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48 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
This recall covers certain Volkswagen Tiguan and Atlas SUVs, along with related Audi Q3 vehicles. A bolt that attaches the steering rack to the subframe can corrode, or rust, and break over time. If that bolt breaks, the steering rack housing itself can break as well, affecting the steering system on these vehicles. The bolt involved is located on the right side of the steering rack.
These vehicles may experience a low-voltage electrical event that affects the display screen's functions. When this happens, the rearview camera image may fail to show up as it should. This affects certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with this display and camera system. Volkswagen is recalling the affected vehicles to update the rearview camera software so the image displays correctly.
Certain Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and ID.4 vehicles may have been built with the wrong wheel bolts. These incorrect bolts can allow a wheel to come off the vehicle. Dealers will inspect the wheel bolts and replace them if needed. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID.4 vehicles. Some bolts in the chassis, brake system and suspension, including bolts used on parts such as the cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, and rear brake carrier, may not have been tightened correctly during the manufacturing process.
A software error in your Volkswagen Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport can cause the rearview camera image to become distorted when you shift into reverse.
Certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles may have an engine cover that was not put back on correctly after a service visit. This can let the cover come loose and touch hot parts of the engine. Dealers will remove the engine cover to fix the problem.
Some Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles may have a transmission that was manufactured incorrectly. This manufacturing defect can cause the vehicle to suddenly lose drive power while it is being driven, meaning the wheels stop receiving power from the engine unexpectedly.
The brake master cylinder in these vehicles may have been built with an incorrect part called a secondary piston spring retainer. This incorrect part can block the port that brake fluid flows through inside the master cylinder. When that fluid port becomes blocked, the brakes may not work the way they are supposed to, which means you could lose braking power while trying to stop the vehicle.
On these Volkswagen vehicles, the rearview camera image may be delayed or may not turn on at all after the driver shifts the vehicle into reverse gear. Because the camera may not show the view behind the vehicle right away, these vehicles do not meet the federal safety standard for rear visibility. Dealers will update the infotainment system software at no charge to the owner. Owner notification letters were mailed in mid-July 2024.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The system that senses whether someone is sitting in the front passenger seat can develop a fault in its wiring. When that happens, the front passenger airbag is switched off even though a person is sitting in the seat. Dealers will replace the sensor mat in the seat together with its wiring harness to correct the problem.
On certain Volkswagen Atlas vehicles, the driver's side impact airbag may be missing a weld at the housing that holds it in place. Because that weld may be missing, the airbag could fail to deploy the way it's supposed to, or it could come loose, if the vehicle is ever in a crash. This increases the risk of injury to people riding in the vehicle if a crash happens.
In some Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs, the bearings on the engine's connecting rods may become damaged, which can cause the engine to fail. When the engine fails, the vehicle can stall while it is being driven, and the failure may also cause an oil leak. Oil leaking from the engine can increase the chance of a fire.
On certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, a wiring fault in the system that senses whether the front passenger seat is occupied can cause the front passenger air bag to switch off even when someone is sitting in that seat. If a crash happens while the air bag is switched off, it will not be there to help protect the passenger.
Your vehicle's tire pressure monitoring system is supposed to warn you when tire pressure gets too low. In these vehicles, if all four tires lose air pressure at the same time, the system may not detect this quickly enough to warn you. This means you might not get a timely alert if every tire loses pressure at once. Dealers will fix the problem by updating the tire pressure monitoring software at no cost.
On certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, the bolts holding the driver-side rear trailing arm in place may not have been tightened correctly. Over time this could let the bolts loosen and fall out, leaving the trailing arm unsecured.
Some Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles may have damaged connecting rod bearings inside the engine. Damaged bearings can cause the engine to fail while driving. If the engine failure also causes an oil leak, that leak can raise the chance of a fire.
On some Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs, the metal brake lines may leak at the threaded connections where they join together. Volkswagen says this can allow brake fluid to escape from the lines that are part of the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles because the bolts holding the trailer hitch in place may not have been tightened enough. Loose bolts can fall out, and the bolts that remain can then break. If that happens, the trailer hitch and the trailer attached to it can come away from the vehicle. Dealers will tighten the trailer hitch bolts at no cost. Owner notification letters were expected to be mailed October 28, 2022.
Certain Volkswagen vehicles have a manufacturing problem with a memory module in the infotainment system. Because of this, the rearview camera image may fail to display. This means the vehicle does not meet a federal safety standard for rear visibility.
On certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, the long fuel injectors may have been assembled without the filters they are supposed to have inside them. Fuel injectors that are missing these filters can develop a fuel leak. A leaking fuel injector can allow fuel to escape from the fuel system, and Volkswagen says this increases the risk of a fire.
The wiring that connects the front doors to the vehicle can corrode over time. This corrosion can break the electrical connection needed for the front side air bags. If the vehicle is in a side-impact crash, this can delay the driver or passenger side air bag from deploying when it's needed, which can affect how well it protects the occupant.
Some Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles were built with accessory side steps added. Those side steps add weight, so the label showing the vehicle's reduced maximum loaded weight should have been installed, but it was not. Without that label, the vehicle does not meet the federal rule covering tire selection and rims. Dealers will install the corrected weight label at no cost to the owner.
In certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, the air conditioning system's drain tube could become blocked, allowing water to leak inside the vehicle near the airbag control module.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The bolts holding the front wheel bearings in place may not have been tightened correctly. If a bolt loosens, it can cause a loss of vehicle control. To fix this, dealers will inspect how tight the wheel bearing bolts are on the front wheels and replace any bolts that need it. This repair will be done free of charge to the owner.
Some Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles may have damaged relays installed in the fuse box in the engine compartment. These damaged relays could unexpectedly turn on the horn or the engine starter.
These vehicles were used internally by Volkswagen for its own purposes before being sold to customers, and they may have been modified at some point before that sale. Volkswagen did not confirm that these vehicles were built to meet all of the regulatory requirements that apply to them before they were sold. Because of this, the vehicles may not meet all of the federal motor vehicle safety standards that they are required to meet.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas vehicles that are equipped with Continental tires. During production, it is possible that some of these tires were left in the curing process for too long. Tires that are cured for too long can develop a break in the sidewall. This break can lead to sudden air loss from the tire, or it can cause the tread and belt inside the tire to separate from the rest of the tire.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles because the lug bolt holes on the wheels may have been machined incorrectly. This manufacturing problem can prevent the wheel bolts from attaching firmly enough to the wheel bearing hub. If a wheel bolt is not attached securely, the wheel could separate from the vehicle while driving, which increases the risk of a crash.
On certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, the front steering knuckle may fracture in the area where it mounts to the strut.
In several Volkswagen models, including the Atlas Cross Sport, Golf, Jetta, and Tiguan, the rearview camera can stop working properly when the vehicle is started. When this happens, the screen may go black or the infotainment system may freeze instead of showing the view behind the vehicle. Dealers will update the infotainment system software to fix the problem, free of charge.
One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged when the vehicle was built. A damaged steering knuckle can fail, which would cause you to lose the ability to steer the vehicle.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Some Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles have Continental tires that may have been cured for too long during manufacturing. Tires that were overcured like this can develop a break in the sidewall, causing the tire to suddenly lose air. They can also have the tread separate from the rest of the tire. Either of these problems happening while driving increases the risk of a crash.
These are Volkswagen vehicles that were originally used internally by the company. Before being sold, there was no confirmation that they had been built to meet all of the required federal vehicle safety rules, and some of them may have been modified before they were sold. Because of this, these vehicles may not actually meet every safety requirement they are supposed to meet.
Volkswagen is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles because the driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. Because of this, these vehicles do not meet the federal safety standard for lamps and other lighting equipment. A headlight that is aimed incorrectly reduces how well the driver can see the road, which raises the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Audi Q5 and SQ5 SUVs, and Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI, and Tiguan vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and the backrest adjuster may not have been welded together correctly during manufacturing, meaning the weld holding these seat parts together may not be as strong as it's supposed to be.
Some Volkswagen Atlas vehicles may have an air bag sensor that was not manufactured correctly. This defect can cause the air bags to deploy late, or not deploy at all, when they are needed in a crash. Because the air bags may not work as intended, occupants could face a greater risk of injury if a crash occurs that would normally call for the air bags to deploy.
