Both my low beam headlamps went out WHILE DRIVING. This is a major safety concern. It is also not an easy or inexpensive fix. The entire assembly must be replaced and not just a bulb. It is a $3000 replacement cost. The LED lamp should NEVER go out. Isn't that why LED was put in these lights? Why did VW make a headlamp that must be completely replaced and why are they charging $1000 for each headlight?
2018 Volkswagen Atlas: headlights failing or too dim
14 of the 469 complaints about the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas describe headlights failing or too dim.
- owner complaints
- 14
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,500
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 7 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Headlights failing or too dim by model year
What owners say
The passenger side low beam headlights failed at roughly 100k miles. The replacement part and labor quote from the dealership was roughly $1,500. I was able to find an OEM part online for $800 and install myself. Roughly 12,000 miles later the driver side low beam headlight has failed which will require a replacement as well.
Front parking lights do not remain on. Including lights under headlights and side marker lights. According to owners manual the parking lights should remain on while vehicle is off. The rear lights do remain on. The front lights turn themselves off after approximately 9 seconds. Condition started when lights were replaced by dealer with official OEM replacement units. Dealer has confirmed other examples of this year and model behave as described in the manual. Dealer has worked with VWoA engineers and have replaced multiple components (headlights, control modules, body control module) and attempted multiple software coding adjustments with no resolution found. Dealer is saying VWoA has no fix after having my vehicle since November 8th. I am concerned as I park my vehicle on roadsides while visiting job locations and now my vehicle has no illumination at the front while parked. Is there any definition of how long parking lights must illuminate?
LED Low beam headlights failed while driving at night from a long distance trip. This presented a major safety issue for my family since we could not see the road. This is a common problem facing many VW Atlas owners with low milage too Also, VW will not cover the costs involved since each headlamp costs $1200 and is not covered under their highest tier warranty plan (Platinum Warranty) that we purchased. Now we have a family car that we can only drive during the daytime. California requires daytime running lights on rainy days too which also presents a visibility risk to my family. I recently received a warning from a traffic police officer because I worked late and had to use my bright lights to get home after the sun had set.
Both low beam headlights went out within two weeks of each other and the vehicle just hit 100,000 miles. Dealership states that replacing the entire headlight assembly is the only fix and will cost $3,000. So now both headlights (safety issue) are out and the vehicle cannot be driven safely. Other VW Atlas vehicles are having the same issue around 50-60K miles. There should be a recall on the head lamps for safety concerns and liability reasons.
Both headlamps in vehicle stopped working within a month of each other. Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it. Volkswagen claims lights should last longer than this. Online forums are riddled with this issue, and headlamp price is unreasonably high for a family vehicle ($700-1100 per headlamp). Headlamps are also backordered, making driving the vehicle unsafe at night and under certain weather conditions.
The low beams went out and you have to replace the entire front lighting assembly.
Hello, this vehicle (2018 VW Atlas) does have defective headlights (headlight stopped working), High beam works fine but low beam doesn't. I did a thorough research and looks like this issue is very common on All VW Atlas, dealer is telling us that the whole assembly needs to be replaced since the design of this headlight does not have a bulb that can be replaced, the cost of each headlight is over $1,000 each and over $500 in labor and they are on backorder since a lot of people are having this issue. Please assist us on getting this resolved since it is a SAFETY Hazard, people cannot drive their cars without lights, VW should be able to do a recall on this bad design/quality headlights.
Both low beam lights (left then right) failed within the same month. These are LED headlights. I have to drive with the high beam lights on all the time. Since these are LED headlights, there is no way to replace them (no bulbs). Unacceptable design.
Atlas has LED headlights - which should outlast the length of any car. First, the left low beam headlight failed. The following week the right low beam headlight failed. Took the car to VW. I was told that it would at least $5,000 to have operational headlights. I asked why LED headlights failed when they are designed to outlast any foreseeable length of any vehicle. VW refused to do any diagnostic work to determine if the cause of the LED failure was due to an electrical issue. (Reddit mentions a problem with electric switches that would cause LED failure.) The value of my Atlas is double the cost to repair the headlights. It would appear this is an electronic issue. The manufacturer has said they will not help because they do not replace headlights. When I asked about the electronic aspect of the LED lights, the VW representative acted like they had zero idea the LED lights were controlled by electric switches. I cannot be the only consumer out there driving an Atlas (only at night) because there is no value in investing $5k on headlights for a vehicle that is only worth $10k - and LED lights should outlast the vehicle.
The passenger side's headlight suddenly shattered while I was driving in the city, on a paved road. It's important to note that there were no other vehicle around or ahead of me when the incident happened.
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.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Condensation and or water droplets visible on inside of exterior light lenses
- Moisture Accumulation
- Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
- Exterior lighting moisture in lens updated to exclude LED lighting.
- No Crank/No Start with P06EF and/or P06E9
- Adaptive front lighting descriptive
- Rear power lid diagnostics
Related recalls
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
Recall number 19V389000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas headlights
Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
14 of 469 owner complaints about the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas (3%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2021.
How much does it cost to fix headlights failing or too dim on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,500 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
There is 1 recall and 7 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
Check engine light 33Stalling 29Won't start 20Battery drain 18Engine failure 14Jerking 11Start-stop 11Adaptive cruise 10Lane assist 10Overheating 10Fuel pump 9ABS 8Airbag light 7Grinding brakes 7Fuel leak 7Collision warning 6Fuel smell 6Seat belt 6Spongy pedal 6Warning lights 6Backup camera 5Misfire 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history