2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport brakes problems

Filed Nov 12, 2025 · Brakes · AZ

Pulled out of driveway onto major road. Brake fluid alert showed up on dash. Brakes completely stopped working. Was able to roll the car to a stop. Called tow truck which delivered car to mechanic. Mechanic confirmed that there were no brakes and advised that the brake master cylinder leaked into the brake booster which caused the brake booster to be damaged. Mechanic needed to remove and replace the the brake master cylinder and the vacuum brake booster.

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Acceleration, Brakes · GA · crash

On Sep 25 2025 my wife parked car in parking lot to check phone messages. The car was in park. When she finished she placed the car in drive. It began to accelerated rapidly even after the brakes were applied and struck a tree. Her foot was not on the accelerator. The car then rolled over onto the driver side door. A police officer in a nearby building saw the crash and said the car was probably at 30mph when it hit the tree. He and two other officers got my wife out of the car. After the car was towed away we contacted VW customer care and asked that the car be examined. The said when the car was returned to drivable condition they would examine it. Hartford insurance totaled the car and said they were not responsible to examine the care and referred us back to VW. Again VW will not go the a salvage yard to examine the car. The car had intermittent electronic signal issues and a previous recall on doors needed to be redone because originally the wrong part was installed. I did experience a previous incident months before where I felt the car accelerated quicker than I expected from a stop with slight pressure on the pedal but it was only momentary.

Filed Mar 5, 2024 · Brakes · CA

Ever since we have purchased the car, the brakes have always given us issues. There is a continous squeaking when braking despite having new pads. We have also had the brakes grind causing rotor issues. We have had to replace the rotors on this car 4 times and brake pads 5 or 6 times. Our brakes continue to squeak and the dealership indicates that this is normal and may be do to oxidation build up. We have never experienced this before with any other vehicle we have purchased or leased.

Filed Sep 5, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · MD

After 6-7 occurrences over a year of an unidentifiable warning light type object appearing in the Vehicle Information portion of the dashboard. Also two (2ea) separate trips to the Volkswagen Dealership for repair of this issue. I was driving on raining soaked highway, as I was slowing down for stopped traffic ahead (traveling at approximately 25 mph), the aforementioned warning light flashed on and immediately and automatically applied the brakes causing the vehicle to skid sideways on the highway. I returned to the Dealership for the third (3rd) time for this item and explained what happened. The Service Manager had me look at a computer showing all of the warning lights for my vehicle. I told him the warning light that we have seen was not located in the area of where the “normal” warning lights are, but in the Vehicle Information area of the dash board. When I was picking up the vehicle after the service for this item and also a recall issue, the Service Manager told me regarding the unidentified warning light the car was “supposed to apply the brakes in that fashion”. However, the dealership could not identify the Large Red Object surrounded with four (4) Lightning Bolts warning Light. If this issue (warning light and automatically braking) would have occurred at a greater speed (the speed limit on the highway was 65 mph) the outcome would have been more serious. As a result of this occurrence and the several failed attempts identify the warning light or to repair this vehicle we do not feel safe in driving this car. According, we have sold this Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Filed May 25, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · HI

I submitted a report on May 2nd, 2022 about a MAJOR safety concern that occurred at the beginning of April. My cross sport was phantom braking, throwing itself into Park, and involuntary E-braking. This occurred multiple times at different speeds, I avoided collision and injury but have since been unable to drive the vehicle. Myself and others on the road could have been seriously injured. It was immediately towed to the dealership and has been sitting on the lot un-driveable since April, with no fix in sight, and no communication from VW in regard to a resolution. I want to file the highest complaint against VW as they have not dealt with this in a timely manner, they have not offered assistance, and this was my only vehicle.

Filed May 2, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · HI

2020 VW Atlas Cross Sport. While traveling down the highway (medium speed) the vehicle abruptly threw itself into Park, and E-braked. Thankfully escaped a collision but the outcome could have been much worse. My safety and safety of others was put at risk. And the general trauma from this scary incident has lasted weeks. The abrupt braking continued to happen at low speeds / cruising speed until I could pull over. (The car is not simply braking, it is throwing itself into Park and E-Brake goes on). Also, windows roll up and down without cause, all types of warning lights and errors flash on the dashboard. Upon the dealership's service center's scan of my car's computer, they found it occurred four times. The dealership found the wiring harness was corroded, and they think the car is sensing that a door is open, causing the vehicle to switch to Park and abruptly E-Brake. The vehicle is unsafe to drive but both VW and the dealership have denied me a loaner, and have denied my requests for compensation so I can rent a temporary car - this malfunction has left me with no vehicle for weeks, zero means of transportation, and no future fix in sight.

Filed May 1, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · NV

While driving down a street the car engaged the emergency stop system and stopped the car, nothing in front of me or around me. Verify scary incident.

Filed Apr 18, 2022 · Brakes, Electrical · MN

Several weeks ago, while the vehicle was on and in park, several warning lights went off and the vehicle started beeping, both windows on the drivers' side rolled all the way down and the parking brake engaged. I was able to disengage the parking brake and roll up the windows. After turning the vehicle off and back on, the warning lights went away. This morning, after putting the vehicle in park and turning it off, both windows on the drivers' side rolled about 1/3 of the way down and the parking brake engaged. Upon turning the vehicle back on, I was able to roll the windows up and disengage the parking break.

Filed Mar 21, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · FL

Driving and my car is automatically suddenly braking for me even-though my foot is on the gas. This now has happened a few times and I almost got rear-ended yesterday.

Filed Mar 19, 2022 · Airbags, Brakes · NY

Issues started in fall 2020, each had occurred a few times, but dealers reported this was a known issue without a fix or that parka for wire harness were on back order. Now with each start 8+ alarms go off for failures in safety features. Consistently the electronic parking brakes come on at slow speeds (<5mph) and has caused near accede to due to sliding when driving in snowy weather. Airbag warning light on and unsure if this is a safety issue or sensor problem, dealership reports it is not a safety issue. Driver door not recognized as closed, driver side door will no lock but at other times is unable to be unlocked. All 4 windows go down ~6in at random intervals both while driving or parked when starting car. Initially was single events and rare now cat is nearly undrivable due to braking issues