2018 Volkswagen Atlas steering problems

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Steering · TX

Months ago I heard a knocking noise under my steering wheel/near the driver's side wheel. I took the car in and reported what I was hearing. I had services completed but it didn't stop the noise. The noise was inconsistent and hard to duplicate for the dealership on test drives. It was most pronounced when going over speed bumps or turning the wheel when parking. The dealership did all they could do and provided great services replacing/fixing anything that could cause the issue to no avail. They assured me the vehicle was safe to drive even though the noise remained so I drove it. About a week ago, I had an error light come on and the car started to shut off without warning. The error said auto shut/off was disabled due to an engine issue - but no check engine light. I was almost rear ended twice when slowing the car down at a red light due to the car shutting off without warning when driving under 5-10mph or parking. I scheduled an appointment to take the car back in to address the error. Before the appointment, the car registered a check engine light. I called back and the dealership allowed me to bring the car in right away. The diagnosis stated I needed a few things, but specifically a new steering rack. They said there was "wear" on the rack but didn't provide any additional details (car has 121k miles). I called VW to inquire on potential recalls and learned about the steering rack mount/assembly (i forget exact terminology) recall but was informed the actual steering rack was not in the recall. I recited the symptoms I was reporting to the dealership months ago to the rep (case 07823488 and 07825005) and confirmed those are the symptoms listed in the recall but only for the mount. VW should have the entire steering rack and assembly covered in a recall because damage/wear to an assembly can put stress on the full rack causing a safety issue. Thank goodness my kids and I were not rear-ended by the auto shutoff but it could have been worse.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Steering · OH

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V590000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Engine, Steering · 80,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V590000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to steer. Additionally, the vehicle shut off while driving and came to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly causing a crash. Upon restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failures was a persistent failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jul 29, 2026 · Body, Seats · FL · 1 injury

Dealer sold flood damaged 2020 Atlas 98k miles as safe vehicle. Found severe rust corrosion on steering column that could break while driving causing loss of control crash death. Also found 7 areas of toxic mold inside causing allergic reaction and breathing problems. Mold in seats, carpet, AC system. Dealer refused to repair and forced trade for overpriced 2023 Explorer with high loan. Vehicle unsafe - life threatening defect hidden by dealer. Steering and body structure compromised by flood water. Have photos of corrosion and mold as evidence. Vehicle available for inspection. Injury: Allergic reaction - skin rash, breathing difficulty, cough from toxic mold exposure. Senior driver [XXX] old. No crash yet but steering corrosion could cause fatal crash. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 30, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · CA

The vehicle intermittently displays a “Steering lock faulty, stop!” warning and fails to start. When this occurs, the vehicle cannot be operated at all. This issue has occurred multiple times within a short period and has persisted despite prior repair attempts by authorized Volkswagen dealerships. The failure of the steering lock system prevents the vehicle from starting, creating a safety concern as the vehicle may become unexpectedly inoperable and leave the driver stranded. The repeated nature of this issue raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle.

Filed Jul 11, 2025 · Steering · CO

The power steering control module failed while the vehicle was traveling at highway speeds. When the failure occurred, the power steering completely cut out. It is extremely difficult to maneuver the vehicle without power steering. My wife would not have been strong enough to safely maneuver the vehicle if she found herself in a situation where she needed to make even a minor evasive maneuver. Had there been more traffic on the road she could have caused an accident since her ability to steer was severely impacted. An orange warning light first came on. VW says to safely drive the vehicle to be inspected. In our case, the red power steering warning light came on less than 10 min later, well before we could make it to a technician to have it inspected. At the exact same time the red light illuminated, the vehicle's power steering system completely failed. A VW dealership has inspected the vehicle and found the steering control module to be defective. The only repair is to fully replace the steering rack which includes the steering control module in one piece. The part is back-ordered for several months which indicates that VW is unable to keep up with the supply required to fix this issue.

Filed Oct 15, 2024 · Steering · PR

The rack and pinion failed, and the steering wheel was very difficult to move and maneuver. According to the service advisor, it is known that if the Rack and Pinion is immersed in water due to floods, that causes the electronics of the system to fail. This causes the steering wheel to become very stiff and it is very hard to maneuver the car. Rain is very common in all parts of the world, including in Puerto Rico, and it is not safe to be driving a car that could 'lock' the steering wheel in any random occasion after a pouring rain event.

Filed Jun 13, 2024 · Brakes, Engine · TN

While driving down the road the vehicle automatically shuts off without power brakes or power steering. Must come to a complete stop put the vehicle into park and the vehicle will then restart. Has happened twice in one week.

Filed Nov 30, 2023 · Brakes, Electrical · WI

Vehicle displays “Brake booster faulty” and all warning lights trigger. Vehicle auto brakes itself and stops with little ability to steer. No warning/fault codes were stored when brought into the repair shop to address the issue and they could not duplicate it. It is an intermittent problem but looking at online forums it is NOT ISOLATED AND IS DANGEROUS.

Filed Apr 12, 2023 · Airbags, Electrical · 120,000 miles · AK

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated regarding the passenger’s side air bags. The steering wheel button functionality was inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel failure was repaired under an unknown recall campaign; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.