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2018 Volkswagen Atlas

2018 Volkswagen Atlas: electrical and air bag issues top owner complaints

Across 452 owner complaints to NHTSA, the electrical system is the most-reported area at 109 reports (24%), followed closely by air bags at 100 reports (22%) and the engine at 96 reports (21%). Most reports did not involve a crash or injury, and no fires or deaths were reported. The air bag and service brake categories each account for 2 of the crashes in this data, and a handful of engine, brake, and collision-avoidance reports mention injuries.

Most reported areas

Electrical System0 24%
Most-reported area: 109 complaints (24%), with no crashes, fires, or injuries reported. Owners describe the battery draining completely after the car sits parked for just a few days.
Air Bags safety 22%
100 complaints (22%), including 2 crashes and 2 injuries. Owners describe air bags deploying unexpectedly, in one case nearly all of them firing at once.
Engine0 21%
96 complaints (21%), with 3 injuries and no crashes or fires reported. Owners describe excessive oil consumption and check-engine warnings, sometimes within the first few thousand miles.
Service Brakes safety 17%
75 complaints (17%), including 2 crashes and 3 injuries. Owners describe the automatic emergency braking suddenly stopping the car when no obstacle was present.
Forward Collision Avoidance0 6%
29 complaints (6%), with 3 injuries and no crashes or fires reported. Owners report problems with the front assist and autonomous emergency systems, sometimes within weeks of ownership.

Source: NHTSA owner complaints · 452 complaints

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General information compiled from public NHTSA complaint data, for reference only — not professional advice and not reviewed by automotive experts. Verify before acting; Team AM is not responsible for decisions made from it.