Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (17)
Do not driveSteering
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk and remedy
Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Equipment: electrical, infotainment
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 and remedy
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.
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system, injectors
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.
Risk and remedy
Risk: Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iD.
Air bags: side/window
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
Equipment: other, labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk and remedy
Risk: Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.
Risk and remedy
Risk: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.
Electrical system: wiring, relays/solenoids
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Damaged relays may have been installed in the engine compartment fuse box, which could inadvertently activate the horn or engine starter.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A horn or starter that remains activated for an extended period of time can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and as necessary, replace the relays, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97FR.
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The lug bolt holes on the wheels may have been machined incorrectly, preventing the wheel bolt from sufficiently attaching to the wheel bearing hub.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An insufficiently attached wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four wheels, and as necessary, replace the wheels, lug bolts ,and wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q9.
Steering
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.
Back over prevention: sensing system, camera
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 and remedy
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.
Tires: sidewall
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.
Risk and remedy
Risk: Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.
Exterior lighting: headlights
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sports and 2021 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk and remedy
Risk: A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.
Seats
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Risk and remedy
Risk: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
Canadian recalls (9)
Show 9 Canadian recalls
Airbag
2024-06-19 · campaign 2024-354
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction. This could cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated.
Note: This problem would cause an error message to display on the instrument panel and a warning chime to sound. The airbag indicator light would also display "passenger airbag off".
Safety Risk:
An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the PODS sensor mat and seat harness. Volkswagen advises that you shouldn't use the front passenger seat if a PODS error message displays on the instrument panel or if the airbag indicator light displays "passenger airbag off" with an occupant in the seat.
Visual system
2022-07-20 · campaign 2022-382
Issue:
Under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center screen. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear.
Safety Risk:
A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the infotainment software.
Fuel system
2022-04-13 · campaign 2022-182 · 157 vehicles
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the long fuel injectors may have been assembled without a filter element. As a result, fuel could leak into the engine compartment.
Safety Risk:
A fuel leak in the engine compartment can create the risk of a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the long fuel injectors.
Airbag
2022-03-11 · campaign 2022-110
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the wiring contacts for the front doors may become damaged. If this happens, there could be a delay before the side airbags inflate in a side-impact crash. This problem could also cause the parking brake to engage while driving at low speed, cause the windows to roll down on their own, or give warning of a faulty door sensor.
Safety Risk:
Delayed inflation of the side airbags could create an increased the risk of injury in a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
Heater and defroster
2021-11-17 · campaign 2021-705
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the drain tube for the air conditioning system may be blocked. As a result, water may leak inside the vehicle and into the airbag control module. If this happens, the airbag control module may not work properly and could cause the airbags to inflate without a crash.
Safety Risk:
An airbag that inflates suddenly without a crash could create a risk of injury.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the air conditioning system drain tube. If the tube is blocked, the dealer will repair it and replace the airbag control module.
Steering
2021-01-27 · campaign 2021-032 · 369 vehicles
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the front steering knuckles may not have been manufactured correctly. As a result, the steering knuckle could break suddenly while driving. If this happens, there would be a loss of steering control.
Safety Risk:
A loss of steering control could create a risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the front knuckles and replace them, if necessary.
Visual system
2020-11-18 · campaign 2020-556
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or cause it to freeze. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear.
Safety Risk:
A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the rearview camera software.
Tires
2020-11-13 · campaign 2020-546 · 16 vehicles
Issue:
Certain vehicles were built with tires that may have been cured too long. As a result, the sidewall could crack or the tread and belts could separate. This could lead to a sudden loss of air pressure and could cause a tire failure.
Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with certain Continental tires, with specific date codes and mold numbers.
Safety Risk:
A tire failure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the tires and replace the ones that have the DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental.
Seats and restraints
2020-08-26 · campaign 2020-392
Issue:
On certain vehicles, parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been properly welded. As a result, the backrest adjustment could break in a rear-end crash and allow to seat to move.
Safety Risk:
A seatback that fails could cause an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Corrective Actions:
The company will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the driver and passenger front seats. The seatback frames will be replaced, as necessary.
Owner complaints (482)
Owners filed 482 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas (9 crashes, 1 fires, 12 injuries reported). Among 9 model years of this model, it ranks #2 for the most complaints (median 176).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Electrical system | 149 | |
| Service brakes | 93 | |
| Engine | 86 | |
| Unknown or other | 77 | |
| Exterior lighting | 70 | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 69 | |
| Air bags | 66 | |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 41 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2021 Volkswagen Atlas SUV FWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
| 2021 Volkswagen Atlas SUV AWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2021 Volkswagen Atlas version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Atlas 2.0 L Automatic (S8) | 21 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Atlas 3.6 L Automatic (S8) | 17 | 23 | 19 | $3,550 |
| Atlas 4motion 2.0 L Automatic (S8) | 20 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Atlas 4motion 3.6 L Automatic (S8) | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 2.0 L Automatic (S8) | 21 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 3.6 L Automatic (S8) | 18 | 23 | 20 | $3,350 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion 2.0 L Automatic (S8) | 20 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion 3.6 L Automatic (S8) | 17 | 23 | 19 | $3,550 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.