2020 Volkswagen Atlas
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Volkswagen › Atlas › 2020
These records cover every 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. Newest first.
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 and remedy
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
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 Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
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 and remedy
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
Owner complaints
27 complaints
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Unknown or other
The car will shut down/stall while sitting at a red light. The START/Stop function is turned off, I turn it off while driving. So I am stalled at a red light and then have to place the car back into park and restart it. There are no messages or warning lights that appear on the dashboard. This is a…
The car will shut down/stall while sitting at a red light. The START/Stop function is turned off, I turn it off while driving. So I am stalled at a red light and then have to place the car back into park and restart it. There are no messages or warning lights that appear on the dashboard. This is a risk because we are sitting in traffic with a stalled car that quickly needs to be restarted. This has happened several times.
- Fuel/propulsion system
I received alerts while I’m driving to tell me that the fuel pressure was low and to turn off the engine immediately… and then it would go away. there were several different times about 5 total separate incidents on separate days that my car would not move forward and lurch forward from a parked…
I received alerts while I’m driving to tell me that the fuel pressure was low and to turn off the engine immediately… and then it would go away. there were several different times about 5 total separate incidents on separate days that my car would not move forward and lurch forward from a parked position and then died with a quick alert on the dash. Thankfully, I was in parking lots and neighborhood streets when this happened.
- Air bags
The airbag occupancy detectors on the passenger side are faulty. I noticed that other similar models of the VW Atlas are having this issue and it has an active recall, but my particular model has not.
- Electrical system · Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Service brakes
Two main issues... The automatic breaking will break in the most random spots. There is no car around but it reacts to certain ways the lines are painted on the road is my guess. It will do it to some cross walks as well as some round abouts. I've had to just turn it off so it doesn't kill me.…
Two main issues... The automatic breaking will break in the most random spots. There is no car around but it reacts to certain ways the lines are painted on the road is my guess. It will do it to some cross walks as well as some round abouts. I've had to just turn it off so it doesn't kill me. Also, another issue is the battery. I just had the battery checked and it is good but when the the fuel gets below quarter taken the car will not crank. This has happened 3 times now.
- Engine · Fuel/propulsion system
Hello. I have a 2020 Vw Atlas V6 SE R-Line. The truck shots off when idleling, on speeds of 5 mph to 10 mph and even on the highway. This is a serious problem and extremely dangerous to my family and myself as well as other owners that have the same issue wile driving on highways. It can easily…
Hello. I have a 2020 Vw Atlas V6 SE R-Line. The truck shots off when idleling, on speeds of 5 mph to 10 mph and even on the highway. This is a serious problem and extremely dangerous to my family and myself as well as other owners that have the same issue wile driving on highways. It can easily cause a serious accident. This has happened multiple times and I even took it to the dealership to get it diagnosed and repair. They replaced the vapor charcoal canister and the issue was gone for about a year and it came right back. This does not bring any codes on the vehicle so it's very had do diagnosed. But it does gives you an error malfunction warning after it shots off when doing highway speeds. I did some research and found the multiple people have the same exact issue with this vehicles.
- Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger · Electrical system · Power train
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and Electronic Power Control (EPC) warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and Electronic Power Control (EPC) warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
- Steering
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn, and the hazard indicator warning light illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn, and the hazard indicator warning light illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with rack and pinion failure. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
- Electrical system · Unknown or other
I enrolled in the Volkswagen Car-Net Safe & Secure Trial for my 2020 VW Atlas, and shortly after, received a SOS error code disabling the Emergency Assistance available for the vehicle. I had no prior issues with the SOS error code/Emergency Assistance until I was enrolled in the trial. The dealership has confirmed that there is an internal failure with the Car-Net module in the vehicle.
