2018 Volkswagen Atlas Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

96Engine complaints

21.1%Of all 454 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM109 · 24%

AIR BAGS99 · 21.8%

ENGINE96 · 21.1%

SERVICE BRAKES74 · 16.3%

Unspecified / other71 · 15.6%

Share of the 454 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas overview page.

What owners report

“TWICE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. HAD TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND RESTART. BOTH TIMES IT WAS IN THE…”NHTSA complaint 11181601 — filed 02/21/2019

“SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, MY START/STOP FUNCTION WOULD NOT TURN MY CAR BACK ON. THE DASH HAD ALL SORTS…”NHTSA complaint 11174633 — filed 02/05/2019

“1/28/19 CAR STARTS FINE,DRIVE 15 MIN, RUN 3 ERRANDS, THEN CAN'T START CAR. ELECTRONIC DISPLAY HAS ALL WARNING ICONS FLASHING. BATTERY TEST 50% POWER.JUMPSTART CAR,EPC…”NHTSA complaint 11173831 — filed 02/03/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas have engine problems?

Engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas: 96 of 454 complaints on file (21.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas have in total?

454 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.