Volkswagen (VW) may be seeing the onset of a burgeoning social media nightmare right now.
Lawyer and TikTok user Lawdawg (@lawdawg001) is blasting the carmaker for refusing to buy out her 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. The reason? She claims it has a faulty transmission that causes the car’s engine to red line every time she busts a U-turn. The only way to stop this from happening is to hit the brake.
In a series of TikToks uploaded to her account, she’s delineated the assistance, or lack thereof, she’s received from both the dealership and Volkswagen corporate in rectifying her issue.
In her most-watched clip with more than 92,000 views, Lawdawg shares her frustration with the experience and demands an answer from the company.
Why Lawdawg is upset with Volkswagen
“Hi, I’m going to make this video until it goes viral. So I’m going to keep making it,” she says at the onset of her clip. She then urges other users on the app to get eyes on her grievance.
Next, she sets her sights on the popular German auto manufacturer. “This is for Volkswagen of America. Volkswagen: I have a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. I bought it in February at the end of February. It is now August the 1st, so the vehicle is 5 months old.”
Lawdawg then goes on to detail what makes driving her new SUV not just an aggravating but also an unsafe experience. “Whenever I make a U-turn, the transmission does not fully engage with the engine. It red lines RPMs; it sounds like it’s in neutral. The only way to stop this is by pressing on the brake.”
According to her, VW is refusing to step up and honor its standard manufacturer’s warranty. That is, if the problem is indeed with the transmission, as she says.
“Volkswagen of America has now told the dealer where the vehicle is at right now for repairs for the second time that they need to stop doing repairs on the vehicle because they’re not going to replace the transmission,” she says. “And just to release the vehicle back to me.”
Just taking her car back isn’t an option for Lawdawg, she says, as she doesn’t feel safe driving her car anymore. “Obviously, that’s a major safety concern. That’s not acceptable. For those of you who are telling me ‘lemon law,’ ‘get a lawyer’: I am a lawyer. Like, I got this. But I want Volkswagen to buy me out of my vehicle. This is not OK. It’s not acceptable. It’s not safe.”
No update on the situation?
In a follow-up TikTok she posted on Aug. 14, Lawdawg told her followers that there was “no update” on the situation. Volkswagen hasn’t offered any further assistance or solutions to address her gripes. She still hasn’t stopped addressing her dispute online, however.
In another video, she posted screenshots of the response from VW representatives, along with a picture of the work order for her Atlas.
It seems that there are other Volkswagen Atlas drivers who’ve also slammed the car’s transmission in posts of their own. One user on a Facebook group called Volkswagen Atlas Complaints, which has 14,400 members, decried their vehicle’s transmission. However, their issue didn’t occur just when they made U-turns, but in what sounds like a much more common driving scenario. “I have a 23 Cross [S]port, and the transmission has been wonky since I got it. It stutters when going to take off or give it [gas].”
This VW Atlas Forum entry was sadly titled “More Transmission Woes,” and it contains a lengthy post from another dissatisfied customer. “I recently purchased my 2019 Atlas SE and from the very first day of driving it, I noticed a weird jumpiness when gears are shifting up or shifting down at low speed. Mainly only happens between 1st-4th gear it seems. Super annoying and I just don’t feel comfortable with it.”
Several Reddit users also said their Atlas transmissions have been giving them nothing but trouble. This 2024 owner flat-out said their car “doesn’t drive.” And then there’s this 2019 Atlas buyer who described their car’s ride as “jumpy” due to their transmission’s jerky shifting behavior.
What are ‘lemon laws’ and do they apply here?
Joseph Kaufman & Associates posted a Lemon Law Aid detailing “Top 5 Volkswagen Atlas Issues.” One of the primary problems the legal group highlights with the vehicle is with its transmission. “There have been reports of loud noises coming from the automatic transmission, usually when accelerating from a stop or low speed,” the site states. In other instances, according to the firm, electrical problems with the car “also caused transmission failure.”
It seems other Atlas owners who responded to Lawdawg’s issue also had a bone to pick with VW. “My SIL has an Atlas that spends more time in the shop than anything…. Both my husband and I work in Automotive and told them to stay away from VW… Nothing but problems,” one said.
Someone else said that the brand has inconsistencies with quality control when it comes to its lineup. “VW atlas have issues the only good ones are the newer tiguans and the jettas,” they penned.
“Oh my VW atlas was terrible!!!!! So many issues!!!!!!” another remarked.
“Had to get rid of mine. Brand new cars shouldn’t have so many safety recalls before 4000 miles,” someone else wrote.
USA Today reported that over 270,000 2024 Volkswagen vehicles, including the Atlas, were recalled due to airbags not deploying during a crash.
@lawdawg001 #car #carsoftiktok #carlovers #fypage #fypシ゚viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fypppppppppppppp #volkswagen #volkswagenatlas #crosssport @volkswagen #makethisgoviral #viral #saftey ♬ original sound – Lawdawg
The Daily Dot has reached out to Volkswagen via email and Lawdawg via TikTok comment for further information.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
