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Volkswagen Atlas water leak can set off airbag

NHTSA campaign 21V892000 · Reported 2021-11-17 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

critical How serious is it? About this label

This one is serious — an airbag can go off with no warning while you are driving, which can injure you or cause a crash, so get it inspected as soon as you can even though the notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

What's wrong, in plain English

The drain tube for the air conditioner can get blocked. Instead of dripping outside the vehicle, water backs up and leaks inside the car near the airbag control box — the computer that decides when the airbags fire. Water can damage that computer, and a damaged computer can set off an airbag when there is no crash. An airbag going off unexpectedly can injure the people in the car and can cause the driver to crash.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and reference recall 87H4.
2. Book an appointment with a Volkswagen dealer right away to have the drain tube repaired and the airbag control module replaced if needed — all free of charge.
3. Tell the dealer if you have noticed any dampness, water, or wet carpet inside the vehicle.

Affected vehicles (3)

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

Official notice

Component
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
Summary
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.
Safety 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.

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