# One issue fixed, now more crop up....



## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

*Bad cat fixed, among other issues...*

So I got my Atlas serviced and the infotainment issue solved, bad battery.

Then, the next day I'm driving and get a MIL! WTF, no issues ever with the engine before service. I do the typical checks, including the gas cap. Went bad to the dealership and they scanned it (away from home didn't have vagcom cable).

Came up with code P0420 - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bad Bank 1.

They cleared the code and said come back tomorrow if it come back, well guess what, comes back the next trip out. Brought it back and they did a diagnosis, supposedly the cat is bad and needs replacing, but they are back ordered. Unfortunately I was away on vacation and just went in for a service as there was a dealership nearby, so I'll have to start the process again at the closer dealership now I'm home.

I also had two other issues on my 7 hr drive home:

*- The cruise control dinged and then shut off 3 times, seemingly randomly, anyone know what causes this?

- My radar detector was giving my a high-voltage alarm (>16V) intermittently, and randomly as well. Never had this issue before, but it did it once before the battery change and a lot afterwards.
*
A couple of things, on the P0420 code, They called me back after 45 minutes, not sure if that's enough time to diagnose it unless it's a known issue? Could be bad O2 sensor? And, the cats are going bad after 12,000 mi? They typically last the life of the car, perhaps another 'bad batch'?

I've read online that others have had this issue and the cat was also back ordered, 4-6 week wait, so I guess i'll be doing a 7 hr round trip a couple of times to get this resolved if the second diagnosis comes back the same.


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## msm02eshift (Jul 11, 2018)

It's funny you mention the Catalyst code. I had the same one crop up right after my 10k service/system updates on friday. My wife took the car to the dealership on monday and they said it's a known issue with all Atlas' and they'll order some new parts but will take 2 months to receive. So i'm driving around with a CEL on now. I can clear it with OBDeleven but it keeps coming on so i'll just drive it until the fix. I've had zero issues with the Atlas until now btw


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## shijmus (Oct 8, 2018)

I don't have any of your issues, but I do have random issues,
my atlas failed to start up twice, saying key in the car, I have to press unlock key and then I can start it
my infortainment console failed to start up yesterday, then I shut down and start up like 5/6 times, then it finally booted, it worked fine since then

never know when/what's the next issue to come up...


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

This issue you described above with the infotainment was an issue I had already, was due to a bad battery... bring it in


I'm beginning to think it's related to the software update. Either it now recognizes a fault that was there before with the update, or the update is screwy and everyone is going to get new cats for nothing.


I'm hoping to hear from someone who has had the cat replaced and see if that fixed the issue.


Are the parts you're waiting for for 2 mo the cat? I was told it's backordered all over north america....probably putting them in new vehicles...


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

Does anyone know if the replacement cats have been corrected or this be a repeating issue?


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

shadytheatlas said:


> Does anyone know if the replacement cats have been corrected or this be a repeating issue?


That's my question too, cats are pretty simple, not much can go wrong, unless they're under sized from the factory design or something. They take a lot of abuse and can last for decades in a car well maintained, so not sure how they're bad.

I'm thinking it's more of an O2 sensor issue, or even a engine temperature sensor thing.

Round 2 at another dealership tomorrow, will see what they say about the code.

BTW, started up the car yesterday after work and the MIL was off. Came back on while driving later in the evening. The previous times I had it stayed on until the dealership cleared it, more weirdness.


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## msm02eshift (Jul 11, 2018)

Not really sure what parts i'm waiting for since the wife took it in. I'll just wait to find out.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Well, took it into my closer 'local' dealership and they came to the same conclusion for the MIL; needs a new bank 1 cat. 6 week wait at least, it's back ordered as VW did not anticipate these parts failing. Dealership says it looks like sub standard parts we used.

I'm 99% sure that the ecu update during my last service must have had updated programming that recognized the poor performing cat and flagged it, since cats typically don't 'go bad' in a year.

So, waiting until mid-Feb for parts, see if that really fixes it. Annoying since the remote start will not work when the MIL is on.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

kootenaydub said:


> Well, took it into my closer 'local' dealership and they came to the same conclusion for the MIL; needs a new bank 1 cat. 6 week wait at least, it's back ordered as VW did not anticipate these parts failing. Dealership says it looks like sub standard parts we used.
> 
> I'm 99% sure that the ecu update during my last service must have had updated programming that recognized the poor performing cat and flagged it, since cats typically don't 'go bad' in a year.
> 
> So, waiting until mid-Feb for parts, see if that really fixes it. Annoying since the remote start will not work when the MIL is on.


I would love to know who is the manufacturer of that Cat and where it came from. From what I see when people complain is that those part are always sourced out (Just t=like the Airbags and the Takata ones) as such suppliers end up causing major headache to the consumers and since no one knows about them so they don't care and the car manufacturers and the consumers end up paying for it.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Hfqkhal said:


> I would love to know who is the manufacturer of that Cat and where it came from. From what I see when people complain is that those part are always sourced out (Just t=like the Airbags and the Takata ones) as such suppliers end up causing major headache to the consumers and since no one knows about them so they don't care and the car manufacturers and the consumers end up paying for it.


Not sure, there's dozens of manufacturers for cats. Most parts are made by third party manufacturers, they're generally all assembled in the plant.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

kootenaydub said:


> Not sure, there's dozens of manufacturers for cats. Most parts are made by third party manufacturers, they're generally all assembled in the plant.


I wonder if using an OBD eleven to clear the fault would help this fault and see how long it would take to come up again.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Hfqkhal said:


> I wonder if using an OBD eleven to clear the fault would help this fault and see how long it would take to come up again.


The dealer cleared it 3 times, and it came back every time, once it went 4 hours of hwy driving before coming back, other times, in 5 minutes.

The only pain is that the remote start doesn't work, but it's not worth clearing the code every time with vag-com, I just go outside and start it normally.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Cruise control issue came up yesterday.

When on ACC, the dash dinged and then the center screen flickered with the 'distance from car image' and then shutoff. Restarted okay and didn't happen again.

Road conditions were good, no show or anything built up.

pretty annoying


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

kootenaydub said:


> Cruise control issue came up yesterday.
> 
> When on ACC, the dash dinged and then the center screen flickered with the 'distance from car image' and then shutoff. Restarted okay and didn't happen again.
> 
> ...


For me when I was in parking lot on Saturday and it was snowing outside. I was backing out the ding and red alert came up. The car closest Ed about no less than 30 feet away. It never happened before. However, I am leaning to the fact that the cross traffic alert detected the other car and the way the parking spot and the turn behind me on the right fell within the range With the few times that this happened to me it was always for a true reason and I am now more inclined to trust the system than not 


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

The voltage issue is becoming more prevalent, happening more often on trips.

The last trip, 2.5 hrs of driving, the voltage was constantly bouncing from 13.9 to +16V. When it started to peak at 16V, it shut off my cruise control.... so this is not a radar detector thing, something is happening in the electrical system.

When the cruise shut off each time, the distance screen appeared and flickered, then went back to my preferred screen, speed. I noticed when looking closer, that the center screen was subtly flickering as the voltage oscillates.

I'm going to check all the connections on the battery, see if anything is lose, but this is starting to look like an alternator issue...which I will have the dealership look at.


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## msm02eshift (Jul 11, 2018)

Got the call today that parts are in. Taking Atlas to dealer tomorrow for fix. Will update with what the fix is.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Found a loose ground wire, like, very loose, must have been when the dealership changed the battery. Tightened it up, will see if that was the cause of the voltage spikes.

Awaiting dealership call, scheduled for Saturday, calling Wed to see if parts are in or not.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

It's been over a week and voltage has been rock steady, so I'm assuming that the loose ground was the issue.

Dealership has postponed my appt again, cat still not in, apparently a continent wide backorder. Would prefer to have this part in before spring/summer driving season.


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## msm02eshift (Jul 11, 2018)

kootenaydub,

My new cats took a little less than a month and a half to arrive. Ordered 12/31 and installed 2/12. Dropped Atlas off 2/12 and got it back the afternoon of 2/13. No check engine light since which is nice.

Hopefully you'll follow the same timeline.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Yes, hopefully, my dealership visit would have been January 5, so hopefully the part will arrive here pretty quick.

Glad to hear it did in fact fix the MIL.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Finally got the call from the dealership, heading in for the cat change this Saturday, fingers crossed this will fix the issue, I'm confident based on reports above that it indeed did.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

I know when the MIL is on, the remote start is disabled (confirmed by dealership).

Does anyone know if the rear hatch kick-to-open function is also disabled? Has not worked for months, and yes, it's clean from winter debris. Fob works fine.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Cat replaced on Saturday, March 9. MIL stayed off after about 5 hrs of driving.

Also mentioned that the hatch kick-open wasn't functioning. They looked and all three sensors had failed . Replaced them all and it works really well, better than delivery, so I guess some were pooched from the factory!


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

Great. It sounds like the gremlins have now been controlled and it is time to start enjoying it again. So far I am lucky with zero issues but regardless I enjoy driving the Atlas and try t use it as much as I can without neglecting the other car. So in a away I am balancing my driving time to make sure all are driven.


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## kootenaydub (May 15, 2009)

Always good to know what the common problems and known issues and fixes are instead of getting panicked when something does happen. 

Every vehicle I've had has some issues, and they always do. Some folks who have 'no issues' with vehicles sometimes don't even know something is wrong (Eg. rear passenger window doesn't go down if no one ever sits there) or just don't care enough to raise the issue. To have a vehicle with no issues is much more uncommon than one that has, despite what people make you think.

The battery issue was a piss off, but they made good on it. 

I'm surprised on the amount of 'quality recalls' as many companies require multiple deaths and the TSA to step in before recall happen. Nice to know VW tries to stay ahead of stuff.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

kootenaydub said:


> Always good to know what the common problems and known issues and fixes are instead of getting panicked when something does happen.
> 
> Every vehicle I've had has some issues, and they always do. Some folks who have 'no issues' with vehicles sometimes don't even know something is wrong (Eg. rear passenger window doesn't go down if no one ever sits there) or just don't care enough to raise the issue. To have a vehicle with no issues is much more uncommon than one that has, despite what people make you think.
> 
> ...


This is why I think now is the time to own a VW as the company has to prove to its base that they mean it on top with a longer warranty period which in a way will cost them if things are not taken care off quickly. 


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