2018 Volkswagen Atlas UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I buckled my son in his car seat and set my purse in the passenger seat and walked around the vehicle and in about 10 seconds it locked itself WITH the keys inside. The engine was off and I live in Tx so it was already very hot in the car. We used a pole through the cracked window to click the unlock button on the passenger door, we hit it twice and the car did not unlock, then I used a hanger to click the unlock button on the driver door. I clicked it and the car still did not unlock. We then tried breaking the windows and were unable to break the glass with a hammer, tire iron, rock, and even a high velocity Pellet gun. We were able to pull the trim from around the window on the outside and bend the glass out just far enough to use the hanger to pull the handle and get into the car. The car should never have locked with the keys inside, the unlock buttons INSIDE the car should have worked when pressed 3 times. Glass is great. Very strong but I was terrified when it would not break.

We replaced a cracked windshield in our VW Atlas, and we now need to replace it again. This vehicle seems prone to windshield cracks, as we are not aware of a rock hitting it. This crack started at the very top edge of the windshield, and has grown to about 20 inches.

Front pillar near roof and windshield is leaking significant water creating a driver safety hazard during hard rains

Volkswagen North America (VW NA) manufactured this vehicle with an incorrect HVAC refrigerant (R134A) low pressure service port. It does have the correct R1234YF high pressure service port. Besides this configuration being against federal emissions laws, it poses a public safety threat in that the incorrect system could be connected to the car and possibly ignite the flammable R1234YF refrigerant. VW NA has refused to correct this problem, even though the vehicle was brought into service under warranty, as the vehicle is currently a couple months out of warranty. A complaint with the EPA will also be filed as this vehicle was manufactured in violation of federal law.

My vehicle keeps giving me the message that “Park Pilot is not working” and the backup camera does not work.

Rear backup camera and overhead camera malfunctioning. Backup camera does not activate when car is in reverse. Overhead camera does not activate when button is pressed. Makes parking very difficult especially when reversing in parking lots. Problem appeared infrequently initially, but overtime it is now malfunctioning the majority of the drives.

Car hesitating and sounding as if it would shut down while lunging while idle. While braking downhill, car shakes violently, when either braking or coasting to a stop car begins lunging back and forth, while stopped or parked, car shakes back and forth from engine area. Fuel pump replaced, spark plugs and coils replaced. Did not fix the issues. Within 600 miles same issues started to come back. Check engine light started flashing again today and is now steady. Car seems to be extremely unsafe and of course all warranties expired. I started contacting the dealership before it expired and they did not return any of my messages. I was never able to talk to a person when calling the dealership.

Took my 2018 Volkswagen Atlas which I bought around 9/1/18 to my dealership for a failing battery. My car has 17,347 miles and I routinely take my car for the appropriate service. The test report on the battery states it is "worn out". Normally Volkswagen warranties this battery for 36 months and I was over this time frame for about 4 1/2 months. I feel that based on my driving and use for this car, that the battery is defective. I just want to make your agency aware of this particular part, as it is expensive to replace. $243.00 for the battery and $132.00 labor. Total $378.24 with tax. Perhaps other people have experienced this repair for a low mileage car and in my opinion not a very old vehicle. Thank you. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Water pump failure

I HAVE A 2018 VW ATLAS SE NOTICED THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE TRUNK OR BACKDOOR FROM WITHIN THE CAR. THIS HAS TO BE DONE FROM THE OUTSIDE AT ALL TIMES. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURE VW CUSTOMER CARE 1-800-822-8987 AND I WAS INFORMED I NEED TO UPGRADE TO THE NEXT TRIM TO GET THE ABILITY TO DO SO. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A STANDARD FEATURE IN ALL CARS? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD A THIRD ROW PASSENGER NEED TO USE THE DOOR FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES. UPGRADING TO A LIFT GATE WHICH COMES WITH THE NEXT TRIM IS NO EXCUSE FOR VW NOT TO HAVE A BASIC MANUAL OPENER.

REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WHEN ROLLING DOWN WOULD STOP HALFWAY DOWN INCONSISTENTLY THEN WOULD JUST FALL IF YOU TRIED TO ROLL IT DOWN. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER DIAGNOSTICS IT IS AN ISSUE WITH THE PIN. *TR

I FORGOT TO ADD IN MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT THAT WHEN THE FAULTY BOOSTER WARNING CAME ON SO DID MY EMERGENCY BRAKE AND I WAS HAULTED WHILE DRIVING AND THIS REALLY FREAKED ME OUT AS I HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND THE REASON I PURCHASED THE CAR WAS FOR ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES AND NOW I FEEL THE EXACT OPPOSITE!

