Volkswagen Atlas relays can overheat and cause fire

NHTSA campaign 21V616000 · Reported 2021-08-06 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

critical How serious is it? About this label

Very serious — this is a fire risk, so if your horn sounds on its own or the starter keeps cranking, stop using the vehicle and call the dealer immediately; the notice does not otherwise tell owners to stop driving.

What's wrong, in plain English

Some of these SUVs left the factory with damaged electrical relays in the fuse box under the hood. A relay is simply a switch that turns something on and off. A damaged one can stick, making the horn sound or the engine starter keep running by itself, even when nobody is touching anything. A horn or starter that stays switched on for a long stretch gets very hot, and that heat can start a fire under the hood.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport is included.
2. Contact your Volkswagen dealer or VW customer service at 1-800-893-5298 (recall 97FR) right away.
3. The dealer inspects and replaces the relays as needed, free of charge.

Affected vehicles (2)

2021 Volkswagen Atlas
2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Who to contact

Volkswagen — official Volkswagen recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-893-5298

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Volkswagen electrical recalls: ID.4 battery fires and sudden power loss · all 16 Volkswagen recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:RELAYS/SOLENOIDS
Summary: 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.
Safety 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.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.