A part inside the fuel tank called the suction jet may have been welded in the wrong spot. This can allow fuel to leak from the tank. Uneven fuel distribution caused by the problem can also make the engine stall while driving.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Passat and Atlas vehicles. A small blocking cap that is meant to keep the headlight's side-to-side aim from being moved may not have been fitted. Without that cap, the headlight aim can be moved outside the setting it is supposed to have. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal safety rule covering lamps and reflectors. Dealers will inspect the headlights and block the side-to-side adjustment where needed.
Volkswagen says certain Atlas and Passat vehicles may have had the wrong driver or front passenger side airbag installed. Because the wrong airbag was used, it may not deploy the way it is designed to if the vehicle is in a side-impact crash. This means the airbag might not work correctly to help protect the driver or passenger during that kind of crash.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas and Jetta vehicles because the rear coil springs may fracture prematurely. If a spring breaks while the vehicle is being driven, it can damage a rear tire, and a damaged tire can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
These Volkswagens do not have keyless entry, so they rely on the instrument cluster to sound an audible warning when the driver opens the door with the key still in the ignition. On some vehicles, that warning tone may not sound. Without it, the driver may not realize the key was left in the ignition. Volkswagen dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster at no charge. The recall began December 13, 2018.
During assembly, the tube that drains water from the air conditioning system may have been twisted. A twisted tube can let water drain into the airbag control module instead of away from it. If the module gets wet, it may cause the airbags to deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
On some Volkswagen Atlas and Passat vehicles, the bolts that hold the brake caliper bracket in place may not have been tightened enough. If these bolts are loose, the caliper can shift out of position. A caliper that moves out of place can reduce the vehicle's braking ability or cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Volkswagen is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles because the owner's manuals that came with them did not tell owners about size limits for child seats installed in the second-row center seating position. If a child seat base wider than 12.6 inches is installed there, it can damage the center seat belt buckle and the seat belt buckles on the seats next to it.
Certain Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles have a problem with the front passenger airbag. If the vehicle is in a crash and the airbag goes off, the airbag may tear or may not open out the way it is supposed to. That means it may not protect the front passenger as intended. Volkswagen is having dealers take out the front passenger airbag and put in a new one at no charge.
Certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTI, and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles may have brake caliper pistons without enough protective coating. This lack of coating can reduce how well the brakes work.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas vehicles because a manufacturing error may cause the fuel tank to leak fuel. A leaking fuel tank means fuel is escaping when it should stay sealed inside the tank. Because of this defect, these vehicles do not meet federal requirements for fuel system integrity, which cover how fuel tanks and lines are built to prevent leaks.
Volkswagen is recalling certain Atlas vehicles because the fuel tank on these vehicles may have been manufactured with walls that are too thin. Because the tank wall is thinner than it should be, it may develop a leak and let fuel escape from the tank. As a result, these vehicles do not meet the federal safety standard covering the strength and integrity of vehicle fuel systems.
Recalls and NHTSA owner complaints for each model year, side by side. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and better-selling or older years naturally collect more — read this as a record, not a ranking.
| Model year | Recalls | High / critical | Do-not-drive / park-outside | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 17 | 13 | 1 | 461 | 8 | 0 | 18 |
| 2019 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 473 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 470 | 9 | 1 | 12 |
| 2022 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 181 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 145 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 177 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
| 2025 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
NHTSA lists 48 safety recalls covering the 2018–2026 Volkswagen Atlas. 36 of them are rated high or critical on this site. The most recent is "Volkswagen Atlas And Tiguan Steering Bolt May Break" (NHTSA campaign 26V590000), reported Sep 11, 2026.
The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas has the most, with 17 recalls. The 2026 model year has the fewest of the years we cover, with 2. Newer model years have had less time to collect recalls, so a low count on a recent year is not a guarantee.
Yes. 3 Volkswagen Atlas recalls carry a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory from NHTSA: Volkswagen Atlas May Have Incorrect Wheel Bolts Installed (25V835000); Volkswagen Atlas Steering Knuckle May Fail (20V712000); VW and Audi Brake Calipers May Reduce Braking (18V369000). These apply only to the affected vehicles, so check your VIN.
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall often applies to only some vehicles of a model year, and the VIN lookup shows the ones still unrepaired on your car. Recall repairs are free at any franchised Volkswagen dealer, including for second owners.
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: