[19AtlasSELOwner]

We purchased our NEW 2019 Atlas SEL in August. Within the first 36-hours of driving, we experienced a catastrophic ABS module failure. An OEM issue, supposedly. In the shop for two weeks.

In October, following a heavy rain, I noticed water dripping from the headliner. Chalked it up to maybe opening the sunroof too soon after the rain (though it wasn’t actively raining and this was hours later). No clue about the drain line issue.

In February, we had it in for the drain line recall fix.

Yesterday, after a heavy rain just the day before, my husband entered the vehicle and noticed water pouring out of the driver’s side door jam, just above the lever where you pop the hood. The water had flooded our plastic car mat on the driver’s side floor. Upon closer inspection, after removing the car mat, we noticed that water had saturated the flooring and the underpaid. You could literally hear it sloshing in the floorboards. We wet vacuumed and dried the interior with towels and then he set off to run an errand. The headliner began raining down on him.

We cleared our garage to park inside until the shop can get it in on Tuesday morning.

This is a brand new vehicle and should not be experiencing these issues. We contacted the VW Corporate about a buyback after the first issue with the ABS module - it was in the shop for two weeks that time - and were denied.

What are the logical next steps after having the dealer repair it for this new issue? We are in Maryland and will be pushing to have it classified as a lemon should we be nearing a 30-day period where it has been in the shop.

I could spit nails.

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[KarstGeo]

Leaking pano roofs is a huge issue that plagues not only the Atlas but the Golf wagons as well. Many have gone the route of a buy-back from VW or pursued it under their state's lemon law (not the same thing). Others have gotten VW to fix it (it's not easy apparently).

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

Any recommendations with regards to requesting the buyback?

 

[2019RLine]

Any recommendations with regards to requesting the buyback?

see if you can get your sales rep and manager to help. I had direct support from the service manager and corporate still didn’t care. If I were to do it again I’ve have gone directly with a lemon law lawyer instead of letting vw Corp drag it out to basically offer me peanuts.

 

[tc1uscg]

Any recommendations with regards to requesting the buyback?

I just took my Atlas in yesterday for it's first 10k oil change and the sun roof fix and the ECM software update recall. Though the miles I put on my Atlas were 98% all hwy, I took 4 decent trips from July to Nov of 2019. The last trip was 2800 miles round trip. Ran into all kinds of weather. Heavy rain, thunder storms, snow, ice. Even did a little "off roading". I call it off roading because in a SUV, any secondary road travel makes owners think they are hitting the trail but it was just a little short trip on a back country drive way/road that had rocks the size of softballs and I had to put the car in off road mode.We were out scouting in central Tennessee for a retirement residence. Sorry but I poke fun at people who think they are getting a rig that do what Jeeps laugh at (I can say that, I own a Jeep that carry's lots of battle dings )

But seriously, what has given you the expectation that VW would just out right say "Oh, you had two issues with your car.. we are sorry, lets buy it back"? Heck, had that been the norm, I'd sold my 91 Honda Accord or my 2001 Toyota Sienna to the manufacture in a heart beat after the first 6 months. If it was me, I'd take a air hose and blow into the drain hole to make sure something is stuck in the hole but your dealer should have done that and you should not have too. I had some mud wasps once built a next in one of my garden hoses and took me a few days to figure out why my pressure sucked. Even sounds like maybe you should find another dealership. Thanks to the experience I had with a GM dealership back in 85, that's why I'll never own another GM product.

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

I just took my Atlas in yesterday for it's first 10k oil change and the sun roof fix and the ECM software update recall. Though the miles I put on my Atlas were 98% all hwy, I took 4 decent trips from July to Nov of 2019. The last trip was 2800 miles round trip. Ran into all kinds of weather. Heavy rain, thunder storms, snow, ice. Even did a little "off roading". I call it off roading because in a SUV, any secondary road travel makes owners think they are hitting the trail but it was just a little short trip on a back country drive way/road that had rocks the size of softballs and I had to put the car in off road mode.We were out scouting in central Tennessee for a retirement residence. Sorry but I poke fun at people who think they are getting a rig that do what Jeeps laugh at (I can say that, I own a Jeep that carry's lots of battle dings )

But seriously, what has given you the expectation that VW would just out right say "Oh, you had two issues with your car.. we are sorry, lets buy it back"? Heck, had that been the norm, I'd sold my 91 Honda Accord or my 2001 Toyota Sienna to the manufacture in a heart beat after the first 6 months. If it was me, I'd take a air hose and blow into the drain hole to make sure something is stuck in the hole but your dealer should have done that and you should not have too. I had some mud wasps once built a next in one of my garden hoses and took me a few days to figure out why my pressure sucked. Even sounds like maybe you should find another dealership. Thanks to the experience I had with a GM dealership back in 85, that's why I'll never own another GM product.

