Your vehicle report
2019 Volkswagen Atlas
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 484
- Received Dec 2018 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Automatic emergency braking applies without reason48 complaints · 9.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving24 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on15 complaints · 3.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #26V590000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. 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.
- Recall #23V671000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side impact air bag may be missing a weld at the side air bag housing.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Automatic emergency braking applies without reasonFirst signal: Aug 2019
- Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speedFirst signal: May 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 0 fires, 10 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off
- Seat belt fails to latch or retract
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 37 |
| 2020 | 52 |
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 82 |
| 2023 | 124 |
| 2024 | 63 |
| 2025 | 52 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 48 |
| Total | 484 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 48 | 9.9% | 4.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 5.0% | 3.8× | NHTSA recall #19V614000 |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 15 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #23V215000 |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 14 | 2.9% | 1.5× | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 13 | 2.7% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 12 | 2.5% | 26.6× | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 11 | 2.3% | 10.2× | NHTSA recall #23V215000 |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 11 | 2.3% | 7.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.0% |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 2.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 10 | 2.1% | 1.3× | |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 10 | 2.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 9 | 1.9% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 8 | 1.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 1.5% | – | NHTSA recall #19V218000, #22V152000, #23V671000 |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 6 | 1.2% | 39× | NHTSA recall #18V904000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 1.2% | – | NHTSA recall #21V142000 |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 6 | 1.2% | 1.7× | NHTSA recall #26V590000 |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 5 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #26V590000September 11, 2026208,724 vehicles affected
steering
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. 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.
A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.
NHTSA recall #23V671000October 4, 20232 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window: curtain
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side impact air bag may be missing a weld at the side air bag housing.
The driver's side impact air bag could deploy improperly or detach in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver's side impact air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FK.
NHTSA recall #23V215000March 29, 2023143,053 vehicles affected
air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #22V815000October 31, 2022296,044 vehicles affected
tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
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 pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
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 Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
NHTSA recall #22V152000March 28, 2022222,892 vehicles affected
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 driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
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.
NHTSA recall #22V086000February 16, 20223,648 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
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 Rims."
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.
NHTSA recall #21V142000March 5, 20212,535 vehicles affected
tires: sidewall
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #19V614000August 21, 20196 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas vehicles. The suction jet in the fuel tank may have been welded in the incorrect position allowing fuel to leak. Additionally, the vehicle may stall due to uneven fuel distribution.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20BU.
NHTSA recall #19V389000May 22, 2019662,185 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. 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."
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #19V218000March 20, 20193 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas and 2020 Passat vehicles. An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag may have been installed.
In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Volkswagen has inspected and replaced the side air bags, free of charge. The recall was completed in April 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y8.
NHTSA recall #18V904000December 19, 20186,322 vehicles affected
suspension: rear: springs: coil springs
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
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.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #18V824000November 26, 201873,549 vehicles affected
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
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 (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
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.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN