2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Owner Complaints

This vehicle DOES has a recall listed for the door harness. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a return call from my dealship since NOVEMBER. I literally leave a message (after physically talking to someone) and NO ONE calls me back. The passenger front door is misaligned and does not close properly, the electronics go crazy and sensors randomly go off. I took the vehicle in one week after purchase regarding the above and was told they needed to get approved to get my car in and get me a loaner. Service stated my car would need to be sent to their body shop for "several weeks," and couldn't provide a loaner at that time. Since then, I have called MULTIPLE times and nothing. With the issues with the electronics and now the wiring harness, this vehicle is definitely NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, though VW claims it is. How is it safe to drive when you are driving down the road and the emergency brake engages? Then you have a wreck and the airbags don't deploy correctly? I am a nurse and drive all over Texas for my job. Sometimes I may drive 3 hours just to get to one location, then drive 3 hours back. These issues do not leave me confident in driving my VW safely.

3/24/2022

Since purchasing this car, i have had problems with the parking brake automatically turning on when driving and at every stop; the car doors in the front do not lock/unlock; causing a concern for emergency with two kids in the car. The sunroof malfunctions along with the windows working on their own, going up and down and the sunroof not closing. The electrical front panels malfunction and cause the break system to start on its own, the screens turn black and am unable to use the front power screen. The doors lock and unlock by themselves from the inside and outside, not able to use the buttons on the doors to lock/unlock. The windows constantly open and close by themselves, again causing safety harm for the children in the car. When the car comes to a stop sign and brakes, it will either shut off or the parking/emergency brake will engage automatically. I have called 2 branches of dealerships through vw and since its a recalled car with no remedy, they will not let me schedule appointments to fix as they have no loaners available long term. I am very scared driving this car with two small children and the airbags recalls, brake problems and electrical malfunctioning. The VW customer care did not help me at all with the claim, and more concerns are happening weekly. With no remedy for the recall, vw dealerships have given me no trade in options or ability to put into the service department; they took name and number and said they would call when remedy is available.

5/2/2022

Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway.

2/15/2022

5 days after purchasing the brand new vehicle I was driving on the highway and felt and heard a clunking sound. Shortly after the check engine light and EPC light came on. Then as I was driving (55mph) I lost all power. The dash was telling me to restart my engine manually as I was driving. I was able to get to the side of the road - in a very unsafe location and had to wait for a tow. When the vehicle got back to the dealership they said it looked like the engine had just exploded. In the oil pan was chunks of metal. The entire engine and turbo had to be replaced. The entire situation was extremely dangerous and no one has an explanation for why this happened.

3/15/2022

Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway.

2/15/2022

5 days after purchasing the brand new vehicle I was driving on the highway and felt and heard a clunking sound. Shortly after the check engine light and EPC light came on. Then as I was driving (55mph) I lost all power. The dash was telling me to restart my engine manually as I was driving. I was able to get to the side of the road - in a very unsafe location and had to wait for a tow. When the vehicle got back to the dealership they said it looked like the engine had just exploded. In the oil pan was chunks of metal. The entire engine and turbo had to be replaced. The entire situation was extremely dangerous and no one has an explanation for why this happened.

3/15/2022

This vehicle DOES has a recall listed for the door harness. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a return call from my dealship since NOVEMBER. I literally leave a message (after physically talking to someone) and NO ONE calls me back. The passenger front door is misaligned and does not close properly, the electronics go crazy and sensors randomly go off. I took the vehicle in one week after purchase regarding the above and was told they needed to get approved to get my car in and get me a loaner. Service stated my car would need to be sent to their body shop for "several weeks," and couldn't provide a loaner at that time. Since then, I have called MULTIPLE times and nothing. With the issues with the electronics and now the wiring harness, this vehicle is definitely NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, though VW claims it is. How is it safe to drive when you are driving down the road and the emergency brake engages? Then you have a wreck and the airbags don't deploy correctly? I am a nurse and drive all over Texas for my job. Sometimes I may drive 3 hours just to get to one location, then drive 3 hours back. These issues do not leave me confident in driving my VW safely.