- Electrical system · Service brakes · Structure › Body
The vehicle was giving a false alert about my driver's door being opened. The door was infact closed properly. During this time when i was driving when i came to a slowed or complete stop the car put the emgergency/parking brake on. This happened twice in seven days. I took the car to the…
The vehicle was giving a false alert about my driver's door being opened. The door was infact closed properly. During this time when i was driving when i came to a slowed or complete stop the car put the emgergency/parking brake on. This happened twice in seven days. I took the car to the dealership to look at it and it appears to be a known defect that the door latch can freeze and cause this malfunction. The car has not been in an accident and is less than 5 years old. The repair is $1000. This abrupt braking was hazardous as it cause the car to stop short, my family could have been rear-ended.
- Air bags
I was driving today and an Airbag Error Message popped up with the Airbag Warning Lamp and will not turn off. I called the dealership I purchased it from and was told it is a faulty Airbag Sensor but my car is not part of the open recall Volkswagen has open. They set up an appointment for 8/20 to…
I was driving today and an Airbag Error Message popped up with the Airbag Warning Lamp and will not turn off. I called the dealership I purchased it from and was told it is a faulty Airbag Sensor but my car is not part of the open recall Volkswagen has open. They set up an appointment for 8/20 to replace the sensor. I was told by the dealership that this issue could cause my airbag not to deploy if I were to get in a wreck. This information makes me very nervous to drive my vehicle but since this is my only vehicle I have no other choice.
- Air bags · Seats
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag sensor warning light illuminated and the seat warming function failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring in the…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag sensor warning light illuminated and the seat warming function failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring in the seat was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
- Electrical system · Steering
When turning my vehicle to the left or right at slow speeds, the steering wheel rattles and wants to auto correct to a straight position. This has caused my wife and I to almost collide with other parked vehicles. The GPS in my vehicle has recently started to go haywire and fail to give any…
When turning my vehicle to the left or right at slow speeds, the steering wheel rattles and wants to auto correct to a straight position. This has caused my wife and I to almost collide with other parked vehicles. The GPS in my vehicle has recently started to go haywire and fail to give any correct guidance. I plugged in my iPhone to use my CarPlay Map and the issue transfers over to the gps on my phone as well. The moment I unplug the phone, the issue resolves on my phone but resumes on my vehicles gps. My heater won’t take affect until I reached approx 80 degrees. I begin to raise the temp and the rear vents begin to blow hot air at the high 70’s while the front of the vehicle remains at AC. Once i hit 80 degrees the heater turns on at the front of the vehicle. The issues all started when I had a module replaced in my vehicle. Approximately time issues began was first week of March 2024. I have videos showing the rattling steering, the haywire gps and the HVAC issues.
- Electrical system · Unknown or other
Navigation system (GPS) does not show correct location and 'reroutes' off the correct path. This could lead to dangerous conditions if using in an unfamiliar location (which is the point of having a navigation system). Navigation system has suggested turning wrong direction onto one-way street, turning into rivers and lakes, making U-turn on expressway, and driving through private property.
- Engine · Power train
Since I purchased this vehicle for my wife, she has repeatedly called me in tears regarding the vehicle turning itself off in school parking lots, stop lights, stopping at stop signs, and in drive through lanes. The car will show error messages such as "START ENGINE MANUALLY" or "AUTO START/STOP…
Since I purchased this vehicle for my wife, she has repeatedly called me in tears regarding the vehicle turning itself off in school parking lots, stop lights, stopping at stop signs, and in drive through lanes. The car will show error messages such as "START ENGINE MANUALLY" or "AUTO START/STOP FAILURE." This has nearly caused a number of accidents when the car is turned off in the middle of the street. The only option to get the car restarted is to put it into park, then turn the car off and back on again - which at a busy intersection can put you into a panic. I have taken the car to the dealer a few times and told each time that they find nothing wrong since there are no error codes at the time. I spoke with the dealer on 10/10/23 since it was in the shop in early October - I was told that they are experiencing this issue with numerous VW Atlas, it is a known issue, however there is no fix. I was told to reach out to VW North America. I spoke with Nick from VW NA today who told me that my best option is to try a different VW dealer. This has been an ongoing issue with the vehicle since we purchased, but it is happening more frequently - upwards of numerous times per week. There are no signs that the car is going to turn itself off with issue - it has done it even when the AUTO START/STOP system is disabled (this needs to be manually disabled each time the car starts). My wife is at the point that she does not want to drive the vehicle anymore as she is afraid of the safety of the kids.
