There are 9 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlasin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Brake rotors cause vehicle vibrations while applying steady brake pressure at speeds above 30 MPH. This is a manufacturing defect with the Brake rotors, a class action suit has been initiated on this issue and Volkswagen is aware of the issue with the Atlas for MY 2023 and others but has refused to address it. This represents safety issue for the vehicle as braking may be compromised at higher speeds. Class Action - https://milberg.com/news/vw-atlas-brake-defect-lawsuit/ Also, brake pads at low speed grind, possibly due to brake pad material or a faulty issue with the brake pad in the manufacturing process or from the vendor.
I was driving home when I noticed that the check engine light was on. I stopped and checked the dash, infotainment display and VW app for what the problem was, the app showed no faults and all parameters had green checks. Only message on the dash was "Start Stop Error". Car ran fine and didn't seem to have any issue other than the auto start feature not working so I finished my drive home. When I approached my driveway I stepped on the brakes and the car pulled hard to the left and I went into the oncoming lane. I was lucky no-one was coming the other way. I could have hit someone head on. Once parked in the driveway I inspected the car and found that alot of oil was leaking from many places under the car and the passenger side and rear of car was covered in oil also. Engine compartment was soaked in oil on the passengers side. The passengers side front tire, wheel and brake components were dripping & soaked with oil. The large oil leak got in the brakes and on the tire causing me to swerve into the oncoming lane when i applied the brakes. This car had no leaks of any kind before this incident. Photo of oil on driveway VW5 was after car was parked for only 5 -10 minutes. Picture VW1,2 and 3 show wheel and brake soaked in oil. VW4 shows tire soaked in oil
The breaks make a screeching sound and you can feel in the pedal the car wobbling/slipping. I took to be repaired under warranty and they said there's nothing wrong. Break pads and breaks are in good health accord them. They have no explaination for the sound.
I leased the car brand new, maybe a month or 2 later the brakes started making noise. I took it to VW 2-3x and they said that was just a common problem in the atlas and there’s nothing they can do about it. They suggested on the highway, when it is safe to slam the brakes to get rid of the noise. Not only is this dangerous but also my tires are worn down from constantly braking trying to get rid of the noise before I go anywhere. Also, a new issue that’s starting up is when I’m coming slowly to a stop, to get to the median or a roundabout, the car shuts down. This is also very dangerous and has gotten me in a position where a car almost hit me as I was approaching the median, the car shut off on me. I had to quickly put the car in brake, turn on the car and put it in drive to move my car out of the road where cars were approaching me
This is my second Volkswagen Atlas, that has the same issues of breaks making loud squealing noise when I hit the brakes. Volkswagen changed the brakes on my 2022 Atlas, then allowed me to trade it in for a 2023 Atlas. I been having the same problem with the brakes and all the dealers says is' ( Volkswagen is aware of the brake problem and working on a solution)., however it has been a ongoing issue for over a year. Just today in Walmart parking lot located at [XXX] , I hit brakes and the brakes squeal loud, this is not just an issue because of the noise, this is a safety issue. Now the dealer is telling me the brakes are only under warranty for 24,000 miles and my car has 34,000 miles, leaving me having to try to find out what to do on my own. My car note is $914.10, I love Volkswagen, but I will never buy another one. Imagine paying $914.10 per month for a vehicle that has a safety issue and the dealer has been working on a solution for over 2 years. The break lights doesn't come on, so the dealer stated it is only a annoying sound not a safety issue, I believed these vehicles need a examination or please examine mines, because if your brakes squeals, something is wrong with the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Starting at less than 15k miles the brakes started making loud grinding noises sounding like metal to metal grinding. The noises occured anytime the car was parked for any period of time. The noise would happen either in reverse or going forward. The car was taken to the dealership and I was told this was normal. I insisted it was not normal for a car with that many miles to have that kind of brake noise. The dealership replaced the brake pads and resurfaced the rotors. At 28k, the same problem with the brakes started again. The car is now at the dealership trying to get the issue fixed.
The vehicle only has 15K miles and the breaks are already producing a grinding sound. Brought it back to the dealership and they said that the pads and rotors are measuring correct and that it was the humidity. No vehicle that we have ever experiences has had grinding, so new and blamed weather. They are stating that the pads and rotors are made up of higher iron and corrosion is happening quicker. This is unacceptable and put extra wear on the vehicle breaking components ultimately putting breaking at risk.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? YES How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? NO Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?YES. They cannot reproduce as they test drive the vehicle upon arrival and it something that happens when the car has been sitting.
When the vehicle is wet (after car wash or when it rains), the breaks start screeching and the breaking jerks suddenly. It’s a terrible sound and terrible feeling because it’s unexpected and abnormal
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.