3/24/2022

The contact recently purchased a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that days after purchasing the vehicle, she received a phone call from the dealer asking her to return the vehicle. Once at the dealer, she was informed that her vehicle was under recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V152000 (Air Bags) and that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact was provided a loaner vehicle and was instructed to speak with the sales department if the loaner vehicle would be needed for an extended period. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

4/6/2022

Just bought the vehicle within the first day the radio systems turned off and cannot turn on again after 8 turn on the vehicle it affects all the safety systems because it's all connected to the radio. Vehicle was taken back to dealership which was reprogrammed and given back after one day it began again and now it's back at the dealership. They are saying they're going to put a brand new video but it's back on it and that I could still use my vehicle even though radio is not working correctly connecting to all the safety components. I was told that it was safe to drive even though I feel like it's not safe to drive at all in that condition. Right now I have a loaner car but they want it back within 2 days and until I get the new radio and hopefully it will work correctly and turn on again all the bells ring after a while because it's connected to the radio system. Once I put the car in reverse push the gas in the car did not move. So far it's working fine

3/15/2022

I leased a 2022 VW Atlas Cross Sport last month and currently has less than 600 miles on it and the issue's happened 4 separate times.  Today it happened twice.  I am in line to drop my son off at school with many cars in front of me and behind me so it's a stop and go kind of situation; I let go of my brakes and about to step on the pedal when the engine shuts off entirely.  I had to put the car in park and start the engine again when it happened again! I just feel unsafe now driving that car.  Bringing it to the shop Monday morning (Friday today). The previous two occurrences took place while stopped at a traffic light. While the engine is off a message is displayed ""Start Engine Manually". I feel this is a safety hazard because I don't know if this car's engine will shut off while I am actually driving since it did shut down while I was in "Drive" mode plus it's happened to others while driving on highway. The next time it happens I will need to film it.    

6/3/2022

I had a bad fuel pump. Emergency brake engages on its own while in drive, engine light on, windows down by themselves, door beeping loudly

3/18/2022

While driving less than 30 mph in slow traffic the automatic braking system engaged itself which caused me to almost get hit. Another time, I was in slow traffic less than 20mph both sides of the street were filled with cars driving and my automatic brake began to light up and the brake was engaging but I was still able to keep driving the car despite what was happening with the automatic brakes. In normal driving conditions whenever I press on the brakes the vehicle does not stop right away. It take a lot of effort for the vehicle to stop almost as if, the car is too heavy for the braking equipment installed on the vehicle. There have been maybe one to three times where I slammed on the brakes and the vehicle did not fully stop which now has caused increased anxiety. Another issue I am having not related to the braking mechanism. Electrical on the infotainment system. The screen has gone out a few times and the syncing system from cell phone via Bluetooth does not always seamlessly happen. I have taken my car to be checked out regarding my concerns. I was advised the car checked out.

8/18/2022

Lease 10/29/2021. Remote start never worked. Diagnosed as faulty fuel pump. Replaced. Two days later remote start stopped working and check engine light came on. VW service advised vehicle safe to drive. Days later broke down due to no fuel. Fuel guage always says tank full. Last week park brake engaged while driving 60mph on a 4 lane highway.

2/15/2022

This vehicle is burning excessive engine oil. My vehicle required two quarts of oil before my oil change. This occurred at the 20,000-mile interval and again at 30,000 miles. This vehicle also had two coolant repairs before 30,000 miles. The car has not been in any accidents. The vehicle had no oil.

9/16/2024

Just bought the vehicle within the first day the radio systems turned off and cannot turn on again after 8 turn on the vehicle it affects all the safety systems because it's all connected to the radio. Vehicle was taken back to dealership which was reprogrammed and given back after one day it began again and now it's back at the dealership. They are saying they're going to put a brand new video but it's back on it and that I could still use my vehicle even though radio is not working correctly connecting to all the safety components. I was told that it was safe to drive even though I feel like it's not safe to drive at all in that condition. Right now I have a loaner car but they want it back within 2 days and until I get the new radio and hopefully it will work correctly and turn on again all the bells ring after a while because it's connected to the radio system. Once I put the car in reverse push the gas in the car did not move. So far it's working fine

3/15/2022

I had a bad fuel pump. Emergency brake engages on its own while in drive, engine light on, windows down by themselves, door beeping loudly

3/18/2022

The front light led bulbs died. First it was the driver side at 53k miles, now the passenger side. The car has less than 55k miles. The price for the repair is outrageous. $2,000 for just ONE led bulb change. I’ve seen forums and many, many WV Atlas have the same problem. WV should be responsible for this. $4,000 total for two light bulb replacements! It’s insane!

10/18/2025

There has been no incident with my car. The DRL on the drivers side stopped working and wasn’t my fault. The price to replace the light is absolutely unheard of. I have owned three Volkswagens and loved all three but this is very disappointing. The car only has 40,000 miles on it. I don’t feel like this should’ve happened this soon.

10/29/2025

When parking the car it hit the other parking vehicle on the right side of it. The sensors didn't work at the time of the collision or after the collision. The vehicle is taking a force parking when the parking button is turned on.

12/13/2021

While driving on the highway, going approximately 70 mph, a red Steering Malfunction light lit up on the dash and beeped loudly. The steering wheel almost immediately locked up and would not turn left or right. It took pulling hard in one direction to get in over three lanes and onto the shoulder. After attempting to turn off and turn the vehicle back on, the light remained and the beeping would occur a few times before stopping. The vehicle had to be towed from its location. The light remained on and steering wheel continued to be locked up the following day when service at VW turned on the vehicle.

6/9/2022

I purchased my car in July 2022 and started having issues with it within 3 months. I’ve have my car at the dealer 4 times for them to look at… 1 - the brakes (grinding, scraping noise, squeaking that can be fetl in the pedal). I was told each time that the rotors and brake pads aren’t compatible. VW knows about the problem but doesn’t have a fix for it. They say they clean the pads and that the car is safe to drive (really?). 2 - the infotainment system. On several occasions I cannot switch from one media system (Sirius XM, FM, AM, blue tooth, etc…), when I turn my car on, the screen shows “initializing” but nothing happens. It just sits there. Today was a first; the whole system shut off and the screen was blank. No radio, no phone, nothing. I’ve made several videos to show the dealer what the system is doing and they tell me it just needs an update, yet I still have the problem. 3 - the front assist light comes on but doesn’t engage or when I am stopping it will engage so hard that it nearly stops my car on a dime (if I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt, I would have been on the floorboard). 4 - the remote start doesn’t work, from my fob or the app on my phone. The dealer was able to make it work once and said it was fixed. Hasn’t worked since. I only have 7,900 miles on my car and I just want it permanently fixed.

4/23/2023

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped at a light, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after one attempt on each occasion. The coolant system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,969.

5/30/2024

There is a metallic rattle in the driver's side b-pillar (similar to the issue in the 2018 Tiguan LWB). Every component in the pillar has been replaced and the rattle persists. The first time I complained about it to the dealership the car only had 1,500 miles on it. 3 years and several months of the car sitting in the shop they have not been able to fix it nor have they bothered working with VW of America to find a solution. I'm guessing it is structural. The brakes are also very concerning and I have mentioned it many times over the last few years. It is not the normal VW squeal -- it is a grinding that causes the car to shake. I was told by my local VW that "Apparently you've never driven high performance vehicles before--that's normal". Uh, no it is not normal. Often times when shifting into drive from park (even on flat ground) the shifter is hard to move and then makes an awful clunking noise. Coolant disappears. And, indicator light does not come on. I was refilling the wiper fluid reservoir and noticed the coolant reservoir was almost empty, however, no light has come on. I've had to top off the coolant at least every couple months.

1/2/2025

There is a metallic rattle in the driver's side b-pillar (similar to the issue in the 2018 Tiguan LWB). Every component in the pillar has been replaced and the rattle persists. The first time I complained about it to the dealership the car only had 1,500 miles on it. 3 years and several months of the car sitting in the shop they have not been able to fix it nor have they bothered working with VW of America to find a solution. I'm guessing it is structural. The brakes are also very concerning and I have mentioned it many times over the last few years. It is not the normal VW squeal -- it is a grinding that causes the car to shake. I was told by my local VW that "Apparently you've never driven high performance vehicles before--that's normal". Uh, no it is not normal. Often times when shifting into drive from park (even on flat ground) the shifter is hard to move and then makes an awful clunking noise. Coolant disappears. And, indicator light does not come on. I was refilling the wiper fluid reservoir and noticed the coolant reservoir was almost empty, however, no light has come on. I've had to top off the coolant at least every couple months.

1/2/2025

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal metal on metal grinding sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure while slowing for traffic or while coming to a stop. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but over time became more frequent. Additionally, the "Emergency Stop" warning light illuminated, and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had then taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,285.

8/22/2025

Front brakes make scratching sound, dealer alleged brakes and rotor are fine after inspection. Steering wheel shakes at times when braking down hill. Cabin too noisy, air and sauna enter cabin by driver side door. Reported issue to dealer, they alleges the seal may need to be replaced; but not covered by warranty.

9/30/2025