- Air bags
Passenger side airbag displays Airbag warning, and passenger side seat heater stops working. Both use the same wiring harness. Seems to be the exact same fault as April 2023 recall for 2018-2021 Volkswagen Atlases but my VIN is not included
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Steering
We own a 2020 VW Atlas SE W/Technology. This vehicle has grossly failed to meet reliability expectations. Of most concern is the repeated failure of the vehicle's electric power steering rack. This component has been replaced 3 times on my vehicle. Each failure has been accompanied by a creak…
We own a 2020 VW Atlas SE W/Technology. This vehicle has grossly failed to meet reliability expectations. Of most concern is the repeated failure of the vehicle's electric power steering rack. This component has been replaced 3 times on my vehicle. Each failure has been accompanied by a creak in the front suspension and a clunk in the steering movement. I have asked VW of America to extend the warranty on my vehicle as this failure and it's the history of failures lead me to believe I will encounter this issue again very soon. VWOA has denied my request so far stating that my warranty had already expired. I reminded them that they had already extended my warranty for a separate mechanical issue that I experienced with both this vehicle and my previous vehicle, a 2018 VW Atlas involving the cylinder head. Between the steering rack failure and their handling of a dangerous issue with faulty door harness wiring that caused the vehicle's autonomous emergency braking to engage in traffic, I sincerely believe that NHTSA needs to get involved to mandate additional recall campaigns or warranty extensions on these vehicles to protect consumers.
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control · Steering
Steering gear feeling loose & making noise going down the road. Steering wheel shake & vibration. No warning lights initially. Few hours later when steering vibration was at it worse, the front end collision warning light with cruise control light came on. Dealer said system needed recalibrated &…
Steering gear feeling loose & making noise going down the road. Steering wheel shake & vibration. No warning lights initially. Few hours later when steering vibration was at it worse, the front end collision warning light with cruise control light came on. Dealer said system needed recalibrated & steering gear needed to be replaced. Stated it is a common, complaint/diagnosis but no recall from VW. $3000 to repair! Car definitely doesn’t feet safe at highway speeds
- Electrical system · Lane departure › Blind spot detection
We had issues in March 2022 (electronic parking brake engaging while car is moving and driver's window rolling down when attempting to roll it up) that led to the defective door wiring harness diagnosis that was the subject of the national recall. We were without the vehicle for 2 months until…
We had issues in March 2022 (electronic parking brake engaging while car is moving and driver's window rolling down when attempting to roll it up) that led to the defective door wiring harness diagnosis that was the subject of the national recall. We were without the vehicle for 2 months until late May 2022 when the redesigned replacement wiring harness was installed. We are now having the same problems again (electronic parking brake engaging while car is in motion; driver's window rolling down when trying to roll it up) in addition to the blindside warning lights staying on and flashing with no cars in the vicinity to trigger that. We suspect there are issues with the newly engineered replacement wire harness. The dealership has been slow to respond as well making the issue more frustrating.
- Electrical system
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH on local streets, the accelerator pedal was slightly released however, the vehicle immediately stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the destination safely. The contact…
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH on local streets, the accelerator pedal was slightly released however, the vehicle immediately stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the destination safely. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed and was informed that an unstated wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 17,049.
