pitched Feb of 2023 VW Atlas crosssport. The screen would go black and when I called Harnish VW of Puyallup in WA. They said they were aware of the issue and there was no fix. Recently saw online that VW was aware of this issue and that it could cause further damage to the vehicle and there is still no fix. My screen still goes out (black screen) and nobody has been able to fix it when asked about it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH he noticed the headlights were out independently. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that headlight assembly needed to replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 55,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,000 |
| May 2026 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Our Atlas’ engine will turn off unexpectedly from time to time. This usually happens when the vehicle is stopped whether it be at a stop light, stop sign, carpool, etc. We brought it to the dealership and the replaced a part and indicated it should fix it; however the problem has persisted. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,843. | Crash: No Fire: No | 33,843 |
| Apr 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | My vehicle is a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. It has a serious and recurring safety issue where the vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while driving. This has occurred on the freeway while driving at approximately 65–70 mph, which is extremely dangerous because the vehicle loses power while in traffic. After a previous repair at the dealer, the issue returned again after several months. The vehicle was previously scanned with a basic diagnostic tool, but no permanent solution was found. I have contacted dealerships, but I have had difficulty receiving assistance in Spanish, and I have been ignored when requesting Spanish-speaking support. Because of this, I will need to visit in person with someone who can help me communicate in English. I travel with my child in this vehicle, and the vehicle shuts off regardless of how long I have been driving, which creates a serious safety risk. This is a major safety concern as the vehicle shuts off without warning while driving at highway speeds. I am requesting a full investigation of this issue as a potential safety defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | I am reporting a significant safety compliance issue involving a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle and the fraudulent reporting of a safety recall completion. On March 21, 2026, I attempted to purchase the vehicle listed above. This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 22V753 (VW Campaign 13i4) regarding engine connecting rod failure. Before signing, I requested documentation proving the recall had been performed. The dealership staff repeatedly insisted that the recall "had to have been completed" as part of the CPO process. Upon my further insistence, the dealership finally admitted that the recall work had NOT been performed and stated it would "be completed on Monday." However, a check of the VIN on [XXX] and VW’s public portal shows "0 Open Recalls," indicating the dealership has officially marked this safety recall as "Closed" or "Completed" in the system despite the remedy not being applied. This dealership is actively marketing and attempting to deliver a vehicle with a known engine failure risk as "Certified" while falsifying federal safety records. This is a clear violation of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and poses an immediate risk to any consumer who might purchase this vehicle believing the safety defect has been remedied. Vin number is [XXX] I can't personally verify that the vin number falls within the lot described, however given their response was "our bad we're doing this on Monday" I can only come to the safe conclusion in my purchase decision that it does recall this recall procedure and that they fraudulently marked this recall as completed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the sound might be caused by unknown engine parts rubbing against each other. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V753000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 138,000 |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While driving on the highway at 65 miles per hour, my Atlas shut itself off. I had to put it into park and restart the ignition. It turned on after 2 attempts but just barely. It turned on and gave enough power to move forward very slowly but virtually no propulsion. It turned on briefly, I pressed the gas and then it shut off but had enough to cruise to get to the shoulder across the highway. There was no shoulder next to the lane I was in. Luckily the cars around me saw that I put my hazzard lights on immediately and did the same. Once at the shoulder, tho the system had shut down again... the Atlas suddenly engaged and sped up on its own. The control panel of the car was "resetting" itself still from the initial shutdown. The system appeared to reboot itself after putting into park and pushing the ignition button. And was still "processing" while I attempted to get it to the side of the road while it shutdown again. Once it was "rebooted" that's when the system appeared to "catch" and the car "sped up" by itself. Once all that happened, probably in the span of 5 minutes or so, I was able to drive 15 miles away safely to a gas station, turned off the car, got gas and it re-started like nothing had happened and drive fine home, about 2 miles further. The instrument panel including map and "driving screen" has shut down before while driving a few times, but never anything with the engine. While stopped at a light a few times, the car has previously "shut itself off" and restarted fine after being put into park and restarting ignition. This is by far the worst and most dangerous experience I've had that could have resulted in a fatal collision, had the cars around me not also been paying close attention and helped me out by slowing behind me and creating awareness for others approaching at 65-75 MPH as well. