The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. In addition, the EPC engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the contact's wife was in traffic. The contact's wife was able to safely drive the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact's wife noticed a burning odor. The contact's wife exited the vehicle. The contact arrived at the location and the insurance company was contacted. The insurance company advised the contact to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with misfire in cylinders 2,5 and 6. In addition, the contact was informed that the cylinder and the spark plugs were soaked in fuel. The contact was informed that the failure was described as fuel fowling. The contact was informed that all six fuel injectors and spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that 3 fuel injectors and the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact referenced recall the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V245000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact's repair was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas: engine failure
5 of the 483 complaints about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas describe engine failure.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Engine failure by model year
What owners say
Vehicle stopped in the middle of a busy road after backing out of lot while changing from reverse to drive. It was a very dangerous situation as cars were swerving out of the way to avoid collision. No warning indicators, sounds or lights before nor after incident. Vehicle was inoperable and pushed into an auto shop. They concluded catastrophic engine failure due to lack of compression in cylinders with no observable cause. Had vehicle towed to authorized VW dealer which produced same findings. All services including oil changes were done in accordance with the VW manual schedule.
Head gasket failure. Dealership is going to replace the entire head (s) to fix the problem. An unknown amount of coolant fluid has leaked into the engine block. Untreated, the problem could have lead to engine failure while traveling at interstate speeds. VW of Lake Charles currently has my vehicle while the repairs take place. I noticed the coolant level was around minimum level on the overflow tank twice in the last 1-1.5 years. About 10 days ago, the coolant level dropped low enough for the sensor to go off, warning lights came on and the digital display stated low coolant. I also found dry coolant under the engine on the bottom of the car.
Engine cuts off at slow speeds or at a stop. Engine failure requires placing vehicle in park and restarting. This occurs at least once per day. Display notes that vehicle requires manual restart. Took to dealer and they advised nothing was wrong.
Today, December 1, 2021 my Atlas completely shut off while driving twice. This has happened 2 times prior on separate occasions, bringing the total times to 4 to date. Today it happened first in the morning while I was exiting the school parking lot and attempting to enter the main road of traffic. It completely stopped, turned off, and asked me to put in park before I could turn the engine back on. It then happened again while driving in a parking lot. It completely shut off and would not move. In all of these instances I felt in danger and at risk of causing or being involved in a car accident due to this sudden engine failure. All 4 times have been within the past few weeks, but today was the worst in that it was twice in the same day.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Supporting FAQ for VWP-26-07 Main Engine Wiring Harness Limited Warranty Extension (Class Action)
- For applicable 2018-2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport 3.6L Settlement Class Vehicles (NA6 warranty key),...
- Prevent Sporatic Misfire Faults.
- Checking engine oil level.
- Reprogramming Control Module process
- Engine missfire diagnostic aid
- Identifying and Mixing Volkswagen Engine Coolants
- When replacing Evaporative Emissions System components, it is not always necessary to replace the entire...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas engine failure
Is engine failure a common problem on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas?
5 of 483 owner complaints about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas (1%) mention engine failure. The model year with the most reports is 2018.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas?
There are 0 recalls and 158 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
Stalling 44Headlights 42Check engine light 39Grinding brakes 22Start-stop 18Adaptive cruise 17Airbag light 15Door locks 10Fuel pump 9Lane assist 8Warning lights 8Won't start 8Jerking 7No deployment 6Battery drain 5Collision warning 5Fuel leak 5Overheating 5Sunroof shattered 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2021 Volkswagen Atlas?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history