You’re kidding me right? Come to find out, the sunroof drain line was kinked when installed by the factory. My car was flooded with gallons of rain water. There is now the likelihood for mold, mildew, rust, and corrosion. And I should just sit back and cool my heels? Two major factory defects in less than 8 months of ownership with less than 6K on the vehicle. **** right I am demanding a buyback.

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

see if you can get your sales rep and manager to help. I had direct support from the service manager and corporate still didn’t care. If I were to do it again I’ve have gone directly with a lemon law lawyer instead of letting vw Corp drag it out to basically offer me peanuts.

Thank you so much for the advice. If you don’t mind me asking, what we’re the issues that you experienced with yours? Should I consult a lemon law attorney if we still have 12-days to go (and 2 more trips to the repair shop) for it to legally be considered “a lemon”? It was recommended that I contact the Maryland Attorney General’s office and start the complaint process there. I was told by corporate yesterday that they will have all of the paperwork needed to initiate the process by this coming Monday and that it would then take 15-business days (if we’re lucky) to have a resolution.

 

[2019RLine]

Thank you so much for the advice. If you don’t mind me asking, what we’re the issues that you experienced with yours? Should I consult a lemon law attorney if we still have 12-days to go (and 2 more trips to the repair shop) for it to legally be considered “a lemon”? It was recommended that I contact the Maryland Attorney General’s office and start the complaint process there. I was told by corporate yesterday that they will have all of the paperwork needed to initiate the process by this coming Monday and that it would then take 15-business days (if we’re lucky) to have a resolution.

I can tell you now that VW corp isnt going to help you. They will play games and take forever to basically tell you that you have a warranty to use. One thing I wish I would have done is went straight to a lemon law lawyer instead of giving VW the benefit of the doubt they would actually do the right thing. LL lawyers are free to consult, you should look into that. I also filed a formal consumer complaint with the state of SC. Didnt get anywhere with that either, typical SLOOOOW govt process. I ultimately stopped pursuing this route.

my atlas was awful.
1:coolant issues that turned into a full engine rebuild replacing head gasket, seals, thermostat, and cylinder heads. 3 months of issues only to get it back and the coolant was low again.
2: front sway bar links went bad and needed replaced.
3: push button start replaced
4: rear climate control screen replaced
5: bevel box( transfer case) replaced
6: seat belt buckle replaced
7: numerous sw glitches including the front crash detection slamming the brakes at the wrong times. Huge safety issue

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

How old was your vehicle/how many miles when you started experiencing issues?

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

Also, what was your outcome?

 

[2019RLine]

How old was your vehicle/how many miles when you started experiencing issues?

i owned it for 13 months. All Major issues started happening after 20k. We had 35k on it when we dumped it. I was so tired of dealing with it and had such hate and buyers remorse for it seeing it in my garage that I sold
It to carvana once I got it back from the shop. Ended up canceling the lawyer before signing the contract with him. He felt it was a slam dunk of a case but I was done!!! Took a $5k loss just to be done dealing with it. Terrible depreciation too. Plain and simple the atlas is a bust! Tons of issues and the 2020s are not any better.

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

I hear you! At this point, I just want to run to Carmax to sell it. You mentioned you sold to Carvana - happy with that transaction?

 

[2019RLine]

I hear you! At this point, I just want to run to Carmax to sell it. You mentioned you sold to Carvana - happy with that transaction?

carvana was amazing! I also went to carmax and they were extremely low on their offer, 27k at the time . Carvana offered me a little over 30k, picked it up from my house, and drove that POS into the sunset!

 

[19AtlasSELOwner]

carvana was amazing! I also went to carmax and they were extremely low on their offer, 27k at the time . Carvana offered me a little over 30k, picked it up from my house, and drove that POS into the sunset!

Wonderful! Thank you so much!!! We’ll definitely consider Carvana!

 

[David385]

I have had many issues with the 2018 VW Atlas. The first one I had VW actually purchased back, and gave me another one from the factory. The current one has the coolant level issue, and now is leaking water in the cabin from the dash, near the latch for the hood release. I am trading it in for the new Bronco, upon delivery. I only hope I can get a decent trade offer.