2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS Complaints

WE HAVE A FRONT FACING CHILDSEAT INSTALLED IN THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER CAPTAIN SEAT AND A REAR FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE THIRD ROW. THIS CONFIGURATION IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE INFANT SEAT HAS A BRACING BAR THAT IS DIFFICULT TO RAISE AND LOWER PROHIBITING THE CHAIR FROM ANGLING FORWARD FOR CLIMBING IN AND OUT OF THE THIRD ROW. HOWEVER, WE HAVE LEARNED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WITHIN THE FIRST MOMENTS OF DRIVING/ACCELERATING, THAT THE 2ND ROW CAR SEAT MAY SPRING FORWARD FORCEABLY, SMASHING THE FACE AND BODY OF OUR RESTRAINED 4 YR OLD CHILD INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE SEAT IS TOO HEAVY AND LOCKS IN THE FORWARD POSITION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH BACK, TRAPPING THE CHILD UNTIL AN ADULT IS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND PULL THE SEAT BACK FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE SEAT INITIALLY APPEARS TO BE LOCKED IN THE CORRECT PLACE, OR IS AT LEAST STABLE ENOUGH FOR THE CHILD TO CLIMB INTO HER SEAT, BUCKLE IN, AND THE TRIP TO BEGIN. AT SOME POINT THEREAFTER THE SEAT PROPELS FORWARD. WE ARE UNCLEAR WHETHER THE LATCH FAILS OR IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY ENGAGED. THE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SCARY, AND HAS RESULTED IN A BLOODY LIP, AND ABRASIONS AND CONTUSIONS TO OUR CHILD'S FACE. IN THESE SITUATIONS, UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO SAFELY RESPOND, WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO SEE OUR CHILD'S TERRIFIED EYES AND HEAR HER CRYING. WE ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHER HEAD AND NECK INJURIES AS THE SEAT ROCKETS FORWARD EXTREMELY FAST AND WITH SIGNIFICANT FORCE. WE ARE UNSURE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE EVENT WE SWITCHED HER SPOT WITH AN INFANT SEAT INSTEAD.

NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION AT TAKE OFF; PASSENGER DRIVER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR WEATHERING SEAL COMING OFF; NOISE COMING FROM STEERING WHEN TURNING SOUNDS LIKE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT FAULTY.

WE PURCHASED OUR VW ATLAS ON AUGUST 24, 2018. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO OCCASIONS WHERE THE SECOND ROW SEAT HAS HINGED FORWARD WHILE OCCUPIED BY OUR SEVEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN HER CAR SEAT WITH THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. IN BOTH CASES IT HAS BEEN THE SECOND ROW SEAT ON THE RIGHT. IN BOTH INSTANCES, OUR DAUGHTER WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER'S SEAT WITH SIGNIFICANT FORCE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING DOWN HILL AT A SLOW SPEED TOWARD A STOP SIGN. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN MOVING FASTER AND COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT SEVERE INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED INSTANTLY TO HER. WE FEEL THAT THE POP UP INDICATOR LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE SEAT IS AN INADEQUATE MEANS TO INFORM THE DRIVER THAT THE SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE FLOOR. WE MISSED THIS VERY IMPORTANT INDICATOR ON TWO OCCASIONS NOW. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND WENT THROUGH ALL NOTIFICATIONS ON THE CAR WITH THE SALESPERSON, THIS WAS NOT BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. AT MINIMUM, THIS VERY TECHNICAL VEHICLE SHOULD ALERT THE DRIVER BEFORE DRIVING (SIMILAR TO THE SEATBELT NOTIFICATION) WITH BOTH AN ORAL AND VISUAL ALERT THAT THE SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OR USERS OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR DAUGHTER WHO IS TRAPPED AGAINST THE PASSENGER SEAT UNTIL THE DRIVER CAN STOP THE CAR AND MOVE THE SEAT BACK. SHE NO LONGER WANTS TO SIT IN THAT SEAT. THIS CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE A POSSIBLY LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE TO VALIDATE A SAFETY RECALL. WE HOPE THAT ACTION IS TAKEN TO KEEP ALL PASSENGERS SAFE.

THE MOST CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE IS THE MALFUNCTIONING AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, IT HAS SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION, PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, IT SHUT-OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE STOPPING TO PAY THE PARKING ATTENDANT BUT FAILED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND MANUALLY RESTART THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES WHEN I HAVE TURNED OFF THE AUTO START/START WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE ONLY TO HAVE IT REACTIVATE ITSELF AND SHUT-OFF THE VEHICLE WHEN I STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. OTHER ISSUES INVOLVE THE "INFOTAINMENT" SYSTEM AND CLIMATE CONTROL ELECTRONICS. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE RADIO HAS TURNED ITSELF ON AFTER I HAVE TURNED IT OFF. AS FOR THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, IT PERIODICALLY DEACTIVATES THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CLIMATE CONTROL AND SHUTS OFF AIRFLOW TO THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND I HAVE TO MANUALLY RESET THE SYSTEM THROUGH THE BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD. THESE EXPERIENCES INDICATE THE VEHICLE ELECTRONIC AND SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ARE UNSTABLE AND THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE ISSUES, AS THEY HAVE RECURRED AFTER THE DEALER CLAIMED TO FIX THE ISSUES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY IN THIS MALFUNCTIONING VEHICLE. THE DATE BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT EVENT INVOLVING THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN MID-FEBRUARY 2018, APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE.

2ND ATTEMPT AT REPAIRING OIL LEAK OCCURRING FROM ENGINE BAY LOCATED AROUND OIL FILTER HOUSING ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE. WAS NOT PROPERLY TORQUED FROM FACTORY ON FIRST OCCURRENCE HOUSING COULD BE TURNED WITH A WRENCH. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE TOOK 2 MONTH AFTER OIL CHANGE TO SHOW SAME SYMPTOMS. THIS OCCURS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS AND VEHICLE RARELY SEES DIRT ROADS.

I HAVE HAD THIS CAR TWO MONTHS AND IT HAS NOW BEEN IN SERVICE TWICE. AS OF TODAY THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS. THE AUTONOMOUS BREAK SYSTEM IS WAY TOO SENSITIVE AND THE CAR STOPS GOING DOWN STEEP INCLINES OR GOING OVER POT HOLES WHILE IN MOTION. THE CAR HAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AT LEAST 7 TIMES. I TAKE IT TO SERVICE, THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECORD IN THE CARS COMPUTER OF THE INCIDENT. THE FRONT SENSORS ARE ALWAYS BEEPING. I PULL UP TO A STOP SIGN, THE SENSORS GO OFF. I DO A U-TURN AND THE SENSORS GO OFF. SOME DAYS WAY TOO EXCESSIVELY, SOME DAYS NOT AT ALL. IT SCARES ME TO DEATH AND I SLAM ON MY BRAKES BECAUSE I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO HIT SOMETHING. I TAKE IT TO SERVICE, THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECORD OF IT IN THE CARS COMPUTER. FRONT END COLLISION ALERT, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END COLLISION ALERT WENT OFF. I OF COURSE SLAM ON THE BRAKES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC, THANK GOD NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I TAKE IT TO SERVICE, THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECORD IN THE CARS COMPUTER OF IT. SERVICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SENSORS, BUT SAYS THERE IS NO FIX. THE CUSTOMER CARE REP FOR VW STATED TODAY ON THE PHONE THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SENSITIVITY OF THE AUTONOMOUS BREAKING BUT HAS NO FIX FOR IT SO I WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. I LIVE IN HOUSTON, I WILL DIE IF I HIT A POT HOLE AND STOP. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. I AM READING ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKING PROBLEMS. IT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE. I WAS ABLE TO VIDEO THE ISSUE WITH THE SENSORS AND VW HAS THE VIDEO AND RECOGNIZES A PROBLEM BUT STATES THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE CAR IS GOING TO WORK. STATES THEY SEE THE ISSUE THERE TOO, BUT THERE IS NO FIX.

WHEN DESCENDING AN INCLINE AT SLOW SPEED TO TURN ONTO A ROADWAY THE SENSOR PERCEIVES THE ROAD AS AN OBSTACLE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO AUTO-STOP PARTIALLY IN THE ROAD. I THEN HAVE TO DISENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND BEGIN AGAIN. THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE. IT HAS HAPPENED 10 TIMES WHEN LEAVING MY OWN DRIVEWAY.

FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE 'LANE ASSIST' FEATURE MISINTERPRETS FREEWAY ON RAMPS AND OLD TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION LINES AND VEERS THA CAR AWAY. THIS DRAMATIC SUDDEN TURNING CAN SWERVE THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER LANE, OFF THE ROAD OR INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY DAY DURING NORMAL DRIVING.

THE AUTONOMOUS BREAKING SYSTEM AND PEDIATRIAN WARNING SENSORS ARE MALFUNCTIONING MAKING MY CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. SINCE IT'S PURCHASE IN JANUARY 2018, THE BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP AT LEAST 10 TIMES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CAN RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM WHEN I AM MOVING SLOWLY ON AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. IN ADDITION, AS I SLOW DOWN TO APPROACH A STOP SIGN OR A RED LIGHT, THE ALARMS GO OFF SUGGESTING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE ROADWAY AT LEAST HALF OF THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY LOCAL VW SERVICE STATION THAT THERE ARE NO ERRORS BEING RECORDED BY THE CAR'S SYSTEM THAT CAN BE CORRECTED AND AT THIS TIME ALL ATLAS CARS THAT THEY HAVE TESTED ON THE LOT ARE HAVING DOING THE SAME THING. THEY WERE ABLE TO RECREATE THE AUTO-BRAKING ON A HILL ON THEIR LOT, BUT HAVE NO WAY TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING. ON SATURDAY, 8/18/2019 WHILE I WAS SLOWLY PULLING OUT OF A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN DOWN AN INCLINE THE CAR BRAKES LOCKED UP AFTER I ENTERED THE ACTIVE ROADWAY- AS A RESULT I WAS NEARLY T-BONED BY A CAR THAT HAD JUST MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO THE SAME ROADWAY. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THAT DRIVER WAS MOVING SLOW ENOUGHT TO STOP. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED VW CAR NET, I WAS CONNECTED TO MY DEALER, AND THEY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. AS I MENTIONED ABOVE, AFTER 5 DAYS THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE INITIATED A COMPLAINT WITH VW OF AMERICA AND AM WRITING TO TELL YOU THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A CAR THAT WILL STOP ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD WAY. I DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY TO BE THE VICTIMS OF A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT AND WANT THIS PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE THERE IS A CATASTROPHE FOR ME OR ANOTHER ATLAS OWNER. PLEASE ME KNOW HAVE OTHER INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM.

VEHICLE STOPS SUDDENLY AND SHUTS OFF. SLOPED DRIVEWAYS. VEHICLE IN MOTION APPROACHING END OF ANY DRIVEWAY WITH CERTAIN ANGLES WILL SUDDENLY SLAM ON THE BRAKES AND SHUT DOWN, LEAVING STRANDED UNTIL RESTART. POSSIBLE TO BE REAR ENDED OR HIT FROM ANY DIRECTION WHERE TRAFFIC MAY BE COMING FROM. SENSORS BEEP QUICKLY RIGHT BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. THE VEHICLE HAS PLENTY OF GROUND CLEARANCE.