THE ANTI-COLLISION BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGES WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAYS OR STORES WITH A DIP IN THE ROAD. THE SYSTEM IDENTIFIES THE ROAD AS A CAR OR OBSTACLE IN THE WAY AND HARD BRAKES THE VEHICLE LEAVING IS STANDING UNABLE TO MOVE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

ON 11/20/2018 MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN TOWN & THEY TOPPED OFF THE COOLANT. THE TECH ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO MY REGISTERED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. ON 11/21/2018 I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP & STATED THE ISSUE AND NOTED THE WARNING LIGHT. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, FOUND THE FLUID WAS LOW (AGAIN ONLY 24 HOURS AFTER BEING TOPPED OFF). RAN A PRESSURE TEST & INSPECTED FOR LEAKS. THE TECH SAID THE FLUID WAS LOW & THEY DON'T KNOW WHY/WHERE. THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS NOT NORMAL ON A 1 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH < 10K MILES PURCHASED BRAND NEW. THIS IS A PRESSURIZED SYSTEM SO EITHER IT'S A BAD HEAD GASKET & THE SYSTEM WILL BURST, IT'S LEAKING & THEY DIDN'T LOOK VERY HARD, OR IT'S LEAKING INTO MY ENGINE CYLINDERS & MIXING WITH OIL WHICH WILL SEIZE THE VEHICLE. THIS COMPLAINT COMES IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER COMPLAINT I FILED WITH NHTSA WHERE MY VEHICLE DIED WHILE IN MOTION ON 02/10/2019. THIS ATLAS IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE & HAS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURE DEFECTS/POOR ENGINEERING.

FRONT ASSIST WITH AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING DOES NOTHING ON MY CAR. I AM NOT RECEIVING ANY AUDIO/VIDEO ALERTS, NOR IT'S TRYING TO SLOW OR STOP VEHICLE. SYSTEM NOT WORKING AS DESCRIBED IN THE MANUAL AND ADVERTISED IN THE OFFICIAL VW VIDEO. I CAN'T RELY ON THE SYSTEM AT THIS POINT, AS I KNOW IT WILL NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP MY CAR AS IT SHOULD.

MY CAR BATTERY HAS DIED TWICE NOW IN 2 MONTHS ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY ABOUT 1 YEAR OLD. WITHOUT WARNING AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IT JUMPSTARTED AGAIN. TAKING IT INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED BUT HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FORUMS OF OTHERS WHO OWN THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE ALSO HAD THIS ISSUE.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT BARELY STARTED AND THEN WENT INTO LIMP MODE. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD AN INSUFFICIENT CHARGE TO POWER THE COMPUTER. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.

BATTERY DIED OUT OF NOWHERE. NOW CAR RADIO IS TURNING ON BY ITSELF WHEN CAR IS OFF. HAPPENS REPEATEDLY AFTER ABOUT ONE MINUTE.

SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

VEHICLE HAS A MANEUVER BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS FAULTY. THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO DETECT IF THERE IS A VEHICLE OR OBJECT THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO HIT AND AUTO BRAKE. WHEN I PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT HOME OR WORK THE SYSTEM AUTO BRAKES AND ACTIVATES THE MANEUVER BRAKING WHEN THERE IS NO VEHICLE OR OBJECT PRESENT. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR ON DRIVEWAYS THAT HAVE A SLIGHT DECLINE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN THE MANEUVER BRAKING IS ACTIVATED THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR NO REASON.

