NHTSA (USA)High Risk
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
This page covers 8 recalls, 161 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas.
20–23 mpg combined
10.2–11.8 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
The 2022 Atlas draws the highest complaint volume around its brakes and engine. On the brake side, owners most commonly describe the electronic parking brake engaging on its own without driver input, sometimes accompanied by multiple warning lights and unrelated electrical oddities like windows moving without being touched. The engine complaints cluster around two patterns: stalling while braking in traffic, which owners say requires a park-and-restart to clear, and a recurring cooling system failure involving the water pump and thermostat needing replacement well before most owners expect. A smaller but notable group of engine reports describes metal shavings found in the oil alongside an EPC warning light, pointing to internal wear concerns. Separately, owners frequently report daytime running light failures between 30,000 and 50,000 miles, with the headlight housing requiring full replacement rather than a simple bulb swap.
161
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas has 8 recalls, with three of the most serious involving fire or sudden loss of vehicle control: loose rear trailing arm bolts that can cause the arm to break and the vehicle to become uncontrollable, connecting rod bearings that can fail and stall the engine or spark a fire, and fuel injectors assembled without filters that can leak fuel and create a fire risk.
On the chassis side, trailer hitch bolts may also be insufficiently tightened, allowing the hitch and any attached trailer to separate while driving. Two separate airbag recalls round out the safety equipment concerns: corroded wiring in the door harness can delay side airbag deployment in a side-impact crash, and a fault in the front passenger seat detection system can deactivate the passenger airbag even when the seat is occupied. The final recall covers the infotainment system, where a memory module fault can prevent the rearview camera image from appearing when backing up.
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
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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 →
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
Driver-side rear trailing arm bolts may not have been tightened properly during manufacturing, allowing them to loosen and fall out.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver-side rear trailing arm bolts at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts securing the left-rear trailing arm may not be properly tightened. Over time, these bolts can loosen and fall out, potentially causing the trailing arm to break and resulting in sudden loss of vehicle control.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will mail you instructions to take your vehicle to a dealership, where technicians will replace the left-rear trailing arm bolts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, potentially causing complete engine failure.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the engine and replace it if necessary, 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 trailer hitch may not be tight enough, which could cause the hitch to loosen or fail.
What the fix does
A dealer will tighten the trailer hitch bolts 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
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.
