Sudden braking in 2 VW SUV models draws regulatory scrutiny

DETROIT (AP) — First came the beeping alarms and the dashboard lights warning that something had gone haywire. Then the driver’s side windows suddenly and mysteriously rolled down. Kendall Heiman’s Volkswagen SUV then pulled the scariest stunt of all: It abruptly braked for no reason.

Heiman, a clinical social worker in Lawrence, Kansas, was driving her 15-year-old son to a class on Jan. 5 when her 2021 Atlas Cross Sport went bonkers. The malfunctions turned a normally routine two-mile round trip into a white-knuckle ordeal.

“It literally feels like the car is possessed,” Heiman said. "I’m not feeling like I’m driving my car. My car is driving me.”

Heiman’s experience, it turns out, wasn’t unique. Since late 2020, 47 VW owners have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the same glitches in their 2020 and 2021 VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs. Some drivers reported that they narrowly escaped collisions, though a review of the complaints found no reports of crashes.

In a statement, NHTSA said it has been gathering information from VW about the problem and is monitoring complaints and other data sources. The agency hasn't opened a formal investigation. And it would have to collect and analyze additional data before it could seek a recall.

Complaints about unexpected braking involving the VW SUVs began in September of 2020, eight months before Heiman bought her SUV, NHTSA’s records show.

In a statement, Volkswagen said it is working on the problem but stopped short of saying it's recalling the affected vehicles.

“VW is aware of concerns involving faulty door wiring harnesses in certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles,” the company said. “We are working closely with NHTSA regarding the next steps towards identifying the affected...