Problems · by component

2024 Volkswagen Atlas forward collision avoidance problems

29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas cite forward collision avoidance, 16% of all 176 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
29
16% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the forward collision avoidance

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My foot was completely on the brake pedal during a low-speed parking maneuver, and the vehicle, un-commanded, surged forward, causing the crash. The vehicle actively fought my braking. Also the crash assist did not engage nor stop the vehicle either , I was directly in front of the car I collided with.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2026Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11773436
“Dash beeps and shows Rear traffic alert currently unavailable, and Maneuver braking function currently not available Infotainment center blinks off and didn’t come back up completely black screen Can’t access any controls in screen. No radio, no settings”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Unknown or other, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11772638
“When you move from reverse to drive in short spurts to park the car, the vehicle's emergency brake system turns on when nothing is in the way and causes car to lock up - beep loudly and vibrate. This is very disruptive when you try to park and scary as the car is over-reacting.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2026Forward collision avoidanceODI 11724722
“I am writing to formally report repeated and serious defects with my 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, VIN [XXX] , which I leased in California. These defects occurred well within the vehicle’s first year and while under factory warranty. Brake System Defect At 8,405 miles, the vehicle received its 10,000-mile maintenance. At 9,340 miles, brake pads measured 10 mm front / 8 mm rear, reflecting nearly new condition. By 13,175 miles, the pads had separated from their backing plates, causing scoring of the front rotors. Told they crumbled by the dealership. Dealer performed a “one-time goodwill repair” on the 1-year in-service date, replacing pads and rotors, but refused to document the failure as a warranty-covered defect. This premature failure at 13k miles is not normal wear and reflects a serious manufacturing/material defect that created a safety hazard. Engine and Oil Issues At 13,175 miles, the oil light came on and the vehicle was found to be low on oil despite proper service at 8,405 miles. At 8,405 miles the oil light also came on showing low to no oil. Intermittent Warning and Electrical Issues Throughout this period, the vehicle has experienced recurring warning…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2026Wheels, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11723774
“I am submitting this complaint to report ongoing safety-related defects with my Volkswagen vehicle that remain unresolved despite multiple attempts through the manufacturer and an authorized dealership. The vehicle has experienced recurring and unpredictable issues including warning lights activating without explanation, sensor malfunctions, abnormal and recurring brake noises, and the infotainment/vehicle information system intermittently failing to power on or experiencing complete blackouts during operation. These issues occur during normal driving and present potential safety concerns by distracting the driver, limiting access to vehicle information, and raising concerns regarding braking reliability and electrical system stability. I previously filed a formal complaint directly with Volkswagen regarding these defects and have received no meaningful response, resolution, or follow-up. I also brought the vehicle to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for inspection. Despite review, no permanent repair was completed and the same defects continue to occur. I was not provided a clear explanation, corrective action, or assurance that the vehicle is safe for…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2026Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11714587
“I’ve owned the Atlas for a little over a year now and throughout the year the vehicles infotainment system and electrical system has had several recurring issues. I’ll get notifications while I’m driving of the front and rear sensors being inactive, the entire infotainment system will periodically reboot while driving, the automatic braking system unexpectedly engaged on a couple occasions - even when there was not a collision hazard, the systems Bluetooth connectivity will go on and off while driving which affects my ability to use gps and creates a distraction while trying to correct, the infotainment system will crash while I’m in reverse which takes away the use of the back up camera, and just the other day the voice control activated while I was driving (without being prompted) and I couldn’t deactivate it without manually rebooting it while I was driving. I did a few google searches to find a resolution but it appears many others are having similar issues. These recurring issues have distracted my attention while driving and have created some dangerous situations that could have easily caused a crash or incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2025Electrical system, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11700226

Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.