2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS Complaints

THE BATTERY DIED IN THE INTERSECTION SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS DRING WAITING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT MADE ME IN DANGER. THIS IS A ONE YEAR OLD VEHICLE. I HAVE DRIVEN 6 BRAND VEHICLES SO FAR IN MY LIFE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE BATTERY DIED. I THINK VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

ON OCT 28 THE CAR STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE START-STOP ENGINE SHUT OFF, THEN WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE BATTERY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CRANK THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK CAR TO THE VW DEALER WHERE 7 RECALLS WERE SERVICED AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED. 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DRAIN ON THE BATTERY AND THE COMPUTER DOESN'T KNOW TO AVOID START-STOP BRAKING WHEN POWER IS TOO LOW TO START THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT BUT THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER PROBLEM AND COULDN'T RECREATE THE ISSUE WHEN THEY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS THREAD: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T73111_DS837472 WHERE THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND PUTTING MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WITHOUT POWER.

WHILE DRIVING MY VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS SE WITH TECHNOLOGU IN THE LEFT LANE OF A TWO LANE ROAD (EACH WAY), THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY AND FORCIBLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. UPON THIS CHANGE IN DIRECTION I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO CORRECT THE CHANGE IN DIRECTION AND TO AVOID HITTING A VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT LANE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE USING THE 'LANE ASSIST' FUNCTION WHICH I HAVE USED EVER SINCE OWNING THE CAR (4 MONTHS). THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE VEHICLE CORRECT THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING WITH LAB ASSIST ON AND I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A FORCEFUL CHANGE IN DIRECTION.

AFTER MAKING A LEFT U TURN ON A LOCAL ROAD, I HEARD A LOUD "EEEK" SOUND AND THEN THE CAR BECAME DANGEROUSLY SHAKY. THE MECHANICS AT THE VW SERVICE CENTER TOLD US THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AXLE WAS BROKEN. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN 2300 MILES WITH IT SO FAR. VW CUSTOMER CARE HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ASSURE US THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE, ONLY TOLD US THAT THE REPLACED AXLE WILL HAVE A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. WE HAVE LEFT MULTIPLE VM FOR THE CUSTOMER CARE PERSON WHO'S SUPPOSED TO HANDLE THIS CASE BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. IT HAS BEEN 2 DAYS ALREADY. WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN A VW VEHICLE AND THE WAY THEY RESPONDED TO THIS ISSUE SHOWED TRULY HOW LITTLE THEY CARE ABOUT VEHICULAR SAFETY AND QUALITY

I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 VW ATLAS WITH 8,800 MILES ON IT ON 11/5/18. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CAR'S ENGINE DID NOT TURN BACK ON FROM IDLING AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD STARTED GOING OFF TELLING ME VARIOUS THINGS. I DO NOT THINK HAVING AN ECOFRIENDLY CAR IS WORTH IT TURNING OFF TO NOT TURN BACK ON WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO FIXED THE CAR TELLING ME THAT THERE WERE SOFTWARE UPDATES AND THAT THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. THE PRINTOUT FROM WORKING ON IT SAYS THAT THE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM IS GOOD BUT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE INTERNALLY, ON A CAR THAT'S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OLD. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE MY KEY, WOULD NOT TURN ON, AND ESSENTIALLY WAS USELESS IN TRAFFIC AND EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I AM THANKFUL MY CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR. VW CLAIMS THE PROBLEM IS FIXED BUT READING OTHERS COMPLAINTS I AM DOUBTFUL AND AFRAID THAT IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS HAPPENS, WITHOUT WARNING, AGAIN. I CANNOT HAVE THIS HAPPEN DUE TO SAFETY REASONS, BEING A SINGLE PARENT OF TWO YOUNG KIDS, AND I HAD TO ALSO MISS A DAY OF WORK TO DEAL WITH A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. I AM ALSO WONDERING IF THIS PROBLEM HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY CAR HAVING AN OIL SPILL AFTER AN OIL CHANGE THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID INCORRECTLY IN AUGUST. THEY DID NOT TIGHTEN THE CAP TO THE EXTENT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED AND OIL SPILLED ALL OVER MY GARAGE, STAINED IT, AND IT'S NEVER COMING OUT. VW FIXED THAT AND GAVE A FREE OIL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE? I REALLY HOPE THAT DID NOT MESS UP MY NEW CAR AND CAUSE THIS NEW ISSUE TO HAPPEN. I CANNOT HAVE ANY MORE ISSUES HAPPENING WITH THIS CAR AND THE BATTERY/COMPUTER ISSUES NEED TO BE FIXED SO THAT THEY DON'T EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 10/31/18 AND ON 11/4/18 WE ARRIVED AT A RELATIVE'S HOME IN WESTCHESTER. THIS AREA HAS NO SIDEWALKS OR PARKING LANE. WE PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE STREET TO PARK. THE STREET IS A SLIGHT HILL AND THE SHOULDER WAS VERY UNEVEN. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS UPHILL. MY HUSBAND HAD CUT THE WHEELS TO TH E ROAD WHEN PULLING IN. ONCE IN PARK AND THE CAR OFF, HE EXITED AND WALKED BEHIND THE CAR TO COME ROUND AND HELP ME GET OUT ON THE ROUGH SHOULDER. BEFORE HE MADE IT TO THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWNHILL INTO THE STREET. I INSTICTIVELY WENT FOR THE SHIFT. THE SHIFT WAS ALREADY IN THE PARK POSITION BUT THE CAR WAS MOVING! BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A VERY STEEP HILL, THE ELEVATION CHANGE AT THE TRANSITION FROM THE DIRT SHOULDER TO THE ASPHALT ROAD STOPPED THE CAR WHEN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL MET THE ASPHALT EDGE. THIS ROAD IS NARROW AND WINDING. WE WERE FORTUNATE NOONE WAS COMING ROUND THE BEND. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP 30-40% INTO THE CAR LANE WITH NO DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL. IN ITS SIMPLEST STATE IT APPEARS THAT THE TRANSMISSION PARK GEAR DID NOT ENGAGE, YET IT WAS DEFINITELY IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE A MANUEL PARKING BRAKE. TO BE HONEST, THE HILL WOULD NOT HAVE SEEMED TO WARRANT THE NEED FOR A PARKING BRAKE IF THE PARKING GEAR WERE ENGAGING PROPERLY. WE HAVE JUST CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED IGNORANCE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEMS EVER EXISTING. HE SUGGESTED WE MAKE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT & HAVE THE AUTO CHECKED OUT. I SUSPECT SO THEY CAN FORMALLY TELL US IT IS OUR IMAGINATION. AFTER READING THE COMPLAINTS ON FILE, I AM SORRY WE DID NOT LOOK HERE BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT VW OR ANY OTHER CAR MANUFACTURER SEEMS ANXIOUS TO CORRECT DESIGN FLAWS UNTIL THERE ARE SUFFICIENT DEATHS.

