2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

5 recalls, 77 complaints - 1 TSBs - 5/5 safety rating

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling 2024-2026 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may experience a low-voltage electrical event that affects display screen functions. As a result, the rearview camera image may fail to display as intended.

Consequence

A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became... Read more

57,851 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

SUSPENSION

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of... Read more

Consequence

A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.

546 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to become distorted when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor V... Read more

Consequence

A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91SB.

171,381 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

ENGINE

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine cover may have been improperly installed after vehicle service, allowing it to come loose and contact hot engine surfaces.

Consequence

A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will remove the engine cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10X5.

177,493 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Defect Description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The transmission may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in a loss of drive power.

Consequence

A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38CX.

19 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Complaint Statistics

77 total complaints 4 crashes

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	18
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	11
POWER TRAIN	10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	9
STEERING	4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	3
SERVICE BRAKES	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS	2
AIR BAGS	2

Incident date: Apr 14, 2025

I am submitting a formal complaint regarding a defective vehicle I purchased new, a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas, on April 7, 2025. Since the time of purchase, the vehicle has experienced persistent and significant issues with the infotainment system that substantially impair its usability, safety, and val... Read more

Incident date: Aug 27, 2026

While driving my vehicle it stopped in traffic and would not drive. I got a transmission failure alert followed by warnings after. Vehicle was stuck in neutral without options to drive or reverse. Extremely dangerous occurrence while driving. Police assisted because this caused a dangerous situation... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS UP ON DASH RANDOMLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL STOPS WORKING, HEADS UP DISPLAY BECOMES UNABLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. LANE DEPATURE STOPS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND SEVERAL OTHER LIGHTS BEGIN TO DISPLAY. EXTREMLY DANGEROUS

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

Incident date: Feb 10, 2026

I have had several malfunctions in the past year with my brand new 2025 atlas. It started 6 months into my lease when it threw 7 different lights while driving down the street. I stopped at a light and put the car in park. After that it would not go back in drive. I had to get pushed out of the road... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2026

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

Was low on oil and check oil light don't go on have to put oil very 2 week because it get low and I don't have no oil leak at all I found out because the motor start shaking and making noise tow it home and mechanical came to check it out and didn't have oil he say I was lurking I was not in ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with cam phaser failure. The contact was informed that the cam phaser needed to be replaced. The ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

While I was driving to drop my kids to school My Chrysler Pacifica PHEV dashboard chimed, the check engine light made an appearance, and the screen in my gauge cluster showed a large warning message. “Stop Safely, Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon.” I kept my foot in it and guided the Pacifica Hybrid t... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

Auto stop / start system. When engaged and engine turns off like at a stop sign, once I press on accelator engine will ratttle, sputter and sometimes steering wheel will briefly lock or turn all before it comes back on completely and is ready to drive. This has happened several times to me. Has a... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

After AIS engaged, the engine wouldn’t come back on. This has been at intersections, etc where it was dangerous to have no engine. It is ridiculous that the feature has not been removed after problems going back to the 2018 model. All to game an emission standard. Shameful.

Incident date: May 30, 2026

The vehicle is equipment with a Stop/start when brake is applied and vehicle is at a stop, the engine turns off. Randomly the engine does not restart when brake is released and accelerator is pressed, vehicle is required to be put in park and restarted . This has happened on the highway while in ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 29, 2026

!!Vehicle Safety Complaint!! I am experiencing a serious safety issue with my 2016 Chevrolet Colorado involving the power steering system. On a regular basis, I receive dashboard warnings including "StabiliTrak Not Working," and "Service Power Steering." Shortly after these warnings appear, the pow... Read more

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

My car has approximately 65000 miles on it. I purchased the car in December 2021 for about $120,000. The car has only been serviced by Land Rover. The car needs a new engine which is $46,000. I owe $12,700 on the car. The dealership told me an animal had chewed. They told me this for 2 weeks. Now th... Read more

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

Had this 2013 Jeep Wrangler since new and has ABS module internal failure code C2200. ABS, ANTI SKID, BRAKE lights are constantly lit on the dashboard. No ABS on this Jeep making it unsafe in an emergency braking situation which could cause a crash. Have tried for over a year and a half to have the ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2015

Acceleration was very sluggish and un-responsive Gears would strangely slip on the highway resulting in engine racing up Rotating sound would come and go

Incident date: Jun 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40–45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but responded slowly, resulting in reduced braking performance. The contact became aware that brake fluid was leaking onto the driveway. The brake warning light was illu... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to start. On another occasion, there was a tire blowout while driving 70 MPH. The contact replaced the battery, and the instrument panel displayed several warning lights, including the Check Engine, Lane Ass... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2015

