2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Complaints

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/26/2023

sunroof shattered while driving down the freeway

Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness — Filed 06/04/2026

We purchased a Chicco Fit360 car seat approximately two weeks ago. During normal use, we discovered that the magnetic chest clip/latch on the 5-point harness can appear to be connected but is not always mechanically latched. If the two halves of the magnetic chest clip are brought together lightly/loosely, the magnets pull the clip together and it appears closed, but the latch can separate without pressing the release buttons. The issue appears to be with the magnetic chest clip/chest latch portion of the harness system. This creates a safety concern because the chest clip may appear secured when it is not actually locked. If this occurred during driving or a crash, the harness straps may not remain properly positioned on the child’s chest/shoulders, which could reduce the effectiveness of the restraint system and increase the risk of injury or ejection. The clip seems to connect correctly most of the time when clipped deliberately, but it can fail when loosely clipped, which is concerning because a caregiver may reasonably believe the chest clip is secured due to the magnetic connection. The car seat/component is available for inspection upon request. We contacted Chicco customer service and reported the issue. Chicco stated they are sending a replacement magnetic chest clip and indicated that the replacement should fix the issue. Chicco has not physically inspected the seat or the original chest clip at this time. The seat has not been inspected by police, insurance, or any other third party. No crash or injury has occurred. The cause is UNKNOWN, but based on observation, the failure appears to involve the magnetic chest clip giving the appearance of being closed without the mechanical latch fully engaging.

AIR BAGS — Filed 05/23/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an error code associated with the airbag. The vehicle was repaired at the consumer expense. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,200.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 01/04/2024

Both day time running lights failed right after warranty expired. This repair requires over 2300$ repair because both entire headlights need to be replaced. This is a frequent problem that VW is aware yet refuses to rectify. It cause my vehicle to be less visible because of aporr design by VW.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 03/22/2026

Fuel pump failed Daytime running light failure Broken hood latch

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 12/31/1969

Premature failure of left drivers side LED Daytime Running Light.

AIR BAGS — Filed 04/04/2026

On 4/6 - My car alert system flashed the following; Still present, Called VW Dealership. Customer Care & Checked for recalls via VIN number. Airbag Error ( message on dashboard) Passenger Airbag (Message /light -automatically turned off airbags) Passanger airbag sensor flashes then turns solid. Safety recall for VW Atlas, certain vin numbers. No active recall for mine. (confirmed via VIA VW website, dealership & VW Customer Care) This puts my family at risk of airbags not deploying properly in emergency situations.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 01/22/2026

While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent electrical malfunctions affecting multiple systems. The door locks cycle repeatedly, windows roll down on their own, and when attempting to roll the windows back up, they immediately roll back down. The dashboard lights flicker, become extremely bright, and at times go out completely. The central display (including Apple CarPlay) also shuts off entirely. Multiple warning alerts appear, including emergency brake warnings. These failures occur while the vehicle is in motion and create a safety risk due to loss of system visibility, inability to control vehicle functions, and unexpected vehicle behavior. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent repair shop due to these issues, where I was informed of Recall 97GF (wiring harness issue), which is associated with the same electrical failures. The vehicle was then taken to a dealership for recall service. The dealership retained the vehicle for approximately one week and advised that the repair resolved the issue. The vehicle operated normally for approximately three weeks following the repair. However, on or about [XXX], the same electrical issues reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealership on February 20th, where it remained in service for over 45 days. Despite multiple repair attempts and extended time in service, the issue was not resolved and continues to occur. The dealership has indicated that the recall procedure was completed, but the original condition persists. The issue was also escalated directly to Volkswagen of America through a customer care case. The manufacturer reviewed the situation and stated that the recall procedure had been completed and the condition was no longer considered related to the recall. The case was subsequently closed without resolution, and the vehicle continues to experience the same electrical failures. Video of issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

STRUCTURE,ENGINE — Filed 02/13/2026

February 2025, just outside the warranty period, the hood latch had become disconnected/broken under the hood. There is a point where the two piece cable is joined under the hood and the cable breaks at this point. There is an obvious defect in the hood latch system and puts drivers at risk as the hood cannot be opened if needed possibly stranding a driver on the road with a non-functioning vehicle and no way to assess or repair the issue. Think low oil, overheating engine, no wiper fluid, fuse blown, no way to assess the issue. This is a common problem as found in internet forums. Many complaints have been filed with the NHTSA see campaign numbers 11693537, 11691685, 11681799, 11648046, 11630017. The fix involves removing the left front tire, removing the wheel well trim and and under fender skirting (25+ torx head screws), locating and opening cable junction box in the engine compartment from under the wheel well and pulling the cable with pliers to open the hood. The broken cable has to be removed by removing two interior panels inside the car cabin and pulling cable and grommet out. Then fishing replacement cable back through firewall into channel and up to the cable junction box. This is a 2-3 hour process. Cost is in excess of $500-700 at most dealers. The replacement cable is of the same design, so likely to also fail at some point. There should not be so many failures of a part that is only used 3-5 times per year.

ENGINE — Filed 01/08/2026

I purchased a new 2020 Atlas Cross Sport in 2020. The car currently has 108,000 miles. In the time I have owned the car I have had to replace the heater core THREE times. The heater core has failed once again and I must replace it a FOURTH time. The dealer (Nucar, Norwood, MA) nor VW will admit the defect and I must pay $1000.00 to replace the defective part. This part is obviously defective. I want nothing more than to have the part replaced with a quality VW replacement part. I would also recommend that your organization investigate VW for a parts issue that is impacting many VW owners.