On the week of 10/13/2025, I had an oil sensor alert appear after a recent oil change. I took the vehicle in on 10/30/2025 for a diagnostic check and was told the oil separator sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. After the service was completed, the total was $906.42 of which I paid $580.99 out of pocket post my extended warranty claim payment. I received a recall notice in November 2025 for Emissions Service Action 10LP - Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve / Oil Separator. The same issue I just paid for in October 2025.I had an unsuccessful attempt dealing with Jim Ellis Volkswagon in Kennesaw to try and retrieve a refund directly from them. I subsequently completed and emailed the reimbursement form to Volkswagon on 1/2/2026. I have not received any communication to them in regards to my reimbursement claim.
2022 Volkswagen Atlas engine complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 51, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Dangerous car cyput off in full engagement. Brakes grinding squealing an unfamiliar sounds. The engine has major rust in air intake valves the epc code shut car down in full engagement and you can not restart unless u put extra gas in. TE car was replaced with new seats new body new rugs an the color has been repainted. The screws in bolts are not lined up an junkyard parts under carriage of car. Unfortunately I didn't see all this when I fiancee it in May a machine showed me this an I bought a used lemon from Tampa Enterprise car sales in May 2025.645 a month in payment to ally banks. Car in shop more then on road anit has never ever been serviced as it was told to me as a pre certified car.they lied to me an restore almost everything in this car the dealership even questioned me about color coating comestic missing ve design on plated door. I need help
Driving my car only a few minutes and it caught fire and blew up. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Son was barely able to get out before engine burst into flames.
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while checking fluid levels in the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the coolant reservoir was low. The contact stated that there was no sign of a coolant leak, but coolant needed to be added to the reservoir weekly. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a coolant leak that was draining into a protective shield underneath the engine compartment. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The vehicle has experienced multiple serious safety failures involving the steering, electrical system, and powertrain. Most recently, while driving, the steering wheel locked unexpectedly, causing a temporary loss of control. Multiple dashboard warning lights began flashing, and the EPC light turned on and off repeatedly. I had to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and restart the engine to regain control. The camshaft/camshaft position sensor and steering system appear to be malfunctioning, and the issues have recurred multiple times. The vehicle has been taken to a dealer for inspection and repairs several times, but the failures continue. These problems have created a serious safety risk, as loss of steering and erratic electrical behavior can lead to accidents, putting myself, passengers, and others on the road at risk. Warning lamps first appeared intermittently after prior repairs, but the steering wheel lock incident is the most severe event to date.
On November 13, 2025, the vehicle, a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T (EA888 Gen 3 engine), experienced a catastrophic engine failure while driving on the freeway at 71,602 miles. What Happened A loud bang was heard, followed immediately by heavy smoke billowing from the engine bay and profuse oil expulsion onto the engine, exhaust, and roadway. The failure caused the vehicle to lose all motive power, requiring an immediate, dangerous emergency stop on the freeway, placing the occupants and other motorists at risk. Component Failure and Safety Risk The root cause of the incident is the premature failure of the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve / Oil Separator. This component is defective and subject to Volkswagen's Service Campaign 10LP. The PCV failure created excessive crankcase pressure, which physically blew the dipstick tube clear out of the engine block, demonstrating the catastrophic nature of the pressure spike. This failure forced hot engine oil out of the system. Safety Risk: The sudden loss of engine oil created a high risk of engine seizure and fire due to hot oil spraying onto the exhaust system. This condition resulted in the vehicle being disabled on a high-speed freeway, posing an immediate danger. Confirmation: The vehicle is currently held at an authorized VW service center. The technician's notes confirm the physical result of the pressure failure: ruptured seals (Upper Timing Cover and Cambridge seals) that were forced to leak due to the internal over-pressurization. Manufacturer Awareness: The manufacturer (VWoA) is aware of this specific incident under Case #07146593.
The oil light often comes on due to low oil inbetween oil changes. This has happened ever since the car was new. I always stop at a local auto parts store and add more oil, but there are no noticeable oil leaks. This is a dangerous issue as it could cause overheating especially if not near a auto parts store. I also always carry extra oil in the back of my vehicle.
Vehicle: 2022 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T (VIN: [XXX] ), current mileage: . Failure: The engine water pump / integrated thermostat housing failed due to a coolant leak. I first noticed coolant odor and dried pink/white residue around the pump area on //. Coolant level dropped between services and I observed active seepage. Dealer diagnosis on // confirmed failed water pump/thermostat module and recommended replacement. Frequency/Progression: Began as a slow weep that progressed to an active leak. Coolant requires top-offs; leak is visible after parking. Safety risk: Sudden coolant loss can cause engine overheating and potential stalling while driving, creating a crash hazard and risk of engine damage. Context: This appears to be the same EA888 2.0T water-pump/thermostat leak pattern documented across VW/Audi vehicles; VW previously extended coverage to 8 yrs/80k miles for many 2014–2021 models in a settlement, but 2022 Atlas is not listed—leaving similar failures unaddressed. (Request ODI review for potential broader coverage.) Attachments/Proof: Photos of residue and leak, dealer repair order/estimate for pump module, service history, and receipts (upload available). Ask: Please record this as a safety-related cooling-system defect and consider investigation given recurrence on EA888 vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Brakes are squealing and grinding noises when i break. This noises are present no matter the speed. VW Dealership from Kearny Mesa VW, San Diego, California USA. Engine: Start/Stop does shutdown during driving after the autostop system. Electric: Sensors is causing false alerts. I deactivated the system, because the system is constantly detecting alerts for no real threats,
Vehicle stalls at low speeds or at a stop while ldling. Requires car be put in park to restart. Dealerships unable duplicate. Issue is occurring with greater frequency. Causing an unsafe condition driving in traffic.
Engine randomly stops while driving, in the middle of the road, warning says to manually restart engine. Happens with auto start/stop on or off. Lastest incident, while entering an intersection turning left, engine stopped, said to manually restart, steering locked up so could not steer the vehicle. This particular incident was very dangerous put me in the middle of a lot of traffic, in an intersection. Car is basically unsafe to drive at this point. Had it towed.
I am reporting a recurring coolant system issue that raises safety concerns. My 2022 VW Atlas has triggered the coolant warning light several times since new. A dealership eventually replaced the head gasket under warranty, yet the warning returned again months later. At the most recent service visit, a pressure test showed no leak, and I was told the problem was likely "air bubbles" — the same explanation I received before the head gasket was replaced. VW has issued TSB 19-22-01, advising dealers to blame repeated warnings on trapped air and to avoid replacing parts unless a leak is confirmed. This contradicts VW’s own official dashboard warning guidance, which instructs drivers to “Stop! Engine coolant level too low, engine coolant temperature too high, or engine coolant system malfunction” and “Do not drive.” This creates a conflict: VW tells customers a coolant warning is urgent and dangerous, while internally telling dealers to do nothing unless symptoms worsen. Meanwhile, owners are left driving vehicles that could overheat, stall, or fail without proper diagnosis. I request the federal safety agency investigate whether this approach allows VW to underreport or delay addressing a possible defect. I am concerned about the safety and reliability of this vehicle and the potential for this issue to affect other Atlas owners.
The engine shut-off while still driving between 10-15 mph when entering a gas station and turning uphill. Cannot say for certain, but the vehicle behaved similar to when the "start-stop" engine system activates. Electrical seemingly remained on, could not accelerate, and the dashboard requested something along the lines of needing to "restart." Similar scenario occurred the day prior but this time we were completely stopped. Came to a stop, attempted to accelerate, and the dashboard was referencing the same warning as above. This could clearly cause a major accident especially when it occurs while still moving at a respectable speed. VW offers a switch to turn off this system, but the system does not keep the setting once the vehicle is turned off. It automatically activates upon ignition. Ironically, the failure of unwanted & over-complicated engineering cannot be permanently switched off by the vehicle remembering the last setting unless you wish to spend $100 from a third-party. Hopefully my wife remembers to press the magic button every time she turns on the vehicle.
When the vehicle is at a stop or slowing maybe to park the engine shuts down. I get a start/stop error and it indicates I must restart the car manually. I then have to put the car in park and restart the vehicle. This has happened while the vehicle was in motion and in major city traffic. The vehicle displays a check engine light now. It is currently at the dealership being serviced.
Vehicle randomly sputters and stalls out coming to a stop. Dash displays Please Manually Restart Engine. Auto start stop is deactivated.No CEL. Freeze frame data shows multiple misfires and a P050700 freeze frame data code. Car was just serviced for 30k including a top end treatment.
Steering gear failed twice i have the first one make my car shake so bad and second it makes horrible noise every time i moved the steering wheel . Both front head light led failed for the day running light. Car has misfiring problems with spark plugs and injectors making driving unpredictable and engine start shaking out of nowhere and epc (electronic power control )light comes on
Vehicle stalling at intersections and is very dangerous. Took vehicle to VW dealership and even though they know and told me the problem was the carbon canister they are unable to repair due to no check engine light or the ability to replicate during there 5 minute test drive. This vehicle need repaired before it causes my family to be involved in an accident and they are refusing even though they know the problem.
Vehicle stalls at Idle or close to Idle. It's very dangerous as this could happen in an intersection leading to a collision. When I contacted VW they are completely aware of the issue, Know the part to fix and have even given the part an extended warranty. However, this will still not help if it causes an accident or injury to my family! According to VW of America, and the Dealership it's the Carbon Canister that is causing this problem. If this has not been a factor in an accident yet it certainly will be . Please address this issue immediately.
The first issue at 26k miles when the coolant light turned on. It was a broken head gasket which required the replacement of the full motor on the vehicle. After the motor was replaced, the vehicle had to be taken back to the dealership that completed the work on 3 different occasions for installation concerns including a loose bolt and low coolant levels. The second issue at 33k miles was the failure of the charcoal canister which ruined the fuel tank lining, resulting a replacement of the fuel tank. This issue caused the car to stall anytime it was idle (if I was in traffic and not able to accellerate or in a parking lot going slowly, it would stall requiring it to be put into park and restarted. This issue was a huge safety concern since my car would shut down in traffic. No indicator lights came on during this issue. Next, at 37k miles, I smelled terrible gas fumes each time the car idled. At one point, when blowing my nose, I had black soot residue, so I can't imagine what I was breathing or the risk of the vehicle catching fire with such strong fumes. I had to take the car in twice before they took me seriously. The car had broken O rings from the engine replacement. No indicator lights came on for this issue either. Last week, we received the car back after 33 days in the shop for ANOTHER broken head gasket. Within a day of getting the car back, it misfired and the check engine light was on again. The car does not accellerate correctly which poses a safety risk when trying to pull out into moving traffic or cross oncoming traffic. Volkswagen corporate office is well aware of all the issues but declined the buy-back process because we don't fall under our state's lemon laws.
1. Noise from the Front End - Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, I noticed a persistent noise coming from the front end while driving. I reported this issue to the dealership within the first 30 days of ownership, but they were unable to identify or resolve the problem on multiple occasions. Eventually, I took the vehicle to Dublin Volkswagen, where the issue was diagnosed, but I had to pay $80 out-of-pocket for the diagnostic fee. 2. Stalling Issue - The vehicle has been sporadically stalling, which initially led me to believe it was related to the auto stop/start feature. However, I later discovered that this is a recurring issue reported by other Volkswagen Atlas owners [XXX] ). This stalling issue has occurred multiple times, even to my brother during his visit from Canada. Given that this vehicle is used to transport children and other passengers, this is a serious safety concern and liability risk. Picture of message that pops up when the issue occurs. 3. Brake Performance Problems - The brakes have been squealing and exhibit shaking and grinding during use after sitting for different periods of time. Despite contacting the dealership (Dorito Brothers Volkswagen) numerous times about this issue, I have been repeatedly dismissed by their service advisors, technicians and manager. Their lack of attention to detail and unwillingness to address my concerns has eroded my confidence in their ability to service the vehicle properly. I was also informed that Volkswagen would be dealing with the brakes issues by the end of the fourth quarter in 2024 but to-date nothing has been heard nor done. They are recommending brake pads and rotors but why are those needing to be replaced after less than a year of owning it. There's more going on than they are disclosing. Attached is a copy of a report from a different dealer than the car was purchased from. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
We have encountered two recalls (one that we are still expecting a fix for) and multiple issues with our VW Atlas that we purchased new in June 2022
The engine stalled and I was given the “please start engine manually”. The button for it to turn off at stopping was off. Completely stalled and I have to put in park and restart the vehicle. This has happened on 2 different occasions. Once at an intersection and once in a parking garage
The auto start function shuts my car off when I am stopped for a certain amount of time and will not turn back on. The first time it happened I was 10/7/2024 at a stop light in traffic and took it to the dealership to only be told it was a battery issue. I got the battery replaced and have since experienced the issue 3 more times. The night before Thanksgiving at midnight I was stopped on a hill where I could not shift my car in neutral. I had to sit on the road for 40 minutes before I could get my car back on. On the back country roads going to work(12/14), I again experienced the car shutting off at a stop light in the middle lane. I called the dealership to set up an appointment. They said they ran a diagnostic test on the car and only found the battery needed to be replaced. Nothing else. No matter where I am if I fail to manually turn off the auto start feature I risk my car randomly shutting off on me and not turning back on. I have maintained the maintenance on my car. There are no lights on until the auto start stops my car from turning on I will get an EPC light. Once the car sits for a while, I can start my car and the light doesn’t come back on. This is a major issue and I believe this is truly a manufacturing issue that should be resolved immediately.
I have owned this vehicle for not even a year and bought it as a family car. It only has 24k miles. I have had consistent problems with it since the purchase. The vehicle has shut off SIX times while I've been driving. The first time I was stopped at a stop light when my car shut off. I took it in for service and VW said they couldn't "replicate the issue" so they wouldn't do anything. It has shut off five more times since then. A few of the incidents I wasn't even stopped at a stoplight but was breaking to slow down and the car shut off. My airbag warning also pops on and off all the time. It dings constantly. I took it in for service and they told me the item was being recalled and there is no fix. I now cannot have passengers in my family vehicle. I have now learned that the car has oil leaking onto the engine. This vehicle is in warranty, so at least I won't have to pay for it but it is the most unreliable car I have ever owned. I have a five year old Subaru that has not had a single problem. I do not feel safe driving my Atlas, and I do not feel safe putting my child in it. I need to get a new reliable vehicle but I have a loan on the atlas. I feel stuck in a death trap. I will never buy a VW again.
Vehicle was left parked over the weekend and on Tuesday I went to start the car and got errors of a low coolant. Vehicle suffered a massive coolant leak just sitting on the weekend. Two year old vehicle with 27K miles.
I discovered my car was leaking a small amount of oil on 08/26/2024. I made a service appointment to get it looked at and found out that the crank case oil separator and the upper timing case were both leaking. These were both found at my local Volkswagen Dealership. I was told to continue driving it but to check my oil levels weekly. On 09/14/2024, I put oil in my car that morning and at 4:30pm my car was smoking, and my oil cap had exploded off from pressure. This caused my car to no longer be safe to drive. No warning lights came on until after the leaks were found then it caused an error with my start-stop which when brought in to be inspected was told this is all related to the issue with the oil leaks.
Charcoal fuel filter system - I purchased my vehicle brand new. This went out the first 10 months I had the vehicle. There are numerous owners having the same issue. It seems my vehicle is having the same issues again!!! VW tried telling me I’m over filling my car. This is an incorrect statement. I place nozzle in gas tank, set lever to fill, wait until it clicks. I would never intentionally damage my new car. Again, their are numerous owners having same issues with the charcoal fuel canister
Twice in the last month, while I was driving and slowing to a stop, my 2022 VW Atlas has randomly shut off while in Drive. This is an extremely dangerous situation as I have then had to put the car in neutral to get it started again. I was slowing to a light and had just passed a set of railroad tracks today. I was stuck just past the intersection in heavy traffic. My car is equipped with the “start/stop” feature; however, I had it off both times and was not at a complete stop. No warming systems prior to this happening, after the screen said “start the vehicle manually” I do have an appointment scheduled with my dealer on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine shut off How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes shut off, while driving on local road way. Also shut off on the highway. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Dealership cannot recreate issue, still has vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? VW dealership Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Purchased new in 2022 from VW dealership, has all required services, aside from the electrical malfunctions which began last year has been ongoing no other issues. We have video
The atlas has shit off mid drive twice so far. Once with the auto shut off button turned off and once not turned off. It cause the vehicle to suddenly brake and nearly get my family rear ended. Many times it detects objects not there and tries braking in the middle of intersections, while making turns nearly causing us to be tboned. It is not worth my families life so it is currently sitting at the dealership No lights are on the dashboard at this time
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