AFTER OWNING AN ATLAS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, I PICKED UP MY 2 YEAR OLD AND PUT HIM IN HIS FORWARD-FACING CAR SEAT IN THE 2ND ROW. AS I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AS WE APPROACHED A RED LIGHT (NORMAL STOP - NOT A HARD BRAKE BY ANY MEANS), THE SEAT THAT MY 2 YEAR OLD WAS SITTING IN SLAMMED FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WITH MY CHILD SCREAMING AND CRYING, I QUICKLY PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURNED AROUND TO PUSH HIS SEAT BACK INTO THE NORMAL POSITION. MY CHILD HAD A MINOR ABRASION ON HIS FOREHEAD BUT FORTUNATELY, THE HEAD PROTECTION ON EITHER SIDE OF HIS HEAD TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT. THE CAPTAINS CHAIR MUST HAVE NOT BEEN LOCKED INTO PLACE. AFTER INVESTIGATING FURTHER, I FOUND THAT I REALLY HAVE TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET THESE SEATS TO LOCK INTO PLACE. SIMPLY PUSHING THESE SEATS INTO PLACE WILL NOT LOCK THEM (I KIND OF HAVE TO SLAM THEM BACK TO GET THEM TO LOCK). IN MY OPINION, THESE SEATS SHOULD LOCK INTO PLACE MUCH EASIER. I COULD EASILY SEE MANY CHILDREN SUSTAINING INJURIES (OR WORSE) IN THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THIS FLAW.

WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING IN OUR WEEK OLD 2018 ATLAS WE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND MY WIFE WHO WAS SECURELY SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE SEATBELT ON ALL OF A SUDDEN HIT THE DASHBOARD. WE PULLED OVER AMEDIATELY AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION WE FOUND OUT THAT THE SEAT BELT BECAME UNSTITCHED FROM ITSELF BY THE FLOOR ANCHOR.

WHEN VEHICLE TRAVEL DOWN AN INCLINE LIKE A DRIVEWAY, THE EMERGENCY BREAKING FEATURE WILL UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE AND SUDDEN STOP. WHEN THIS OCCURS, I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. I AM REQUIRED TO CHANGE GEARS AND/OR RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS POSES A EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE AS THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF A PRIVATE DRIVE AND ON TO A ACTIVE ROADWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A SIDE ON VEHICLE COLLISION. ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SERVICE MANAGER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. SERVICE MANAGER ALSO TESTED ANOTHER VW ATLAS ON THE SALE LOT WITH THE SAME FEATURE. SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WITH THE OTHER ATLAS AS WELL. SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, REPORTING THE VEHICLE IS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED." THIS ISSUE POSES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE NO ONLY TO THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD. VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN GIVEN NOTICE OF THE ISSUE AND REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OF TAKE ACTION.

BATTERY ISSUE- THE START/STOP FEATURE DRAINS THE BATTERY. A 2018 ATLAS BATTERY DIED WHILE THE CAR WAS ON AT AN INTERSECTION. WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. IT CAUSE EVERYTHING TO TRY OFF AND STEERING AND BRAKING WERE IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AT VW AND THERE IS NO RECALL.