Complaint volume
148 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
2024 Volkswagen Atlas Complaints
148 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, grouped by component category.
148 Total complaints
6 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
6 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 service brakes, unknown or other, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 6 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 6 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 6 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 9,587 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to service brakes, unknown or other, engine?
- 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 2024 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.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas complaints?
6 Crash
2 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
2 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2024 Volkswagen Atlas complaint categories?
SERVICE BRAKES 21
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13
ENGINE 11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10
POWER TRAIN 9
AIR BAGS 7
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 4
STRUCTURE 4
VISIBILITY/WIPER 4
148 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | I have a certified 2024 VW Atlas with 22K miles. I noticed a strong rattling when braking at higher speeds. And the breaks are constantly squeaking. The VW dealer said the brakes looked good. I took it to Brake Master and they did a full inspection and found the brakes were in a descent shape but the rotors were severely damaged and had some stress fractures. Notes from BM: Check front brakes approx. 10 millimeters 10mm pads Left 1.194 Right 1.192 Rotors glazed and hot spotted. Looks like hardware was scraping for a whole at one point. Rear Brake pads have approx 10mm remaining. Rear rotors have extreme heat glazing rings around them. Appearance seems that new brake pads were installed without addressing any rotor issues. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The rear camera of our vehicle has been intermittently failing for the past year. The VW dealer has not been able to repair as it is an intermittent issue. Today the entire screen wouldn't turn on to even be able to control the HVAC system, and it was a cold day. Luckily the rear has separate controls so my kids weren't freezing in the car. I was going to take it to the dealer today, but the screen started working again and the service advisor said not to bring it in if it's not broken. We have brought this car in several times for the reverse camera not functioning with no repairs done. All we are told is the mechanic resets modules and it should be good. There was a recall for this issue which was performed. The problems occured more frequently since the recall was performed, but I'm always told that they can't fix what's not broken, which I understand. This is a large vehicle not having a reverse camera working properly at all times is a big safety concern that is being dismissed because they can't figure it out. I'm in a hard place. I can't leave them the car forever as it's the car we drive our kids in. They won't give us a loaner as they are not required to. Are we just stuck with a car that has an intermittent safety concern with no remedy? I have video of it not working, but it won't let me upload it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | volkswagen atlas 2024 brake noise with maneuver braking function currently not available light coming on after first couple stops. I have recording and everything and showed to vw dealership they said this is normal. I used to work on brakes this is not normal. It is so bad every looks at it and this is a new car. It happens ever morning. Cold wet or not just doesn't brake well from start of the day. They claim stuff builds on the disc and has to burn off but thats for new brakes and rotors only. During the noise the light comes one braking function is not available. What I see in the car is almost like a a slippage where the car kind of feels like it is on ice but your foot is all the way down. This has done that from day one. They said they cant fix it. I fear someone is going to get hurt soon,because it affects the stopping power. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | Strong steering-wheel shake and brake-pedal pulsation when braking from highway speeds. The condition appeared when driving at highway speeds while taking my family on a trip in the mountains and began shaking violently when braking, so much so we nearly had to pull off the road. The vehicle has never been tracked, towed heavy loads, or abused in any way. Issue was inspected and the service provider told me this is normal wear and tear from driving in the mountains. We have only had the car for over a year and has 12,344 miles currently. Service provider will not fix, stating it is not covered under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | I have a horrible noise when breaking it sound like scratching and water behind the dashboard it’s horrible noise. We are afraid to use it because we think that we can run into an accident because of the sound on the breaks. The vehicle is working normal it’s just the sound that Is horrible. Nobody wants to take responsibility we took it to the dealership many times and they are blaming to the manufacture breaks company and that is an issue that they are aware of the existence because every month they run certification to theirs cars and they experience the same issue with their breaks form Volkswagen atlas 2024 and they are blaming it to the manufacture for the breaks they install to many of this suv. My advisor recommend me to change the break pads be he wouldn’t take full responsibility that the noise can go away. He told me it’s normal sound and the sound is going to keep coming back because the problem comes from the breaks. Nobody have make this into a recall and no agents want to file this as a recall. We pay 1,200 dollars every month in this lease and the sound keep happening we need some solutions as soon as possible this need to be file a a recall so they can stop installing this breaks to future cars and the problem can get bigger than what’s already is. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | In low temperature conditions. Typically under 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the brakes will produce a high pitch grind/squeal noise. It’s a very concerning voice. Dealership says it’s normal, but there is no way it can be. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | The brakes are extremely squeaky and it terrible grinding sound whenever I braked. It sounds like water going back and forth under the car. I have taken it to the dealership multiple times. I requested a test drive of the vehicle. Their response is yes, vehicle was driven. its the same noises my coworkers have with their own atlas. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The brakes are grinding, pads were checked at local shop and were noted to be 11mm and should not be grinding | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I’ve owned the Atlas for a little over a year now and throughout the year the vehicles infotainment system and electrical system has had several recurring issues. I’ll get notifications while I’m driving of the front and rear sensors being inactive, the entire infotainment system will periodically reboot while driving, the automatic braking system unexpectedly engaged on a couple occasions - even when there was not a collision hazard, the systems Bluetooth connectivity will go on and off while driving which affects my ability to use gps and creates a distraction while trying to correct, the infotainment system will crash while I’m in reverse which takes away the use of the back up camera, and just the other day the voice control activated while I was driving (without being prompted) and I couldn’t deactivate it without manually rebooting it while I was driving. I did a few google searches to find a resolution but it appears many others are having similar issues. These recurring issues have distracted my attention while driving and have created some dangerous situations that could have easily caused a crash or incident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ENGINE | October 27th- As my husband was parking at work, the vehicle suddenly refused to shift into any gear—Park, Reverse, or Drive—and defaulted to Neutral. The dashboard displayed a warning message: “Risk of Rolling! P not possible. Please apply parking brake.” Despite multiple attempts, the Atlas could not be shifted or safely parked. After several failed tow attempts, VW Roadside Assistance successfully towed it to Ourisman Volkswagen of Laurel. As parents of young children (ages [XXX] , [XXX] , [XXX] , and [XXX] ), this experience was nothing short of terrifying. We drive this vehicle for school drop-offs and daily errands—had this malfunction occurred in traffic or at highway speeds, the outcome could have been catastrophic. We are grateful that no one was harmed, but this incident has left us traumatized and unwilling to transport our children in this vehicle again. This is not merely a mechanical inconvenience—it is a critical safety and reliability failure. A nearly new vehicle should never exhibit such dangerous behavior. For this reason, we are respectfully requesting that Volkswagen initiate a buyback of this 2024 Atlas and allow us to part ways with a vehicle we no longer feel safe operating. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE | While driving down a one way, my infotainment system completely shut down. The infotainment system controls lane assistance, blind spot sensor, A/C, radio etc. So when this occurred, all of the sensors in the vehicle also stopped working. As I attempted to change lanes, another vehicle was approaching on by driver side but was located in my blind spot. Because I didn't see anyone and the alert on my side mirror didnt go off, I assumed the lane was clear and attempted to merge. As I began to merge I noticed another vehicle in the lane at the last minute and clipped it (front driver side fender with passenger side of vehicle) before returning to my lane and eventually pulling over to assess damage. Prior to the accident an attempt to have the infotainment system recall addressed by VW was made but they scheduled the appointment almost a month out (November 5th, 2025). Due to this, I had to continue driving an unsafe vehicle with no safety alert features placing myself and my family at a higher risk of danger. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The braking system and driver assist feature (“Maneuver Braking Function”) on my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas have repeatedly malfunctioned. The vehicle displays the warning message “Maneuver Braking Function Currently Not Available,” accompanied by loud grinding and mechanical noises when braking. The issue began shortly after purchase and has persisted despite three separate service visits to Volkswagen of Wesley Chapel. During these visits, the dealership noted they are aware of an issue with the Atlas Brakes but they had not seen it occur with the error message coming up. Later, the service team claimed they replicated the issue and said it was caused by the car being left in “transport mode” at delivery. I was told that removing transport mode fixed the problem, but the same symptoms and warnings reappeared on my drive home. At my third visit, I was told the car was never in transport mode and that this was a known issue with the VW Atlas that could not be repaired but that they were concerned with the error message. They said they removed the error message- but did not actually fix anything that could prompt the error message. Upon leaving the car is contuing to make the same sounds, grinding and produce the error message upon braking. The problem has been reproduced and acknowledged by the dealership but not corrected. The braking behavior remains inconsistent, and the grinding sensation suggests a mechanical fault. Because this affects the braking system and a safety assist feature, it poses a risk of reduced braking performance or delayed response time in traffic, putting occupants and others at risk. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | software-related problem affecting the infotainment system and connected electronic sensors, including the loss of backup camera, loss of dash screen control information (black out). Loss of defrost control since it is part of hvac system controlled by video screen. Loss of sensors front and rear. Dealer has seen the car. We have called a week later. No expectation of a fix or timetable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | All of the lights keep coming on for all of our systems. Collision avoidance, cruise control, automatic braking, blind spot. Radio screen goes black and cannot work anything on car including heat. Car will just randomly go into limp mode. Very unsafe for this to happen while driving on highway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | The info system screen goes blank. It will intermittently go off and return on before shutting off completely. The info screen is the only way to operate the air controls. This makes the vehicle unsafe to operate when conditions require air adjustments to keep a clear windshield. This issue also causes numerous dash alerts. Rear and front collision plus maneuver braking. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Volkswagen has a bad software patch that has impacted VW Atlas' nationwide. Infotainment systems including the front and rear safety cameras as well as car controls are not accessible because the infotainment system is completely off. This is impacting the entire nation and dealerships are unable to provide updates. This is a huge safety concern. People will get hurt because of this outage. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Over the air software update causing the infotainment system to fail and shut down causing all the safety systems to not work. The infotainment system in this car also contains the climate control, am/fm radio, hands free communication, and all charging devices which will not work either. VW has no solution, resetting the system does nothing ( hard or soft). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | The infotainment center is not working- the screen is black. I am unable to see any of my cameras, change my air/heat- it is currently set to cold and it is freezing when I drive my car, I can’t use my map or hands free calling. This is very unsafe and none of the safety features are working. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES | My 2024 Volkswagen Atlas SE began collecting visible moisture inside the rear tail light assembly less than 18 months after purchase. Over time, this led to intermittent lighting failure, sometimes the lights function, sometimes they don’t. This is a safety concern, especially at night or in poor weather. After researching the issue, I found that this is a widely reported problem among VW Atlas owners and has even been referenced in VW’s own Technical Service Bulletin 94-22-01, which is published in the NHTSA database. The bulletin calls this “normal condensation,” but this is beyond that there is visible water pooling and electrical malfunction and I know of others who report the same thing. VW is down playing this to avoid the recall. Despite being under extended warranty, this is not covered because VW considers it cosmetic unless there’s proven seal failure. The vehicle is available for inspection and has been evaluated by a certified VW service center. Volkswagen needs to address this as a design or sealing defect, especially when it affects vehicle safety systems like brake and signal lights. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Without warning, CarNet stops working. This is unsafe because folks get faulty directions, which causes concerns and confusion and the following safety features do not work without warning, Automatic Crash Notification, Manual Emergency Call, Roadside Assistance, Anti-Theft detection, and Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance. An online search reveals a ton of issues with this since they started offering CarNet. Also, module “burned up due to bad luck” per Southpoint Volkswagen dealership in Baton Rouge. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ENGINE | Car will not downshift RPM when pulling out of my lane and accelerating. The car will only go around 15 rpm but the car will be revving so high like it's in 3 or 4 rpm. I have to let off the gas to to bring it down to that rpm and then can accelerate again. This is a huge safety hazard. Be of these times a car is going to hit me that I didn't see come around the semi blind corner that I need to drive out of. It's also had overhead lights that blink and come on by themselves despite me having to turn them off, they just come back on. Brakes feel like I'm breaking them underwater. They've squealed going backwards from the time I drove off the lot. I'm bro g told this is normal. I've had the car in twice to be looked at. These are huge safety risks. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | Brakes make a horrible squealing noise when lightly applied. IT gets worse when its colder and sometimes sounds like water rushing. Dealership said this is normal even though the car is only a year old. This is not normal | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | I was driving on the freeway in the right lane and the lane assist forced my steering wheel to turn right causing me to collide into a concrete guard rail. Previous to that my car had been having electrical malfunctioning issues with the screen and radio. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1. While backing up and going over grass (not curb), brakes slam on. Passenger was leaning forward while this happened and it abruptly jolted him. He thought I did it but my foot was on the gas to back up. Car rarely detects a large curb though. Service could not reproduce. Started in March 2025 2. While driving behind a car that is slowing down or turning, brakes will (sometimes) slam on and a loud beep and red symbol on the dash appears. While I know this is a safety feature, it happens at random. It doesn't always work at times when I am very close to a turning vehicle that decelerates quickly, and it will happen when I am also decelerating and several car lengths behind a car. Cause me to almost slide into oncoming traffic on one occasion. Service could not reproduce. Started April 2025. Still happening. 3. While driving 75-80mph on the highway (posted speed is 70mph), car suddenly braked and rapidly decelerated to a speed of 35mph (not a posted highway speed). This has happened several times over the past few months. Thankfully, no one was behind me or they would've smashed into me. Service disabled the feature so now I'm paying for a feature that I cannot use and doesn't work correctly. However, it is on many other VW's and could cause a serious accident to the unsuspecting driver. April 2025. 4. Windows go down at random when pulling up lever to close. Service blamed on my vent visors and says it is a safety feature to prevent injuries. However, my daughter had her arm out the window and it did not stop going up and ended up pinching her arm in the window. I had to lower it with my lever. Service cannot replicate and gives me the same reasoning every time. Ongoing since Sept. 2024. 5. Car sometimes lags/hesitates when taking off from a stop. When trying to quickly enter traffic, this could cause a car to hit me if the car isn't getting up and going like it usually does. Service could not replicate. Started May 2025. Still ongoing | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Breaking is very harsh when the car is cold. Makes rough sounds and feels like having grinding rocks between breaking pads and disc. Sounds could also be described like being under water. Very unsafe to break. Breaks very rough and sudden. No pump action on the breaks when is performing like this. Dealership acknowledged the problem saying is a recurring situation but they say there are no safety issues with it and refuse to fix it or change the unit in 3 different occasions. They cleaned the breaks offering a temporary repair but this did not fixed anything. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |