2018 Volkswagen Atlas: won't start

Filed Sep 3, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · MD

Engine stops occasionally while driving and the car is moving. This has occurred even with Start/Stop turned off and while the vehicle is moving on the road. This has occurred several times over the past year. Typically the car can be re-started right away, although on a couple of times it was disabled (would not start) until multiple attempts over 5 minutes.

Filed Oct 6, 2023 · Brakes, Electrical · MD

When starting up my vehicle the battery turns on but the engine will not start. My dash will light up with multiple warnings. These are the specific ones that warn me: Error: electronic stabilization control (ESC) Error: hill hold assist BRAKE - Brake booster faulty ERROR: Hill hold assist Front assist not available. ERROR: tire pressure monitoring system. Trans. in emerg. Mode. You can continue driving. FAULT: electronic parking brake. Eventually my car starts up, but this is after several attempts. Once I shut car off and go to start back up, it goes through the whole process again. My car was taken into Volkswagen dealership and they said it was my fuel pump, fuel filter & battery. They “fixed” that but by the time I drove my car home, the issue started back up again. My safety is 100% put at risk because not only does my car not start up right away but I can be driving my vehicle and it will slow me down on a main highway and make me brake and then I need to attempt to restart my car to get it started up again several times. I have children I drive around in this vehicle and it is not safe to drive. My car has been illuminating the check engine light and all the other ones for each error I stated above. The problem itself has not been identified. When I did research, the 2019-2020 VW Atlas’s were recalled for this same issue it seems. But mine wasn’t because it is a 2018.

Filed Jul 17, 2023 · Acceleration, Engine · NV

My 2018 Volkswagen Atlas has a defect that has impaired my ability to use the vehicle as intended. It is not only unsafe but I am in fear of driving freeways because I do not know when my car will cut off. Manufactures were fully aware of their defective products. I have read forums pertaining to the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas engine sputtering (Causes and Diagnosis). It states that the causes could be a bad fuel system, ignition system,MAF sensor, or bad converter. I have owned my vehicle for over a year and a half. During this time my vehicle has repeatedly started sputtering, deccelerated and turned off. It has happened 3 times and I do not feel safe. Have taken to dealership only to be told nothing was wrong with car. On October 18, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America recalled 74,067 SUV'S due to Engine Failure that could result in stall, increasing risks of crash. Troublesome connecting rod bearings that potentially lead to oil leaks and fire. Volkswagen has recalled 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.This is a Manufacturer's defect. The defect did not start in 2022-2023 models the problem occured in 2017 when the Volkswagen Atlas was launched as a one of the most innovative technical platforms in automotive industry. I understand that the Federal law requires safety recalls repairs to be provided up to 15 years because safety recalls do not expire. NHTS I am requesting that safety recalls be performed on 2018 Volkswagen Atlas because the same problems exit. I am requesting that Volkswagen Group of America stand behind their products, take ownership of the necessary repairs to keep consumers safe from harms way. I thought there was nothing more terrifying than being buried alive until I drove up and down the streets of San Francisco in a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The fear of not knowing when your car will start sputtering and decelerating causing you to plunge to your death is the most terrifying experience that I have just indured in my life.

Filed Apr 24, 2023 · Driver assistance, Electrical · WA

Vehicle would indicate normal assistance features were no longer available. Then after sitting for the evening and trying to start in the morning the car would not turn over. Could recharge the battery and turn over no issues. Again after sitting for a little while the car battery would be dead again and not want to turn over.

Filed Nov 11, 2019 · Electrical · 27,600 miles · IN

Start/stop system or other electrical "feature" drains the battery to the point the engine won't start. Worse than that, the start/stop system doesn't deactivate itself even when the battery is too low to restart the motor. We were just stranded in a parking lot in a blizzard thanks to the car not starting back up.

Filed Jun 8, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 11,000 miles · CA

While sitting at a red light for about a minute the car turns off due to the cars on/off feature. When the light turned green the car would not start back up. I had to put the atlas in park and rest set to turn it on. It will not turn back on until after a few tries. This has happened to me about 5 different times now. I now drive with that feature turned off until vw can fix this glitch. Very unsafe while sitting traffic and car is stalled in the middle of the road.

Filed Mar 2, 2019 · Airbags, Electrical · 45,000 miles · TX

When riding in the passenger seat the air bag would disengage and engage as the person moved in the seat with the movement of the car. Moved the seat back and it went off, dealership mechanic could find nothing wrong. Last happened this morning, started after a few seconds of grinding, then went 12 MPH, shut down, then started fine. Had the vehicle for 14 months the battery went dead, when pushing the start button it would catch and continue to try starting even when the finger was removed. When it started epc would come up and the vehicle would move at about 12 MPH. Shut the vehicle down and start again, it would run ok. Have had it into repairs twice and nothing is found, yet it continues to start or not start and run slow. Warning comes up check running light, check right headlight, check left headlight. Replaced the battery two months ago, have already had to charge because it has gone dead. It is like the computer panel is not turning off. The vehicle has always been stopped - parked when it will not start, sometimes for a few minutes some times over night after having to use the fog lights. I have all the recalls fixed, but this started after having those fixed. My battery was replaced after 45,000 miles.

Filed Feb 5, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 20,000 miles · TX

Sitting at a red light and when it turned green, my start/stop function would not turn my car back on. The dash had all sorts of lights flashing and my car would not start. Said the 12v battery was drained. Had to push my car out of the way and get someone to jump my car.

Filed Feb 4, 2019 · Electrical · GA

Twice I have been stranded because the auto start stop is not providing enough power to the battery and therefor the vehicle will not start sometimes without being jumped. I have been stranded twice because the auto shut off has turned the vehicle off at a light and then the vehicle would not restarte.

Filed Feb 3, 2019 · Engine · 26,600 miles · IL

1/28/19 car starts fine,drive 15 min, run 3 errands, then can't start car. Electronic display has all warning icons flashing. Battery test 50% power.jumpstart car,epc and engine icons stay lit. Charge battery at home. Car runs fine for 2 days.then car won't start again, epc icon lit, run car 20 minutes, then try to drive car but cannot exceed 13 MPH. Call for tow; truck never arrives ( 3+ hours). Attempt to start car, starts fine, no warnings lit; drive to dealer. Dealer says battery "defective", replaces under warranty. Car has 26600 miles and I have owned for 18 months. Dealer says epc not lit while they looked at the car so they cannot address. Ridiculous. Car fine for 2 days, then epc light back on. I have spent probably 40 hours or more at vw dealership waiting for various repairs over the last 18 months. A google search reveals many vw atlas have epc problems, and if you just google volkswagen and epc you can find hundreds of postings for this issue with almost every vw model. I will be taking the car back in but am not confident I will get a satisfactory repair based on all the other online complaints about this issue

Filed Jan 29, 2019 · Electrical · 29,000 miles · UT

Battery ramdomly loses charge to start the vehicle. We dorve from salt lake city to vegas. We filled up on gas with some of the electronics running and the car wouldn't start. Dash says battery was drained. Happened again when vacuuming the car after a wash. Doors were open and electronics were off, but it then wouldnt start again.

Filed Jan 17, 2019 · Electrical · 14,000 miles · MN

The vehicle will not start if it is really cold or it has been sitting for days without being started. I am taking it in to the dealership today.