2018 VW ATLAS MANUAL, REAR TEMPERATURE CONTROL PANEL HAS A DESIGN OVERSIGHT WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE TARGETED THE AMERICAN FAMILY CAR MARKET WHICH SHOULD HAVE ASSUMED REAR PASSENGERS WERE TOO YOUNG TO REACH THE MANUAL REAR TEMPERATURE CONTROLS FROM THE 2ND ROW SEATING AND PROVIDED A MEANS FOR THE 1ST ROW PASSENGERS TO CONTROL WHETHER THE REAR VENTS BLOW HOT OR COLD. THIS FUNCTION WAS INTENTIONALLY REMOVED FROM THE FRONT PANEL MANUAL CONTROLS. THE UPGRADED TECH PACKAGE FOR THE ATLAS PROVIDES FRONT AND REAR ZONE AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROLS AS WELL AS THE ABILITY OF 1ST ROW OCCUPANTS TO OVERRIDE THE REAR SETTINGS. THE MANUAL CONTROLS ONLY ALLOW 1ST ROW OCCUPANTS TO ENABLE OR DISABLE THE REAR CONTROLS WHEREAS MINIVANS / FAMILY SUVS EXPERIENCED INCLUDE REAR OFF, REAR CONTROL, AND REAR SYNC TO FRONT. THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT IF A CHILD STRAPPED IN A CAR SEAT IN THE REAR SAYS THEY ARE COLD, THE 1ST ROW PASSENGERS ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS INVOLVES REACHING BLINDLY BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE TO FEEL AROUND FOR THE APPROPRIATE BUTTONS AND MAY EVEN RESULT IN THE DRIVER HAVING TO REMOVE THEIR EYES FROM THE ROAD TO PEER OVER THE CONSOLE TO SEE WHAT THE SETTINGS ARE. THE ONLY CHANGE A FRONT ROW OCCUPANT CAN MAKE TO THE REAR TEMPERATURE SETTING FROM THE FRONT PANEL IS TO DISABLE IT WHICH IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SOLUTION IN MOST CASES. IN OTHER WORDS THIS DESIGN FLAW ENCOURAGES A DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD OR BE DISTRACTED BEYOND WHAT HOLDING A CELL PHONE FOR A VOICE CALL DOES. IF MOST STATES CONSIDER IT ILLEGAL TO DRIVE/ TALK NON-HANDS FREE, THIS DESIGN FEATURE SHOULD BE CORRECTED WITH A VOLKSWAGEN FIRMWARE CHANGE. AFTER 9 MONTHS OF ATTEMPTING TO DO EXACTLY THAT, VW HAS RESPONDED FLATLY THAT THEY WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CORRECT THE DESIGN. DEALERS AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THE BEHAVIOR IN ORDER TO WARN CUSTOMERS.

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.

MY SUV IS IN THE SHOP FOR STOPPING WHEN IT SHOULD NOT STOP. WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAYS. THE VEHICLE WILL APPLY THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM LEAVING ME AND THE SUVOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC.

THE HEATING SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN THE REMOTE STARTER IS USED, AND THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THE HEATING SYSTEM DISPERSES COLD AIR INSTEAD OF HEATING THE CABIN AND DEFROSTING THE WINDOWS/WINDSHIELDS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE GETTING THE CAR IN NOVEMBER 2017. V TOLD ME THIS IS A KNOWN NATIONAL ISSUE AND NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION. I'M CONCERNED THAT ALL VW CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED A IN ATLAS WITH A REMOTE STARTER, ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICE THE PAID OR ARE PAYING FOR. NICE ADDITION PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OR NEW LEASERS ARE NOT BEING INFORMED. I KNOW YOU HAVE MAJOR ISSUES TO WORK WITH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL; HOWEVER, SINCE THE SCOPE OF THIS ISSUE IS NATIONAL YOU MAY WANT TO BE AWARE.

ONE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THE 2018 VW ATLAS IS THE AUTOMATIC BREAKING SYSTEM IN THE INSTANCE THAT A CRASH MAY OCCUR. WITH THIS THE FRONT SENSORS OF THE VEHICLE WARN PRIOR TO BY EITHER BEEPING OR IN SOME CASES SLAMMING ON THE AUTOMATIC BREAKS. I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN I AM ON A HILL OF A CERTAIN GRADE, THAT THE SENSOR SYSTEM RECOGNIZES THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AS AN OBSTACLE AND MANY TIMES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE OFF THE HILL TURNING ONTO THE NEXT ROAD THE AUTOMATIC BREAKING SYSTEM GOES INTO EFFECT STOPPING ME DEAD INTO CROSS TRAFFIC AND IN SOME INSTANCES GIVING NO WARNING TO SOMEONE BEHIND ME THAT I MAY BREAK URGENTLY WHEN I SHOULD BE ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION/FROM A HILL. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT 3X WITH THESE ISSUES AND NOW FIND THAT I HAVE A LOT OF STRESS WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE OFF HILLS THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I HAVE TRIED TURNING OFF THE FRONT VEHICLE WARNING (WHICH NEEDS TO BE DONE EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU RESTART THE CAR) AND THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. TO THIS SAME NOTE, WHEN I AM IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, MY FRONT SENSORS CONTINUALLY GO OFF WHICH IS A COMPLETE DISTRACTION WHEN DRIVING.