Diagsheet

2018 Volkswagen Atlas · symptom sheet

Engine stalls or loses power while driving

  • 44owner reports
  • 15,000median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Jul 13, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

210 of the 462 complaints on this car are about the engine. 44 of those describe stalling.

Tick what matches of 44 reports

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18
26
22
2
1

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (14 reports) and the engine (4 reports).

Recalls and investigations

3 recalls on the engine cover the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

18V-824Nov 26, 2018
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

Risk and remedy
Risk: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.
18V-284May 2, 2018
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. The fuel tank on these vehicles may leak fuel due to a manufacturing error. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Risk and remedy
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AW. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 17V-766.
17V-766Nov 29, 2017
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles. The fuel tank may have been manufactured with insufficient wall thickness, potentially resulting in the tank leaking fuel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Risk and remedy
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AQ.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Atlas

PE21-008opened Mar 29, 2021
Fuel system · model years 2018 to 2020

Fuel injector leak. Closed oct 3, 2022.

NHTSA summary
On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (MY) 2018 through 2020 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs. These vehicles are equipped with either a 3.6 or 2.0 liter engine. The subject investigation concerns vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. Prior to opening the investigation, ODI also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from TREAD reporting was an outlier for the MY 2018 Atlas.The allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine compartment components that operate at high temperatures. Consumers allege a fuel leak, fuel odor, and/or an illuminated check engine malfunction indicator light (MIL) on that alerts them to the condition. Fuel leaking in the engine compartment has a higher potential risk of fire as nearby components are operating at higher temperatures compared to other areas of the vehicle. No fires have been connected to this issue to date.The 3.6L engine is a VR6 type engine. Due to its specific design, the VR6 has two types of injectors with different designs installed. Cylinders 1, 3, and 5 use long injectors and cylinders 2, 4, and 6 use short injectors. Unlike the short injectors, the long injectors require an extension pipe necessary to reach cylinders 1, 3, and 5. Volkswagen stated that the potential root cause for a leaking injector is typically either a damaged, misaligned, or missing supporting ring

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 9,700 and 35,665 miles, from the 25 reports that gave a mileage.

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623
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625
126

What owners wrote

“Several times before I got the car stalled in the car wash which I thought that could no be important however yesterday Sunday 12, driving on I4 by Tampa bay in Florida when traffic was stocked and slow suddenly the car went off, so I geared neutral and started again. Then happened twice in total three times.”

Filed Jul 13, 2026

“This is a common issue with this car that is dangerous. The Evap Purge High Flow Control goes out and makes the vehicle stall randomly.”

Filed Aug 11, 2025

“The fuel tank system keeps failing. It will not show how much gas is in the car even after filling up. It is a risk because the fuel could run out in the middle of driving and leave the driver in an accident or stranded. The car stalls randomly when the fuel tank system error is on and it is very scary.”

Filed Apr 8, 2025

“While driving down the road the vehicle automatically shuts off without power brakes or power steering. Must come to a complete stop put the vehicle into park and the vehicle will then restart. Has happened twice in one week.”

Filed Jun 13, 2024

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 44 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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