Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
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.
When parking the car it hit the other parking vehicle on the right side of it. The sensors didn't work at the time of the collision or after the collision. The vehicle is taking a force parking when the parking button is turned on.
Since purchasing this car, i have had problems with the parking brake automatically turning on when driving and at every stop; the car doors in the front do not lock/unlock; causing a concern for emergency with two kids in the car. The sunroof malfunctions along with the windows working on their own, going up and down and the sunroof not closing. The electrical front panels malfunction and cause the break system to start on its own, the screens turn black and am unable to use the front power screen. The doors lock and unlock by themselves from the inside and outside, not able to use the buttons on the doors to lock/unlock. The windows constantly open and close by themselves, again causing safety harm for the children in the car. When the car comes to a stop sign and brakes, it will either shut off or the parking/emergency brake will engage automatically. …
I purchased my car in July 2022 and started having issues with it within 3 months. I've have my car at the dealer 4 times for them to look at... 1 - the brakes (grinding, scraping noise, squeaking that can be fetl in the pedal). I was told each time that the rotors and brake pads aren't compatible. VW knows about the problem but doesn't have a fix for it. They say they clean the pads and that the car is safe to drive (really?). 2 - the infotainment system. On several occasions I cannot switch from one media system (Sirius XM, FM, AM, blue tooth, etc...), when I turn my car on, the screen shows "initializing" but nothing happens. It just sits there. Today was a first; the whole system shut off and the screen was blank. No radio, no phone, nothing. I've made several videos to show the dealer what the system is doing and they tell me it just needs an update, yet I still have the problem. …
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 [redacted] daughter. Additionally, my wife is currently [redacted]. 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. …
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. …
This vehicle DOES has a recall listed for the door harness. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get a return call from my dealship since NOVEMBER. I literally leave a message (after physically talking to someone) and NO ONE calls me back. The passenger front door is misaligned and does not close properly, the electronics go crazy and sensors randomly go off. I took the vehicle in one week after purchase regarding the above and was told they needed to get approved to get my car in and get me a loaner. Service stated my car would need to be sent to their body shop for "several weeks," and couldn't provide a loaner at that time. Since then, I have called MULTIPLE times and nothing. With the issues with the electronics and now the wiring harness, this vehicle is definitely NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, though VW claims it is. …
While driving less than 30 mph in slow traffic the automatic braking system engaged itself which caused me to almost get hit. Another time, I was in slow traffic less than 20mph both sides of the street were filled with cars driving and my automatic brake began to light up and the brake was engaging but I was still able to keep driving the car despite what was happening with the automatic brakes. In normal driving conditions whenever I press on the brakes the vehicle does not stop right away. It take a lot of effort for the vehicle to stop almost as if, the car is too heavy for the braking equipment installed on the vehicle. There have been maybe one to three times where I slammed on the brakes and the vehicle did not fully stop which now has caused increased anxiety. Another issue I am having not related to the braking mechanism. Electrical on the infotainment system. …
Just bought the vehicle within the first day the radio systems turned off and cannot turn on again after 8 turn on the vehicle it affects all the safety systems because it's all connected to the radio. Vehicle was taken back to dealership which was reprogrammed and given back after one day it began again and now it's back at the dealership. They are saying they're going to put a brand new video but it's back on it and that I could still use my vehicle even though radio is not working correctly connecting to all the safety components. I was told that it was safe to drive even though I feel like it's not safe to drive at all in that condition. Right now I have a loaner car but they want it back within 2 days and until I get the new radio and hopefully it will work correctly and turn on again all the bells ring after a while because it's connected to the radio system. …
Electrical complaints in other Atlas Cross Sport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the electrical system of the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, 28% of the model year's 74 complaints. The component named most often is adas › parking assist › sensors (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.