2023 Volkswagen Atlas engine problems
34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas — 28% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“2023 Volkswagen Atlas R-Line. While driving (moving) on a congested road the vehicle signaled "Please start engine manually" the gas pedal became unresponsive. Power steering, radio, A/C, all still worked, but I had to come to a complete stop to restart engine. The same thing has happened multiple…”
filed Aug 5, 2026
“4 times now when the vehicle, 2 times while the vehicle is moving forward and 2 times while the vehicle was moving in reverse the engine has completely shut off and the car stopped moving. The dash said the engine was off and the vehicle needed to be shifted to park and the engine turned back on…”
filed Jul 20, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failureCampaign 22V753000 · Oct 7, 2022
Related service bulletins
Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
V1718062017813_24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
TT 13-20-01_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
TT 10-18-02_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
Engine problems in other Atlas years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Atlas | 5 | 13% |
| 2024 Atlas | 25 | 16% |
| 2022 Atlas | 48 | 28% |
| 2021 Atlas | 80 | 18% |
| 2020 Atlas | 3 | 11% |
| 2019 Atlas | 59 | 13% |
| 2018 Atlas | 97 | 21% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.