The contact owns a 2014 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while in park(P), the vehicle rolled, requiring the driver to turn off and restart the vehicle, and the vehicle successfully shifted in park(P). Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked. The ... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2025

My Check Engine Light came on, I took my car to the dealership that I have using for eight years with less than 38k miles on it and I was told by the service technician who gave the diagnose as, there was coolant in the cylinder where the spark plug #3 is housed. He stated that the car is misfiring... Read more

Incident date: Apr 27, 2026

While driving on the highway, I heard an extremely loud noise followed by rush of wind. I was not under or near an overpass and there was nothing to indicate an impact by a foreign object. I arrived at my house 10 minutes after the incident and inspected my car. I determined the noise I experience... Read more

Incident date: Apr 29, 2026

Unknown cause and effect. Driving 25-30 MPH per the stated speed limit when suddenly the car braked, going from the estimated speed to 0 in the middle of the road nearly causing a rear end collision. I had to restart the car, put it back in drive and release the parking brake to avoid impeding traff... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

I purchased Used in Jan 2026 When starting the lifters were loud and I thought was normal engine operation. Since 2/17/2026 the engine vibrated or ran rough when idling. The auto/Stop Start feature failed randomly as the engine stalled when trying to start. The car passed the recall for the 6.2 Gm L... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

My car had extended crank, shaking/jerking while driving, engine failed and cut off in traffic. Tried to restart extended crank, still shaking/jerking while driving, sparking in the engine and engine failed and cut off in traffic. I was terrified didn't know if the car was going to be on fire when I... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from second gear to first gear. The contact almost lost control of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated during the failure; however, an unknown warning light illumin... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2004 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while seated in the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the driver’s side door and the power window master switch was melted. The contact refenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V768000 (VISIBILITY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the VIN was not... Read more

Incident date: Apr 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manu... Read more

Incident date: Apr 4, 2026

Thank you for your time reviewing my complaint. I've answered each of your bullet points below. - the transmission is hard shifting in low gears however no warning/no dashboard lights to indicate issue. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. - I use my car for work which includes tr... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

Vehicle driving 32 miles an hour had sudden brake failure. The brakes did not work. Then, the vehicle had the following faults; ESC fault, traction and stability control fault, brake system fault, air conditioning failure (blowing hot air while 92 degrees out), lane assist fault, power steering faul... Read more

Incident date: Dec 8, 2025

I am experiencing gas tank swelling, and am concerned about expansion/cracks in the tank. I’ve submitted three claims after taking the motorcycle in for review. KTM has ignored my concerns, as they will not reply. No diagnostics were complete, but I personally verified proper fuel line vents were ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 8, 2025

Late shifting, transmission will get stuck in a gear, and rev at high rpms for long periods. And real jerky shifting in general. Also door locks freeze in winter, and doors wont latch so i need to hold my door while driving

Incident date: Dec 8, 2025

Incident date: Jan 27, 2026

Turn signal volume is too low to hear.. Dealer say's that's how it is.

Incident date: Jan 27, 2026

I unlocked my car using the buttons on my key. I put my my purse along with my phone and my key in the car and I close the door and went to the trash to throw away an empty cup. When I got back to my car 2 minutes later the car relocked itself with my purse my phone and the keys in the car.

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

The vehicle experiences sudden engine shutdown while driving. The engine completely turns off without warning. There are no warning lights, no check engine light, and no prior indication of failure. The exact component causing the failure is unknown at this time, but it appears to involve the engine... Read more

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

The vibration occurs consistently above approximately 40 mph and becomes more pronounced at highway speeds. It is felt in: • Gas pedal • Underbody near shifter • Steering wheel • Seat Despite numerous repair attempts and replacement of major drivetrain components, the vibration has no... Read more

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

On Saturday, February 7th, at approximately 1:00 PM, I was involved in a high-impact rear-end collision while driving cautiously with Adaptive Cruise Control and driver assistance systems activated, maintaining the distance set by the vehicle itself. When the vehicles ahead of me suddenly collided,... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Feb 15, 2026

On two separate occasions, brakes failed completely in snow. Vehicle did not appear to be hydroplaning, and anti-lock function did not kick-in despite the pedal being floored. Pumping had no effect either. Safety sensors around the car should have detected motion even if the wheels were locked-up an... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Feb 15, 2026

Crash

Incident date: Dec 4, 2025

To Whom It May Concern, This letter is submitted to report a safety-related defect involving an airbag sensor failure on a 2022 GMC Canyon. The vehicle experienced a failure of an airbag sensor that is part of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). The sensor is required for proper airbag deploy... Read more

Incident date: Dec 4, 2025

Three way valve part number 68312761AD

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

While driving at highway speeds my vehicle lost steering the radio and the hvac turned off. I had abs and brake lights on the dash as well as a service stabilitrac message. The vehicle completely shutoff and I almost had an auto accident. I have not taken it anywhere as I’m to afraid to drive it f... Read more

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

Incident date: Jan 5, 2026

Vehicle shut down a few times at low speed.

Incident date: Nov 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that her son had reported that the vehicle was losing motive power and had failed to exceed 15 MPH while driving. The check engine warning illuminated. The contact advised the driver to pull over and to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 15, 2025

Oil cooler line separated

Incident date: Sep 15, 2025

This vehicle can create a fire. My home is at risk, other cars/structures parked near it, and people who drive the vehicle are at risk of fire. This is the 2nd time we have received notice of fire hazard for this make/model. The dealership is aware of the problems. check engine light stays on and no... Read more

Showing 50 of 77 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

2025 Volkswagen Atlas SUV AWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Driver	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Passenger	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	15.9%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	Standard
Lane Departure Warning	Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

EPA Fuel Economy, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Trim / Engine	City MPG	Highway MPG	Combined MPG	Fuel Type	Annual Fuel Cost
2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S8) (Front-Wheel Drive)	20.0	26.0	22.0	Regular	$3,050

CO2 Emissions: 402.0 g/mile (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Actual fuel economy may vary based on driving conditions.

Technical Service Bulletins, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

1 manufacturer communications from 1 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

EA, Open , Model Year: 2019

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 activ... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2018

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2018

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 engi... ne. 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 compartment components that operate at high temperatures. Consumers allege a fuel leak, fuel odor, and/or an illuminated check engine malfunction indicator light (MIL) on that alerts them to the condition. Fuel leaking in the engine compartment has a higher potential risk of fire as nearby components are operating at higher temperatures compared to other areas of the vehicle. No fires have been connected to this issue to date.The 3.6L engine is a VR6 type engine. Due to its specific design, the VR6 has two types of injectors with different designs installed. Cylinders 1, 3, and 5 use long injectors and cylinders 2, 4, and 6 use short injectors. Unlike the short injectors, the long injectors require an extension pipe necessary to reach cylinders 1, 3, and 5. Volkswagen stated that the potential root cause for a leaking injector is typically either a damaged, misaligned, or missing supporting ring or a damaged O-ring. These rings assist in connecting the injector to the extension pipe. If one of these conditions is present in a vehicle, the O-ring has difficulty withstanding fuel pressure over time.Volkswagen stated that an analysis of warranty data related to leaking injectors in vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines showed that the vast majority of leaking allegations were related to internal leaks. Fuel can leak into the cylinder causing misfiring in the affected cylinders. This condition would not cause fuel to enter into the engine compartment. Volkswagen states that these internal leaks pose no unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.Analysis of all relevant data indicates that the subject condition is an early-life failure with a relatively low failure rate. The average failure mileage calculated from all data sources was determined to be approximately 14,000 miles. Only two failures were reported outside of the vehicles' warranty coverage period. The average time to failure for the subject vehicle population is approximately 12 months in service (MIS). The majority of failures were below the average of 14,000 miles or 12 MIS. Analysis of reported failures showed that the failure rate is approximately 0.08% or 0.8 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV).To date, there have been no reported fires, crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. In view of the low rate of failure, the nature of early-life failure, and low potential hazard to drivers, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the following identification numbers:11446833, 11438403, 11382958, 11298402, 11291955, 11218819, 11218780Read more

VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS across all model years (2018, 2026).

77 Total Recalls

3,028 Total Complaints

3 Investigations

87 Reported Crashes

29 Reported Fires

4 Reported Deaths

VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	2	12	View
2025 (current)	5	77
2024	8	264	View
2023	5	194	View
2022	7	288	View
2021	17	760	View
2020	4	51	View
2019	12	711	View
2018	17	671	View

Other VOLKSWAGEN Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
JETTA	249	14,075	View
GOLF	190	2,084	View
PASSAT	185	10,492	View
BEETLE	157	3,629	View
GTI	116	1,926	View
ID.4	115	1,606	View
TIGUAN	78	3,173	View
ATLAS CROSS SPORT	73	701	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Safety Technology

EPA Fuel Economy, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Technical Service Bulletins, 2025 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Most Affected Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations, VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS - All Years Overview

VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS - Year by Year

Other VOLKSWAGEN Models