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | Current mileage: 55,000 miles, and the warranty expired at 50,000 miles. Shortly after the expiration, a bunch of warning alerts started to pop up, along with a solid yellow check engine light. I had the error codes read, and it came back as, “P2402 SAE: EVAP System Leak Detection Pump Control Circuit: High." In order for any work to be performed, VW demands a $212 diagnostic fee in order to even determine what is wrong with the vehicle. If the EVAP pump is found to be bad as the code suggests, it would cost anywhere between $700-900 to fix. So, I took to Google to figure out what is going on. There are pages and pages of documentation from other VW drivers who have the exact same issue. So, why has it not been listed as a safety recall yet? That's what I want to know. Many VW drivers reported that they were given a warranty extension for this KNOWN issue, so I thought...that's all it would take for me to be happy. So, I called the same dealership back and was told that my vehicle is ineligible for the warranty extension even though I am experiencing the exact same issue of the people who were given the warranty extension. Many other VW customers have reported this known issue as well because VW is aware of the issue but is not doing anything about it. As far as I know, the car runs fine, but the alerts and check engine light are there every time I start up the car and never go away. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others is put at risk every time I drive. When I get into my car, several alerts go off. Very distracting and dangerous. When I go to back out of my driveway, the backup camera works for a few seconds and then blacks out and goes back to the main screen and starts beeping new alerts. Very dangerous. As I am driving, all of the alerts are going off again, thus distracting me behind the wheel. With the codes present, it will not allow me to use remote start on either my key FOB or in the app. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My sos light has been disconnected for days and VW customer care will not put in an IT ticket until it hits a certain amount of time and then I would have to wait another 20 days to hear back from them. Not having this feature working is not safe and I also cannot use my app to start my car which is frustrating. I’m hearing it was created by some satellite update VW pushed through causing many people to have this issue. It needs to get addressed and not at the customer’s expense which is what the dealerships are doing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | My car windshield as cracked where the rearview mirror attaches. The crack is approximately 10 inches long. This was not caused by road debris or a small pebble. Almost one year to the day this is the second, very similar windshield crack. Is there product defect inherent to the VW Atlas windshield ? Please investigate this. Thank you. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that on the first day the vehicle was purchased, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the carbon canister and evaporative (EVAP) canister had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the carbon canister and evaporative (EVAP) canister had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE | While operating my vehicle, the engine shuts off and stalls unexpectedly, including while driving at low speeds. When this occurs, the vehicle loses power and must be manually restarted, creating a dangerous situation, especially in traffic. This issue began within the first year of ownership and has continued despite multiple service visits. Early on, the dealership was unable to diagnose the issue and at times stated the condition was “normal.” Volkswagen dealerships later identified the issue as related to a defective canister / EVAP system component. The same component has required multiple repairs, including a repeat failure after the initial repair. Volkswagen issued an extended warranty covering this defect. Despite these repairs, the vehicle continues to shut off and stall, including while driving. The vehicle has also experienced remote start failures with messages instructing the driver to manually start the engine, which a dealership confirmed is related to the same defect. This creates an ongoing safety risk, particularly because I transport children in the vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE | The oil separator / PCV system on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas failed prematurely, causing oil leakage and abnormal crankcase pressure. This resulted in oil escaping into the engine bay and related components. Failure of this system can lead to oil contacting hot engine surfaces, potential fire risk, loss of oil pressure, and possible engine damage. The defect occurred well before expected service life. Volkswagen has issued a service action related to premature oil separator/PCV failure, indicating the manufacturer was aware of this issue. However, owners were not proactively notified prior to failure. This appears to be a pattern issue affecting multiple vehicles. I am concerned about the safety implications and the risk of repeat failure even after repair. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | ENGINE | Engine turns off completely traveling at moderate speeds in drive gear while approaching and then stopped at lights or stop signs. Issue became more constant and prevalaint with time. Message then shows up " Please start engine manually P". Vehicle then has to be put in "park" and manually restarted. All this is completed in a panic and a rush as your are on a road with traffic and cars behind you. Randomness and type of stall makes it difficult to document issue live and in it's entirety as it happens. Issue cannot be foreseen. This is a very dangerous situation and a accident waiting to happen. This is a known issue on this model VW commencing in prior year models as documented by thousands online on forums, chats with documented fixes. Such as one being extended warranty "VWP-23-04 on part. VW dealers visited refuse to address potential causes or related parts as issue cannot be "recreated". Have presented documentation of times and dates this has happened and pictures of dash message but since vehicle "technically" doesn't show a FAULT, issue is not being addressed by dealers. VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ENGINE | Complaint Summary: The PCV valve (oil separator, part number 06Q103495F) has failed twice within 20,000 miles on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T. The first failure occurred around 50,000 miles and was repaired under warranty. The second failure happened around 70,000 miles, after warranty expiration. Description of Issue: In both cases, the failure was identified when the low engine oil warning light appeared, followed by visible oil leakage across the top of the engine and the catch plate area. Upon inspection, oil was found covering surrounding components, and the dealer confirmed the PCV assembly had failed and was leaking internally and externally. The PCV system is integrated into the valve cover, and when it fails, it causes crankcase pressure loss, oil blow-by, and potential engine damage or fire risk if oil contacts hot components. This is not normal wear; it’s a known recurring failure on EA888 2.0T engines used across multiple VW models. Safety Concern: A leaking PCV valve can cause: •Excessive oil consumption •Oil spray onto engine components, posing a potential fire hazard •Unstable idle or stalling due to vacuum imbalance •Risk of engine damage if crankcase pressure rises The part has been revised multiple times by Volkswagen but continues to fail prematurely. The lack of a recall or warranty extension leaves owners paying for repeated replacements of a defective component. Request: I urge NHTSA to investigate widespread premature failures of the PCV/Oil Separator assembly (06Q103495F and superseding parts) on Volkswagen EA888 Gen 3 engines used in the Atlas, Tiguan, and other VW/Audi vehicles. This appears to be a design flaw rather than a normal maintenance issue and could lead to oil fires or mechanical damage if ignored. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I bought the car in 2023 with 700 miles on it. Since then when coming from a stop the engine delays for about 5-10 seconds when pushing the gas, it eventually goes and happens often but not every time. Another issue is when coming to a stop the car turns off without any warning. When you try to go you have to put it back in park and start the car again. This has happened about ten times in two years. The last couple of times it has happened more regularly and in dangerous situations. I have brought it to two different dealerships as I have a 5 year warranty. First one told me they couldn’t replicate the issue but only drove the car 1 mile. Second drive it 30 miles and also told me there was nothing they could do. I started a case with VW and they called back saying they may have an idea and i need to bring it back for a third time but they have silent since. They also refused to tell me what it was they wanted to check. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Daytime Running Light failure at 36K Miles on one side. Entire assembly requires warranty replacement with ACC sensor calibration. Appears to be a common issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The car engine shuts off while driving at slow speeds ... many times while parked at a red light. The instrument cluster displays 'Please restart the engine'. The shutoff happens while the vehicle is in Drive mode. It is very dangerous and the VW dealership is not acknowledging the issue in spite of several online reports of it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/191339898236209/posts/1665305790839605/ https://www.vwatlasforum.com/threads/atlas-shutting-itself-off.3005/page-2 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Daytime running lamps on both left and right side have failed and no longer working. Right side lamp failed first at roughly 95k miles on vehicle and was followed by left side failure at approximately 100k miles on vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My 2023 VW Atlas is stalling out in high temperatures. When you mash the accelerator, at times the vehicle will not go. From my online research, many others are experiencing this same issue and have found resolution involving charcoal canister + purge solenoid, fuel pressure sensor and software updates. The EVAP and fuel system could be tested manually. However, VW says because no codes show up, there is nothing wrong with the vehicle and will not provide any help whatsoever to me. This is going to get someone killed. I have taken to local dealer plus reached out to VW corporate with no help. My car is under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Head lights not fully functioning. Day time running lights not providing adequate visibility. There have been many complaints and many owners experiencing this issues routinely around the same amount of miles. There was no indication of the issue in any way shape or form on the dashboard . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I believe the charcoal cannister failed in my situation. I was driving my car on the highway in stop and go rush hour traffic and my car stalled out. I had to put it in park, press the break and the start button to get it going again. I was very close to getting rear ended. No warnings came on and no codes are up for the dealership to fix. I went to the dealership and they stated they couldn't recreate the problem and don't see a code, so therefore cannot fix anything. This same issue is noted in many instances online and in forums and chats about the 2023 atlas. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |