2023 Volkswagen Atlas: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 118 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
118
Complaints
5
Recalls
4
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
6
Injuries
54.2
Severity index
Severity index 54.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 80 2023 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas ranks 38 of 80 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 52% of its model-year peers. See the full 2023 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 33 | 28.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 26 | 22.0% |
| AIR BAGS | 22 | 18.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 16.1% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 14 | 11.9% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 12 | 10.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 8.5% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 8 | 6.8% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 33 of 118 complaints (28.0%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 42 |
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 25 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 92.0x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V152000 | 28/03/2022 | 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 dri |
| 22V718000 | 26/09/2022 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 model year Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Certain brake lines may leak at the threaded connections. |
| 22V753000 | 07/10/2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure. |
| 24V464000 | 20/06/2024 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER | Volkswagen 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. |
| 25V434000 | 30/06/2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | 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 bra |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.