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2022 Volkswagen Atlas cross sport

The Verdict

81 Smooth Ride

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas cross sport has 70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are brakes (22 complaints) and engine (22 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 81/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Volkswagen Atlas cross sport, consider the 2023 model year which has 77% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2023 has 77% fewer complaints

View the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas cross sport dashboard →

81

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2020301836132
2021153468390
202282217221
202332650
202438621157
202561261

By Category

Brakes
22
Engine
22
Electrical
17
Body
8
Transmission
1

By Severity

1
32
2
36
4
2

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 2

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, VIN: [XXX] The vehicle was purchased new in October 2021. Volkswagen issued Recall 13i4 / NHTSA Campaign 22V-753 for certain Atlas Cross Sport vehicles due to an engine connecting rod/connecting rod bearing manufacturing defect that can cause engine failure, loss of motive power while driving, and potential safety risks. My vehicle was inspected by an authorized Volkswagen dealer under Recall 13i4 in 2023. I was told the recall condition was not present and the recall was marked completed. On or about April 23, 2026, the vehicle developed the exact issue covered by Recall 13i4. I brought it to an authorized Volkswagen dealer, and the dealer confirmed that the failure is the same engine connecting rod/connecting rod bearing issue identified in the recall. The required repair is engine replacement. Volkswagen is refusing to reopen or reauthorize the recall repair because the recall was previously marked completed after the 2023 inspection and because the factory warranty expired in October 2025. I am now being told I may be responsible for the engine replacement cost, even though the dealer has confirmed this is the exact safety defect covered by the recall. I believe this is a failed or inadequate recall remedy. The 2023 inspection did not permanently remedy the defect and appears to have missed a latent manufacturing issue that has now manifested. This is not a normal out-of-warranty mechanical failure. It is the specific safety-related defect Volkswagen reported to NHTSA. I am asking NHTSA to review whether Volkswagen’s Recall 13i4 remedy process is inadequate, especially for vehicles that passed the initial inspection but later develop the same covered engine defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2mo ago
Electrical 1

The daytime running light on the passenger side is out. The entire headlight assembly and bumper have to be removed to repair this. It will cost 1400 to repair. This is a safety issue and should be covered by Volkswagen.

3mo ago
Engine 2

Description of Fault This vehicle exhibits a recurring, intermittent failure of the electronic throttle control system. Three distinct symptom patterns have been observed: 1.Throttle non-responsive at stop-start (approx. monthly/bi-monthly): After coming to a complete stop (e.g. at a traffic light), pressing the accelerator pedal produces no engine response. The vehicle will not move. Switching the ignition fully off and performing a cold restart resolves the issue immediately. 2.Throttle failure while vehicle was in motion (Wednesday, March 4, 2026): While my wife was driving the vehicle, the throttle stopped responding entirely mid-journey. The accelerator pedal produced no engine response while the vehicle was moving at speed. This is a direct and serious safety hazard. As with other incidents, switching the ignition fully off and performing a cold restart resolved the issue. 3.Erratic/hypersensitive throttle response on inclines: On slight uphill gradients, a light press of the accelerator pedal produces a disproportionately strong acceleration response, suggesting inconsistent signal output from the accelerator pedal position sensor (APPS). Safety Concern The occurrence of complete throttle loss while the vehicle was in motion — experienced by my wife on March 4, 2026 — is a serious safety defect. A driver who loses throttle response at highway speed, on a merge, or when crossing an intersection is at significant risk of collision. I am formally documenting this concern so that it is part of the vehicle's permanent service record.

4mo ago
Engine 2

Got the PCV valve repaired on February 13th and on February 18th the EPC light came on. The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas was taken to dealership and said the charge air inlet and the diverter valve leaking oil. Recommended to replace the turbo diverter valve and the charge air inlet seal at this time and re-testing the turbo. My car is shutting off when sitting at a light and car only has 52, 294 mileage

4mo ago
Body 2

Vehicle shimmies/shakes when braking of speeds over 50 mph. It is currently at the VW service center and was informed the Electro-Mechanical Steering gear needs to be replaced. The repair tech also said that he wasn't sure when the part would be in and he has a few others on backorder for repair as well.

4mo ago
Electrical 2

Rear camera, back over prevention system malfunction. Rearview camera image does not display, fails to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.” This happened after the PODS repair was made. Local VW dealer is requiring a diagnostic fee though the problem started immediately after it was serviced.

5mo ago
Body 1

when I got in my car the display showed that my driver’s door was open, but it wasn’t. When I tried to put it in drive, the car had an awful beeping sound and wouldn’t go into drive unless I released the emergency brake button. Once I came to a stop the car would automatically go into park and wouldn’t not proceed unless I released the emergency brake again. I did look up if there was a recall and there was back in February 15, 2023. I would like to bring it to Volkswagen for it to be fixed and not have to pay for it as I have only owned the car since October of 2025.

5mo ago
Electrical 1

There has been no incident with my car. The DRL on the drivers side stopped working and wasn’t my fault. The price to replace the light is absolutely unheard of. I have owned three Volkswagens and loved all three but this is very disappointing. The car only has 40,000 miles on it. I don’t feel like this should’ve happened this soon.

8mo ago
Electrical 1

The front light led bulbs died. First it was the driver side at 53k miles, now the passenger side. The car has less than 55k miles. The price for the repair is outrageous. $2,000 for just ONE led bulb change. I’ve seen forums and many, many WV Atlas have the same problem. WV should be responsible for this. $4,000 total for two light bulb replacements! It’s insane!

9mo ago
Electrical 4

Initially, my Atlas would not auto-start with the key fab. When I returned to my vehicle, the lights flashed, it gave a battery warning, then I was able to start the vehicle. However, several lights on the dashboard cycled through, radio/center console was non-responsive, and I could not get my car to park. Eventually, I had to use the emergency break to park it. We jumped the vehicle and it did start again. However, very shortly thereafter it lit on fire and there were visible flames under the hood. We called the fire department, put the fire out with water and an extinguisher. Then we had the vehicle towed to the dealership. Its been more than 2 months since this incident and no work has been started. Volkswagen corporate sent an engineer out to inspect my car (confirmed by the dealership that they did visit) but still no work has begun. My car is still covered under the original manufacturer warranty. We bought brand new and have owned the vehicle for less than 4 years. VW Customer Care line has been "close due to an all day employee meeting" since last week. The dealership has no information about my car.

9mo ago
Engine 1

On going fuel system issues that pose significant safety risks, suggest potential design or manufacturing flaws, and are impacting vehicle performance. The primary component affected is the fuel injection system. I have had to replace the fuel leak detection pump, spark plugs, and ignition coils multiple times, as fault codes have repeatedly appeared even after repairs, indicating a persistent failure within the fuel injection system. Additionally, I believe that the use and recommendations regarding fuel grades are contributing to the problem. I was informed by a Volkswagen employee that I should have been using 93 octane fuel; however, I was never provided with this guidance at the time of purchase. The vehicle’s fuel tank clearly indicates the use of 87 octane fuel. This discrepancy raises concerns about whether consumers are adequately informed about the proper fuel to prevent issues. The lack of clear guidance on fuel grade requirements appears misleading and could be viewed as potentially deceptive. My vehicle has begun riding rough and shaking while driving. I have been informed that I now need a decarbonization (decarb) engine intake service and a fuel injection service to address these new symptoms. These issues further indicate that there may be underlying problems within the fuel and intake systems, possibly related to the ongoing deposit buildup and improper fuel use. The failed fuel leak detection pump, affected fuel system components, and the recent service needs are available for inspection and can be provided upon request. 
The malfunction of the fuel injection system and the fuel leak detection system substantially engine failure while driving which could endanger the driver, passengers, and others on the road.The issues manifested as the vehicle would jerk later my engine light came on, prompting me to seek repairs. It has not yet been formally inspected by the police, or insurance representatives, the mechanic’s diagnosis confirms the malfunction.

9mo ago
Brakes 2

Front brakes make scratching sound, dealer alleged brakes and rotor are fine after inspection. Steering wheel shakes at times when braking down hill. Cabin too noisy, air and sauna enter cabin by driver side door. Reported issue to dealer, they alleges the seal may need to be replaced; but not covered by warranty.

9mo ago
Brakes 1

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal metal on metal grinding sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure while slowing for traffic or while coming to a stop. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but over time became more frequent. Additionally, the "Emergency Stop" warning light illuminated, and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had then taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,285.

11mo ago
Engine 2

We had a cylinder 3 misfire according to the check engine light code. Replaced spark plugs, coils, and now VW in Doral (Miami, FL) is telling me it is a "carbon build up" when the car only has 42,000 miles on it.

11mo ago
Engine 1

Vehicle is stalling/shutting off at low speed. Took it to dealership and no fix since its not throwing a code. Obviously something is wrong and a huge safety problem. Has happened several times in a few months with me having the vehicle/ bought it used.

11mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled and became inoperable. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. Several unknown messages were displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred 10 minutes later while driving in a parking lot. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

12mo ago
Engine 1

The car’s engine start/stop feature has failed multiple times while at an incomplete stop. This failure endangers the driver because the car will not drive, forcing the driver to put the car in park & manually restart the car. This failure has occurred at least 6 times, reported as the original owner of the car for 3+ years. Recently, as a potential result(?), the car’s check engine light has appeared (@52k miles). The dealership suggested replacement of the N80 purge valve,~$400 repair at VW dealership, to fix the tandem start/stop error & check engine light issue.

15mo ago
Electrical 1

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer had not informed the contact of the cause of the failure but informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to another unknown dealer, where the same information was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

18mo ago
Engine 1

This vehicle has an issue where the engine stalls when operating a slow speeds/a stop. When the engine stalls, a message appears on the dashboard stating that you must put the car in park, turn off the ignition, restart the car, and then put it back into drive. This has posed as a significant risk to myself, my wife, and our [XXX] daughter. Additionally, my wife is currently [XXX]. The engine has stalled on us in the middle of an 8 lane intersection when attempting to turn left, when merging onto a highway, and numerous other very dangerous situations. This issue begin about 1 year after purchasing the car (brand new) from Volkswagen. Since then, we have brought the car back to the dealership where we purchased it (Heritage Volkswagen Parkville) over 5 times to have them look into this issue. They have attempted to replace the gas tank (claimed it had shrunk) and reset the computer system, yet neither of these things have worked. Neither myself or the dealership can "make" the car stall as it happens very randomly (which increases the risk that this issue poses) and now we are stuck - where Volkswagen has won't continue to research the issue/attempt to fix it yet my family is still left at risk with a car we purchased brand new off of their lot. The vehicle has not been inspected by the police, insurance, or any other people outside of Volkswagen and the vehicle has no warning signals that there is an issue and no code that they have been able to pull at the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

18mo ago
Electrical 2

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

18mo ago

70 total

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