- Air bags · Forward collision avoidance › Warnings · Service brakes
I want to record my experience with my 2020 VW Atlas. I have experienced the Front Collision alerts and the braking when nothing was in my path. This might have caused an accident as the braking would be similar to a driver stopping short. The vehicle was never brought to a complete stop but…
I want to record my experience with my 2020 VW Atlas. I have experienced the Front Collision alerts and the braking when nothing was in my path. This might have caused an accident as the braking would be similar to a driver stopping short. The vehicle was never brought to a complete stop but felt like the car was not in the driver's control as it slowed. The forward collision light did illuminate during occurrences. Secondly, the airbag light is on and the dealership has advised the part is on backorder. Both of these cause concern for me as this is the main vehicle for my family and I transport three young children in. This vehicle has already had a recall to address the slippage when steering and I feel like that fix did not fully resolve my issue.
- Electrical system · Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Vehicle speed control
We've had our Atlas since 5/2020. Since then, we've had multiple issues similar to what I have seen reported on VW's upcoming recall. I am not sure how VW intends to identify which VIN's are an issue, but ours should probably be included. Here's a list of issues... 1) Emergency braking goes off…
We've had our Atlas since 5/2020. Since then, we've had multiple issues similar to what I have seen reported on VW's upcoming recall. I am not sure how VW intends to identify which VIN's are an issue, but ours should probably be included. Here's a list of issues... 1) Emergency braking goes off when backing up, even though there is no risk. 2) Emergency braking goes off at the end of a decline when the road is transitioning from angled to flat. Since you're pointed down, it thinks the upcoming road is another vehicle. 3) Using the remote start feature results in both the radio and cruise control not working. 4) Window buttons on driver's side sometimes don't respond or act erratically (ex: pressing up and the window goes down) 5) GPS is inaccurate. We actually had a part replaced in 2020 that fixed the problem, but we've noticed over the past few months it has started to get lost again. 6) All safety systems (lane assist, emergency braking, etc) need to be disabled when driving in the snow. Otherwise, the vehicle goes crazy with random beeps, warning, and occasionally will hit the brakes. Note that these are an aggregate of problems over the course of owning this vehicle. I provided a date, but the issues aren't limited to just that one date. Fortunately we have had no crashes or injuries related to this problem, but my wife had one very close call when driving in the snow and the brakes engaged while she was on the highway.
- Air bags
My vehicle is experiencing the door wiring harness issue that is leading to an airbag warning light coming on. As of now, my VIN is not included in the recently announced VW recall, however I am experiencing the exact issue that is being recalled. This was diagnosed by my local dealer a few months ago and I am still waiting on the part. After reading the recall, I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle.
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Driver door harness malfunction causing many errors to display on dash. It also causes emergency brake to engage before coming to a complete stop basically slamming on the brake. Doors will randomly try to lock while driving even though they are locked and back windows will roll down. The driver…
Driver door harness malfunction causing many errors to display on dash. It also causes emergency brake to engage before coming to a complete stop basically slamming on the brake. Doors will randomly try to lock while driving even though they are locked and back windows will roll down. The driver window and door controls will not work to roll up/down window or unlock/lock doors. This all started in August 2021 with just the windows rolling down. Then weeks passed and a little more started happening. Then the brakes happened. It was a random occurrence but became an everyday issue and very unsafe especially when the weather became icy.
- Electrical system · Engine
Drivers side door harness is problem- driver door fault, electric parking brake fault, start stop fault, car would automatically engage parking brake This is such a huge problem with Volkswagen that the car has been in shop six weeks waiting on part because of back order due to demand
- Electrical system · Service brakes · Unknown or other
In the beginning of Novemeber 2021 with 7680 miles an alarm stating Error: Driver door contact switch Fault: Electronic parking brake Attention: Engine is running. Error: Start Stop The check engine light/EPC lights were on. Windows do not open or open about an inch by themselves. This issue…
In the beginning of Novemeber 2021 with 7680 miles an alarm stating Error: Driver door contact switch Fault: Electronic parking brake Attention: Engine is running. Error: Start Stop The check engine light/EPC lights were on. Windows do not open or open about an inch by themselves. This issue occurs most times when starting the vehicle. VW was made aware and checked the vehicle stating the driver side door harness needs to be replaced but there is shipping delays. Over the next few months when operating the vehicle under speeds of approximatley 10 to 5 miles an hour the emergenancy parking break activates and slows or completley stops the vehicle while driving. This is a safety issue as a vehicle that suddenly stops while in traffic regardless of speed can be rear ended or cause an accident. VW has claimed that the door harness is at fault and that the parking break activating is because of a faulty door harness. It has been over 2 months and the door harness has still not been replaced. I have spoke to mechanics regarding this issue and they stated a parking break activating while the car is in motion is not related to a faulty door harness. I wish to have this complaint investigated and to have my car issue recalled so VW is forced to fix this issue. I have 3 small children who regularly ride in this vehicle. A emergency parking break activiating while the vehicle is in motion is unacceptable. Thank you.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- 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…
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 stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of Front Assist and its limitations. However, many consumer complaints alleged that Volkswagen dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or Volkswagen dealerships informed the consumers that this braking is considered normal Front Assist operation. ODI's analysis shows that MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles have the highest rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation when compared to their Volkswagen peers.The rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation in MY 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles was comparable to their Volkswagen peers. To date, ODI has received a total of 69 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of Front Assist in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. In total, ODI reviewed 264 unique (i.e., non-duplicative Vehicle Identification Numbers) reports that may relate to the alleged defect, which include eight reports of incidents involving an alleged injury and two reports involving a crash. PE23017 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA24004) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
- 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…
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 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, 11218780
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11011378This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B1022F0. Communication with the airbag control module J234 has failed.
- 11011374HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing
- 11010030Volkswagen is extending warranty coverage for the Front Door Wiring Harnesses on certain 2019-2023 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles identified by the U70 Warranty Key for 5 years / 60,000 miles (whichever occurs first) from the date that the 97GF recall was performed.
- 11010028This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during ECM Component Adaptation Test after component replacement.
- 11010025Green Light Does Not Illuminate
- 11010024Lack of paint under roof
- 11010022Engine Oil Standards
- 11010021Additional reporting
- 11010017This Supporting FAQ is for the Atlas Front Door Wiring Harness Class Action Settlement for vehicles identified by U70 Warranty Key.
- 11010011Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available
- 11008869This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication DA 0001 ECM - Certification Test Group (CTG) label P0F4800: Certification test group/engine family number Not programmed or incompatible
- 11008868This communication is a notice for software changes with the ODIS program to correct the A5 Front Camera Module program test plan that is failing.
- 11008866Inspecting sensors for damage
- 11008861Fluid requirements
- 11008860Manual transmission noise diagnosing
- 11008858A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
- 11008857How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement
- 11008856Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick
- 11008853How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool
- 11008852Recommended Gasoline Quality
- 11008851Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid
- 11008850Fuel additive to help with misfire faults
- 11008846Wind & Water Leak Checking
- 11007401This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication with the airbag control module. B1022F0: Passenger occupant detection system control module no basic setting NOTE: Communication with the airbag control module -J234 has failed.
- 11007398Battery testing
- 11007396Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of
- 11007393Engine Oil Standards
- 11007387This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward.
- 11005832This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication DA 0001 ECM - Certification Test Group (CTG) label P0F4800: Certification test group/engine family number Not programmed or incompatible P0F4800: Certification test group/engine family number Not programmed or incompatible
- 11005826Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of
- 11005825Engine oil quality standards
- 11005821Engine Oil Pressure-Priming
- 11005820Engine Assembly Tip
- 11005819Engine Replacement Tip
- 11005818Engine No Start, ECM shorted due to incorrect battery removal
- 11005817Mandatory Fastener Replacement
- 11002875Engine oil quality standards
- 11002874Remnants of the valve stem seal on the valve guide can interfere with the installation of new valve stem seals
- 11001522These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement
- 11001519This bulletin is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication DA 0001 ECM - Certification Test Group (CTG) label P0F4800: Certification test group/engine family number Not programmed or incompatible
Every Volkswagen Atlas model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.