2021 Volkswagen Arteon

Date: March 9, 2026 FORMAL COMPLAINT: Safety Concern Regarding Unintended Acceleration** Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2021 Volkswagen Arteon VIN: [XXX] Purchased From: Clay Cooley Volkswagen (October 2024) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally report a series of escalating electrical and mechanical failures regarding my 2021 Volkswagen Arteon. While the vehicle initially presented minor electrical glitches, the situation has recently devolved into a severe safety hazard that puts my life, and the lives of others, at risk. Timeline of Issues: Since my purchase in October 2024, I have experienced the following: * Infotainment Failure: The radio display frequently fails to render images or remains unresponsive. * Key Recognition Issues: The vehicle intermittently fails to recognize the key fob is present, leading to ignition delays. * Unintended Acceleration: Most critically, as of today, [XXX], the vehicle has spontaneously accelerated three times immediately upon being shifted from Park into Drive, without any input on the accelerator pedal. Urgent Safety Request The sudden, unexpected acceleration is a catastrophic failure of the vehicle's drive system. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle, nor do I feel comfortable allowing my family to use it. This is a critical liability that must be addressed before an accident results in property damage, injury, or loss of life. I am requesting an immediate investigation into these malfunctions. I expect a prompt response regarding: 1. A safe method for transporting the vehicle to a certified technician (towing). 2. A comprehensive diagnostic review of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and throttle assembly. 3. The provision of a safe loaner vehicle while these life-threatening defects are remediat INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Mar 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Several of the tires showing delamination according to the dealership. Extremely hazardous to drive on tires as is. Manufacturer (Continental) advised me on 9/25/2025 they would replace 5 tires (car purchased new, came with full size spare). Continental representative give me their contact information and stated that they would have to deal directly with the dealership in order to complete the process. Dealership is stating to me at this point I will have to purchase the tires, the manufacturer will reimburse used them and they in turn will reimburse me. The dealer is in possession of my vehicle since Friday, 9/26/25 because they told me Ithe vehicle had to be on their premises before they could initiate the work order. Additionally on the evening of 9/26/25, the dealership personnel left the sunroof of my car fully open, there was a downpour of rain for several hours, causing water to enter the car (what the damages are as a result has not been relayed to me nor has the dealership order the tires to replace the defective ones.

Reported

Oct 2025

Incident date

Sep 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

TRAVEL ASSIST ALERT KEEPS GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. IT IS VERY ANNOYING

Reported

Apr 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Arteon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 18 to 23 MPH, there was a loud clanking noise coming from the engine. The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Apr 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This defect causes multiple, non-periodic, but repeated, "Travel assist unavailable" audible and visual alarms at seemingly unrelated and unpredictable times while driving. My favorite times are when you start making a turn after coming to a full stop and it alarms, asking you to take your eyes off the road and look at the dash. There is no way to turn the alarm off. It occurs even if you have the feature it is alarming about disabled or turned off. When the alarm triggers, the display has multiple yellow icons and frequently a large text/graphic in the middle of the digital cockpit. It can be extremely distracting. Apparently the fix is to replace the steering wheel. The steering wheel is on backorder for over four months now.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

After the vehicle has been sitting for some time, it will repeatedly beep and display “travel assist not available” with a warning triangle. It seems to be steering wheel related. It does not do it sitting still, only while moving. This happens every morning for the first few minutes of driving - often for several miles, and is getting worse. Today, it happened over 10 times within a 1 mile drive. Started as rare and sporadic happenings about two months ago, now is nearly every time I start up and drive the car.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

In differing lighting conditions, the forward-looking sensor that controls my frontal assist becomes disabled. The system automatically retests itself occasionally, and sometimes straightens itself out but on other occasions, it just makes a bell sound, and reminds me that my frontal assist is not available at this time. I have brought this to the attention of my Volkswagen dealer in Kalispell Montana on multiple occasions and they have yet to fix the issue. The front glass or windscreen has been replaced two times and neither time were they able to correct the issue.

Reported

Aug 2023

Incident date

Apr 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The infotainment system begins to lag after being connect for >30 minutes. The touch screen stops responding to immediate inputs and takes up to 15 seconds to respond. Soon after, the screen will go black and not display any information when connected to CarPlay. Controls become very slow to respond and the map colors and images becomes scrambled making the driver spend a much longer period of time trying to navigate safely. To correct the issue, the vehicle must be turned off.

Reported

Feb 2023

Incident date

Jan 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Travel Assist blends the functions of Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist to ensure that your Volkswagen maintains a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and keeps you centered in the lane. Constant travel assistance issue warning light during driving, and randomly turning on/off or turning the wheel, going over bumps. This issue was address at the dealership where they replace the wheel buttons that controls the cruise controls and volumes. This did not fix the issue. This sometimes seems to turn on/off sensors where the sensors sometimes it seems it does not want to judge distance. Also it seems to be related to sensors inside the steering wheel, certain places where you touch the steering wheel seems to turn the alert on.

Reported

Feb 2023

Incident date

Jan 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Auto ran into a slow moving car at the top of a hill. Minor damage to other car. Fire started on the arteon and then totalled the car. This could have caused death. Car was inspected by insurance company and they determined the car to be a total loss. No other analysis has been completed. No warning lamps or message or symptoms of problems existed before.

Reported

Jul 2022

Incident date

Jun 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash Fire

Front passenger side has bubble detected inside the tire sidewall at around 7600 miles.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Mar 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Bubbles on sidewall of all tires, some multiple bubbles. Rotated on schedule, freeway driving.

Reported

Feb 2022

Incident date

Feb 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Continental 245 35 20 tires. Experienced six (6) sidewall failures in 10 months from relatively average pothole or road bumps. Only one of the six failures occurred at a speed above 35 mph. Incident occurred between February 2021 and October 2021

Reported

Jan 2022

Incident date

Oct 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I bought this car month and a half ago and at night I have people flashing me almost all the time, thinking I am driving with high beams on. When I drive with my normal lights on they will light all the traffic signs on and I can see on the highway dividers that reflection of the light is slightly going upwards. When I switch from normal to high beam I can barely see any difference on the road itself. The most of my high beams go up in tree branches. I have talked to VW dealership couple of times about it and took my car in there and they are refusing to lower my lights. They argue that LEDs are brighter than regular lights ( which I understand that) but they are ignoring the issues I am telling them what is going on with my lights. They are saying the lights are in VW specs and that they compared it to same model against the wall and it is the same level. I doubt they did properly measurement of my beams but just did quick comperasmant to another same make and model instead. The car is obviously under the factory warranty but they are refusing to touch it because according to them it is in specs. I know VW had issues with headlight adjustment couple years back on some other models and I think this model is also faulty with adjustment. I hate blinding people at night. I dont know what to do because I really dont want to pay out of my pocket for the adjustment when the car is under factory warranty.

Reported

Jul 2021

Incident date

Jul 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The pressure input rod connection on the brake booster may be loose and could detach.

Risk: A detached pressure input rod will cause the brake pedal to fail, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will tighten the pressure input rod connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 28, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47R3.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors were incorrectly calibrated and may not detect the position of a wheel sensor after tire rotation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Risk: The TPMS may misidentify a tire with low air pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wheel electronics and tire valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44R2.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.