2018 Volkswagen Atlas recalls & complaints

1. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.

What could happen: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen custom…

What to do

1. Do not drive this vehicle until the recall repair is done. The manufacturer has told owners to park it.
2. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
3. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V369000 (manufacturer code 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6).
4. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
5. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
6. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently.

What could happen: The loose brake bracket bolts can allow the caliper to move, reducing braking ability or causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of ch…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V536000 (manufacturer code 46H6).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrectly manufactured air bag sensor, which can delay or disable air bag deployment when necessary.

What could happen: In the event of a crash necessitating frontal air bag deployment, a delayed or disabled airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag crash sensor, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AL.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V057000 (manufacturer code 69AL).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Suspension

What's wrong, in plain English: Parts can break and cause loss of control. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V904000 (manufacturer code 42J2/42J3).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Lights

What's wrong, in plain English: Headlights, tail lights or turn signals may not work, making the car hard to see. 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."

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

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V389000 (manufacturer code 94L9).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-253-2834.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. The fuel tank on these vehicles may leak fuel due to a manufacturing error. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

What could happen: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AW. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 17V-766.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V284000 (manufacturer code 20AW).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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 (F…

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V824000 (manufacturer code 90L3 and 90L4).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Wheels / tires

What's wrong, in plain English: A wheel or tire can fail while driving. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V142000 (manufacturer code 44R1).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Unknown Or Other

What's wrong, in plain English: A vehicle part that may fail. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

What could happen: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V561000 (manufacturer code 01E9).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Unknown Or Other

What's wrong, in plain English: A vehicle part that may fail. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

What could happen: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

The fix: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V321000 (manufacturer code 01F1).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

11. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. The owner's manuals provided with the affected vehicles do not inform the customers about the child restraint size limitation/restrictions for the second row center seating position. As a result, the center and adjacent outboard seat belt buckles on the second row can become damaged it a child seat base is installed that is wider than 12.6 inches.

What could happen: A damaged seat belt buckle can release unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the center and left outboard seat belt buckles, and replace them if necessary, free of charge. Volkswagen will also provide an owner's manual supplement addressing child safety and child restraints. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V380000 (manufacturer code 69X1).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

12. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. During production, the air conditioning system drain tube may have been twisted, causing water to drain into the air bag control module.

What could happen: The wet air bag control module may result in an unintentional deployment of the air bags, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain tube, and if it is twisted, the drain tube and air bag control module will be replaced, free of charge. Some of the affected vehicles have had their drain tube previously replaced but did not receive a new air bag control module; the a…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V537000 (manufacturer code 87F9).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

13. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. The fuel tank may have been manufactured with insufficient wall thickness, potentially resulting in the tank leaking fuel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

What could happen: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AQ.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 17V766000 (manufacturer code 20AQ).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

14. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. 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…

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

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 22V086000 (manufacturer code 09D9).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

15. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. 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.

What could happen: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 23V215000 (manufacturer code 69FB).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

16. Steering

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. 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.

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

The fix: 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) involv…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V590000 (manufacturer code 48LG and 48VT).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

17. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.

What could happen: If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.

The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69W8, and 69W9.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 ATLAS.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V375000 (manufacturer code 69W8, and 69W9).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-893-5298.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Electrical system (110), Engine (103), Airbags (100), Brakes (75), Unknown Or Other (72).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.