2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport problems and recalls

Owners have filed 104 complaints on the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, and NHTSA has issued 11 recalls. The most cited component is the Electrical System (33 complaints).

104
Complaints
11
Recalls
3
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
1
Injuries
42.6
Severity index

Severity index 42.6 Low. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 42.6p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 78 of 103 by severity index among 2020 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 24% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2020 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Electrical SystemElectrical System: 33 complaints (31.7%)33 32%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 23 complaints (22.1%)23 22%Air BagsAir Bags: 22 complaints (21.2%)22 21%Service BrakesService Brakes: 18 complaints (17.3%)18 17%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 15 complaints (14.4%)15 14%EngineEngine: 9 complaints (8.7%)9 9%SteeringSteering: 7 complaints (6.7%)7 7%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 6 complaints (5.8%)6 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3331.7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2322.1%
AIR BAGS2221.2%
SERVICE BRAKES1817.3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE1514.4%
ENGINE98.7%
STEERING76.7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL65.8%

Complaints filed per year

012252020: 92021: 102022: 252023: 82024: 232025: 142026: 15 (partial year)2021222523242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20209
202110
202225
20238
202423
202514
2026 (year to date)15
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (45 against 44).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V89200017/11/2021VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEMVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.
20V50400026/08/2020EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sports and 2021 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle
20V50500026/08/2020SEATSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
20V71200017/11/2020STEERINGVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.
20V70200013/11/2020TIRES:SIDEWALLVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.
21V02600027/01/2021STEERINGVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.
22V08600016/02/2022EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSVolkswagen 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 inst
22V15200028/03/2022AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWVolkswagen 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 dri
22V81500031/10/2022TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMSVolkswagen 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
23V21500029/03/2023AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERVolkswagen 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.
24V46400020/06/2024AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 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.

Other Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 6 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-05. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.