VehicleVerdict

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

Limited data — recalls on file

NHTSA has just 25 complaints on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport — too few to judge reliability from owner reports alone — but 6 recall campaigns apply to this year, so any used example should have its VIN checked for completed recall work.

In government crash testing it earned 5 of 5 NCAP stars overall.

25

NHTSA complaints

6

Recalls

0

Investigations

3

Crash-involved

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

5

NCAP overall · of 5 stars

How does 2023 compare to other Atlas Cross Sport years?

Atlas Cross Sport NHTSA complaints by model year, 2023 highlighted268 complaints2020: 156 complaints2021: 268 complaints2022: 112 complaints2023: 25 complaints2024: 157 complaints2025: 33 complaints2026: 0 complaints
Atlas Cross Sport NHTSA complaints by model year, 2023 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all Atlas Cross Sport years to avoid →

What are the most common 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Airbags520%
Engine520%
Other416%
Electrical System312%
Brakes312%
Driver Assistance28%
Fuel System28%
Speed Control14%

Does the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport have recalls?

6 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

25V434000BrakesJune 30, 2025 · 546 units

Defect

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 brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.

Consequence

A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.

24V464000AirbagsJune 20, 2024 · 271,330 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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 September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.

22V807000SuspensionOctober 26, 2022 · 33 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Volkswagen Atlas FL and 2022-2023 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The driver-side rear trailing arm bolts may not have been tightened properly, allowing them to loosen and fall out.

Consequence

Unsecured bolts may cause the trailing arm to fracture, resulting in a sudden loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the driver side rear trailing arm bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 25, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42M2.

22V753000EngineOctober 7, 2022 · 76,515 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine failure causes an oil leak, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 13i4 (VW) and 13i5 (Audi).

22V718000BrakesSeptember 26, 2022 · 555 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

A brake fluid leak may increase the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 23, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T2.

22V152000AirbagsMarch 28, 2022 · 222,892 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

“The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Airbags · September 16, 2024

“The car will stop suddenly at a red light or when slowing in traffic without warning. I have to stop the car, put in park, and restart the engine often when the light turns green and I'm not moving The ACC eco-feature is typically off/disabled, so it isn't the issue. A few scary times being in…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · September 24, 2023

“The car will stop suddenly at a red light or when slowing in traffic without warning. I have to stop the car, put in park, and restart the engine often when the light turns green and I'm not moving The ACC eco-feature is typically off/disabled, so it isn't the issue. A few scary times being in…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · September 24, 2023

“The vehicle simply shuts off with no warning or reason. I should NOT have to explain to anybody how this is a safety hazard to the driver and others around the vehicle. It shuts down while in a car wash and the vehicle is in Neutral. Thus, I have to brake, place the trans in Park then manually…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · January 30, 2024

“Our VW Atlas Cross Sport 2023 was involved in an accident on August 3, 2025 where the Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning did not work. Firstly, we reported issues with our brakes several times and took the vehicle to Rick Case VW in Weston/Davie more than once to rectify this…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Brakes · August 3, 2025 · crash

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport — common questions

Is the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport reliable?

The record is thin — 25 NHTSA complaints — so owner-report data can't strongly confirm reliability either way, though 6 recalls should be verified as completed.

What are the most common 2023 Atlas Cross Sport problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are airbags (5 complaints), engine (5 complaints), other (4 complaints).

Does the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns affecting the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Which Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Atlas Cross Sport years to avoid are 2021. The cleanest record among Atlas Cross Sport years belongs to 2026.

How safe is the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?

In NHTSA's NCAP crash testing, the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.