NHTSA (USA)High Risk
This page covers 18 recalls, 423 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas.
19–22 mpg combined
10.7–12.4 L/100km
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Complaints about the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas spread across several systems, with the electrical system and forward collision avoidance drawing the most attention. On the electrical side, owners frequently describe the vehicle shutting off unexpectedly while driving, sometimes repeatedly even after repair attempts. Forward collision avoidance complaints center on the system activating or behaving erratically when owners feel conditions don't warrant it. Exterior lighting is the third major cluster, with a notable number of owners reporting that both daytime running lights failed together, often the LED units going out simultaneously rather than one at a time. A smaller but recurring thread involves hood latch or release cable failures that leave owners unable to access the engine compartment. Water pump leaks appear in a handful of reports as well, though that pattern is less prominent than the electrical, driver assistance, and lighting complaints.
423
Total Complaints
7
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
8
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas has 18 recalls, the most serious covering a wide range of crash risks including steering knuckles that can fracture and cause total loss of control, wheels that can separate from the vehicle, and fuel injectors that can leak and start an engine fire.
Several of these issues cluster around the chassis and wheels: front steering knuckles on certain vehicles can crack or fail outright, and wheel bolts that were either machined incorrectly or improperly torqued can loosen until a wheel detaches entirely. On the fuel side, injectors assembled without filter elements can leak fuel into the engine compartment. There is also a fire risk from damaged relays in the engine compartment fuse box that can leave the horn or starter running until the circuit overheats. Tires equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires in size 255/50 R20 can suffer a sudden sidewall blowout or tread separation.
Multiple airbag concerns appear across the list: a blocked air conditioning drain can let water reach the airbag control module and trigger an unintended deployment, door wiring contacts can corrode and delay side airbag deployment in a crash, and a faulty passenger seat sensor can switch off the front passenger airbag while the seat is occupied. In a rear-end collision, improperly welded front seat frames can break at the backrest adjuster, reducing how well the seat restrains the occupant. Visibility issues include rearview cameras that either fail to display or freeze, and a driver-side headlight that may have been aimed too low from the
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
A wiring fault in the passenger occupant detection system can cause the front passenger air bag to deactivate even when someone is sitting in that seat.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the occupant detection sensor mat and wiring harness at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger air bag detection system's wiring may malfunction, causing the front passenger air bag to turn off even when someone is sitting in that seat.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the detection system sensor mat and wiring harness at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect when air pressure drops in all four tires at the same time, failing to alert you in time.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the tire pressure monitoring system software at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A manufacturing issue with the infotainment system's memory module may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the infotainment software at no cost to restore rearview camera display function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some vehicles have long fuel injectors that may be missing a filter element. This allows fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will mail you instructions to have your dealership replace the long fuel injectors.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters, which can cause them to malfunction.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Electrical contacts in the front door wiring harness can corrode, breaking the electrical connection and delaying deployment of the driver or passenger front side airbag during a side impact crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will secure and replace any front door wiring harness showing a fault code at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The vehicle's weight limit label was not updated to account for the added weight of accessory side steps, causing the label to show an inaccurate maximum weight rating.
What the fix does
Dealers will install the corrected weight limit label that reflects the side steps' added weight.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air conditioning drain tube may become blocked, allowing water to accumulate and leak into the vehicle near the air bag control module.
What the fix does
Dealers will clear the drain tube and replace the air bag control module if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts that secure the front wheel bearings may not have been tightened properly during manufacturing, potentially causing them to loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will check the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace them if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Damaged relays in the engine compartment fuse box may unintentionally activate the horn or engine starter.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the relays and replace them if needed, at no charge to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The holes where wheel bolts attach to the wheel hub may have been drilled incorrectly, preventing the bolts from securing the wheel properly to the hub.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect all four wheels and replace wheels, lug bolts, and wheel bearings as needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front steering knuckle may crack near where the strut attaches, potentially affecting steering control.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace one or both steering knuckles as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear view camera may malfunction when the vehicle is started, causing the infotainment display to go black or freeze.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the infotainment system software at no cost to restore camera function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production, affecting how the front wheels connect and move.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the steering knuckles and replace them if necessary, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires on these vehicles may have been over cured during manufacturing, which can affect tire performance and durability.
What the fix does
Dealers will check the tire date code and mold number, then replace affected tires at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front seat frame and backrest adjuster welds may be incomplete, potentially causing structural failure.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect front seats and replace seatback frames as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side headlight was aimed too low during manufacturing, causing the vehicle to fail federal lighting standards.
What the fix does
Dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight to the correct aim at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
