2019 Volkswagen Atlas problems, complaints & recalls

2019 Volkswagen Atlas recalls (12)

• Recall 26V590000Sep 11, 2026208,724 vehicles
  STEERING

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.

  Risk: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.

• Recall 23V671000Oct 4, 20232 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side impact air bag may be missing a weld at the side air bag housing.

  Risk: The driver's side impact air bag could deploy improperly or detach in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side impact air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FK.

• Recall 23V215000Mar 29, 2023143,053 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.

  Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.

• Recall 22V815000Oct 31, 2022296,044 vehicles
  TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

  Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

• Recall 22V152000Mar 28, 2022222,892 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.

  Risk: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.

• Recall 22V086000Feb 16, 20223,648 vehicles
  EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

  Risk: Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.

• Recall 21V142000Mar 5, 20212,535 vehicles
  TIRES:SIDEWALL

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

  Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44R1.

• Recall 19V614000Aug 21, 20196 vehicles
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas vehicles. The suction jet in the fuel tank may have been welded in the incorrect position allowing fuel to leak. Additionally, the vehicle may stall due to uneven fuel distribution.

  Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20BU.

• Recall 19V389000May 22, 2019662,185 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.

• Recall 19V218000Mar 20, 20193 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas and 2020 Passat vehicles. An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag may have been installed.

  Risk: In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Volkswagen has inspected and replaced the side air bags, free of charge. The recall was completed in April 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y8.

• Recall 18V904000Dec 19, 20186,322 vehicles
  SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

  Risk: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J2/42J3.

• Recall 18V824000Nov 26, 201873,549 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

  Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

  Risk: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.

  Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA24004Opened Dec 18, 2024Open

  Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

  On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.  The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 226 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen st…

• PE23017Opened Sep 28, 2023Closed Dec 18, 2024

  Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

  On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 292 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen…

• PE21008Opened Mar 29, 2021Closed Oct 3, 2022

  Fuel Injector Leak

  On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (MY) 2018 through 2020 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs. These vehicles are equipped with either a 3.6 or 2.0 liter engine. The subject investigation concerns vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. Prior to opening the investigation, ODI also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from TREAD reporting was an outlier for the MY 2018 Atlas.The allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine compartme…

NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings

Recent 2019 Volkswagen Atlas complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Oct 2, 202668,000 miNJSteering

   The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving, there was an abnormally loud rumbling sound coming from the front of the vehicle. Additionally, the steering wheel made an abnormal clicking sound while making a turn. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics on several occasions to be diagnosed, but the contact was informed that no failure was found. The failure became progressively worse. The vehicle was taken to an independent…

   NHTSA complaint #11768436 · source
2. Filed Sep 24, 2026FLFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionOther / Unknown

   Vehicle would stall out of no where every time I would accelerate or put into reverse. Sometimes when I turned into intersections it would stall out. There was no check engine light until over a week later stating evap system charcoal canister. This has happened multiple times, even after being replaced it goes bad again. It’s dangerous when I stall in the middle of traffic especially with having my children with me. I lose all power to the vehicle when it stalls

   NHTSA complaint #11766670 · source
3. Filed Sep 23, 2026TNSteering

   The steering wheel does a lot of shaking when turning or on any bumps/holes on the road/highway. The car tremors as the steering wheel shakes. Noisy tremors. And the wheels feel as if they wobble. This has recently been diagnosed at a independent mechanic but can be inspected if necessary. The dealer has not seen the car nor is insurance or police involved been yet. No warnings other than all the tremors and noise from the car. Not sure when they first started.

   NHTSA complaint #11766517 · source
4. Filed Sep 19, 2026FLElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Vehicle’s error stop sensor is no longer working: vehicle manages to just completely shut off mid traffic. Also, fuel tank failure. We put gas in it, but it doesn’t show the correct gas level in it. And we’re putting gas in it every day in order to think we have enough gas.

   NHTSA complaint #11765457 · source
5. Filed Sep 19, 2026CAElectrical SystemSeats & Seat BeltsWheels & Tires

   The plastic seat-release and folding handles on both sides of the second-row seats completely fractured, crumbled, and fell apart under ordinary hand pressure while attempting to fold the seats to install and access child safety restraint systems. This component failure exposes sharp plastic shards, which caused physical scratches/cuts to the operator, and physically restricts rapid or predictable access to the rear rows containing child car seats.Furthermore, the vehicle…

   NHTSA complaint #11765447 · source
6. Filed Sep 18, 2026GASteering

   The car began to make a clacking or popping sound in the steering rack area. Mostly at slow speeds, when turning. The car began exhibiting a steering wobble at very slow speeds, but felt loose at higher speeds. Initially I believed it might be a worn tie rod, but upon inspection I found the entire steering rack to be loose from the subframe. There is a recall bulletin for a corroded bolt that may break loose from the rack/subframe, but currently it is not showing for my vin.…

   NHTSA complaint #11765298 · source
7. Filed Sep 17, 2026ILSteeringSuspension

   May 2026 The entire steering rack assembly required replacement by the Volkswagen dealer. The vehicle was purchased from new in 2019. I’m the original owner of the vehicle, do mostly highway driving, and I have always serviced the vehicle appropriately. This was an expensive repair and seems rather unusual. I was notified that there are many complaints from owners for this type of problem.

   NHTSA complaint #11764912 · source
8. Filed Sep 14, 202683,000 miTNSuspension

   The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced under a recall, the dealer discovered that the front passenger's side stabilizer bar end links were missing. The contact associated the failure with Volkswagen Service Action Code: 40R1 (Front Stabilizer Coupling Rod); however, the dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered because the VIN was not included in the service action. The vehicle was repaired.…

   NHTSA complaint #11764009 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology