2024 Volkswagen Atlas Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 30about this part
- Share
- 17%of 176 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 18,227miles
- Trend
- Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
NHTSA recorded 30 complaints about the engine of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, 17% of the 176 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 18,227 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Safety recall issued in November 2025 for the engine cover. The dealership removed the faulty engine cover for safety reasons. VW customer care informed me that the part is not in production. Under federal recall law, manufacturers must provide a remedy within a reasonable time . Seven months with no production date for the repair is my complaint. The engine cover is designed to reduce engine noise.”
NHTSA complaint #11736580, filed 2026-05“Car exploded. I was driving fine with ac running when all of a sudden gray smoke came out the hood of the car. I stoped in a side street. I turned off the car and the gray smoke became black. I took my phone and ran out. As I ran the car exploded like a bomb on the street and started throwing flames. Car is completely loss. Car has been to it’s maintainer and everything and nothing found.”
NHTSA complaint #11618210, filed 2024-10“I was sitting in park and the car started shaking and then completely shut down. When I was able to turn the engine back on there was a message that popped up that said Error Drive System: please service vehicle. There was a lit up part of the engine in the message. It took 3 weeks to get into the dealership. They said they could find something wrong or an error code. Something is not right with this car.”
NHTSA complaint #11636072, filed 2025-01“While driving, the engine light comes on along with a flashing red error message that says error: drive system and then the engine starts overheating and I have to park the car and turn it off. Once I restart the car, the check engine light remains on.”
NHTSA complaint #11745113, filed 2026-06“We were driving down the interstate with cruise control on. There were no other cars around us thank goodness but the car slammed on the brakes with no warning. If someone had been behind us we would have been rear ended and possibly hurt.”
NHTSA complaint #11636057, filed 2025-01Related recalls
- 25V100000Feb 17, 2025Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine cover may have been improperly…Covers: Volkswagen Atlas 2024–2025, Atlas Cross Sport 2024–2025
Related service bulletins
- 11038146Sep 17, 2026Suggested fuel additive
- 11035762Jul 9, 2026Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
- 11034616Jun 22, 2026Excess flashing left behind during the intake manifold injection molding process can cause a lean misfire in affected cylinders.
- 11034614Jun 18, 2026Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
- 11034613Jun 18, 2026Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
- 11034619Jun 12, 2026Oil Leak from Turbocharger Air Inlet Elbow
- 11034617Jun 4, 2026Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
- 11034618Jun 1, 2026Oil Leak From Turbocharger Air Inlet Elbow
- 11030847Mar 27, 2026This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the…
- 11029311Feb 12, 2026Inspect and re-torque cylinder head cover bolts
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 29% |
| 2025 | 7 | 14% |
| 2024 | 30 | 17% |
| 2023 | 37 | 26% |
| 2022 | 50 | 27% |
| 2021 | 86 | 18% |
| 2020 | 3 | 11% |
| 2019 | 60 | 12% |
| 2018 | 100 | 21% |
Other parts of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas
45 complaintsBrakes
37 complaintsOther or unknown
32 complaintsForward collision avoidance
29 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
22 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
11 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
10 complaintsExterior lighting
9 complaintsAir bags
8 complaintsLane departure
7 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsFuel system
6 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology