VehicleVerdict

2021 Volkswagen Atlas problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

With 724 complaints filed to NHTSA — about 3.0 times the median Atlas year — the 2021 model ranks #1 of 9 Atlas years for complaint volume. It lands on the years-to-avoid list. Complainants reported 13 injuries in total across these filings.

No single system dominates the record — complaints spread across electrical system (144), brakes (98), and driver assistance (88), which usually points to general build quality rather than one defect. In government crash testing it earned 5 of 5 NCAP stars overall.

724

NHTSA complaints

17

Recalls

1

Investigations

13

Crash-involved

1

Fires reported

13

Injuries

0

Deaths

5

NCAP overall · of 5 stars

How does 2021 compare to other Atlas years?

Atlas NHTSA complaints by model year, 2021 highlighted724 complaints2018: 654 complaints2019: 695 complaints2020: 49 complaints2021: 724 complaints2022: 267 complaints2023: 163 complaints2024: 240 complaints2025: 63 complaints2026: 8 complaints
Atlas NHTSA complaints by model year, 2021 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all Atlas years to avoid →

What are the most common 2021 Volkswagen Atlas problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Electrical System14420%
Brakes9814%
Driver Assistance8812%
Engine8011%
Other7210%
Airbags639%
Lighting568%
Fuel System385%
Body & Structure203%
Transmission142%
Speed Control122%
Seats91%
Steering91%
Tires & Wheels81%
Visibility & Wipers61%
Seat Belts41%
Latches & Locks20%
Suspension10%

Does the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas have recalls?

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

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.

23V215000AirbagsMarch 29, 2023 · 143,053 units

Defect

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.

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 March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.

22V815000Tires & WheelsOctober 31, 2022 · 296,044 units

Defect

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."

Consequence

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.

22V514000Electrical SystemJuly 20, 2022 · 43,091 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.

22V245000Fuel SystemApril 13, 2022 · 1,382 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.

Consequence

Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iD.

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.

22V086000OtherFebruary 16, 2022 · 3,648 units

Defect

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."

Consequence

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.

21V892000AirbagsNovember 17, 2021 · 54,429 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence

A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.

21V812000Tires & WheelsOctober 15, 2021 · 30 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Consequence

The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

21V616000Electrical SystemAugust 6, 2021 · 33 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Damaged relays may have been installed in the engine compartment fuse box, which could inadvertently activate the horn or engine starter.

Consequence

A horn or starter that remains activated for an extended period of time can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and as necessary, replace the relays, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97FR.

21V132000Tires & WheelsMarch 3, 2021 · 128 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The lug bolt holes on the wheels may have been machined incorrectly, preventing the wheel bolt from sufficiently attaching to the wheel bearing hub.

Consequence

An insufficiently attached wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four wheels, and as necessary, replace the wheels, lug bolts ,and wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q9.

21V026000SteeringJanuary 27, 2021 · 10,303 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence

A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.

20V716000Driver AssistanceNovember 18, 2020 · 32,048 units

Defect

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.

20V712000SteeringNovember 17, 2020 · 776 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence

A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.

20V702000Tires & WheelsNovember 13, 2020 · 760 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence

Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.

20V505000SeatsAugust 26, 2020 · 5,376 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence

In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

20V504000LightingAugust 26, 2020 · 11 units

Defect

Volkswagen 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 Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence

A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

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

Door harness replacement needed, car is only a few months old, less than 10k Miles. Various sensors go off indicating a contact door switch issue, and the parking brake will go off and windows will open. This happened to me with children in the car and snowy weather, which could have caused an…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · February 17, 2022

My wife was driving our 5 day old Atlas along the interstate with cruise control set at 65mph. She was traveling up an incline that had a slight turn to the right along the interstate. There was not a car within 500+ yards of her car. All of a sudden she started hearing beeps and the car abruptly…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Brakes · April 2, 2021 · crash

I was hit from behind and slammed into the car in front of me while stopped at a light. The collision totaled my Atlas at 95% The air bags did not deploy nor did their give a warning for the collision. The damage was so severe that the inner frame of the vehicle is beyond repair. Recent warranty…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Driver Assistance · February 11, 2023 · crash

The contact owned a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 MPH, she had turned the air conditioner on and felt that hot air was blowing out. The contact stopped at a traffic signal turned the vehicle off and on again and noticed that the air conditioner was now…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · November 26, 2022 · fire

Rattling or metal grinding sound coming from the right rear tire/wheel. I’ve had it checked out by two different dealerships and neither of them found a problem. The metal rattling noise occurs mostly while I’m doing in town driving (30-40 mph) but recently started doing it on the freeway as…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · March 7, 2022

2021 Volkswagen Atlas — common questions

Is the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 724 complaints put the 2021 model at #1 of 9 Atlas years. It is one of the Atlas years to avoid.

What are the most common 2021 Atlas problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are electrical system (144 complaints), brakes (98 complaints), driver assistance (88 complaints).

Does the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 17 recall campaigns affecting the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas under NHTSA investigation?

NHTSA opened one investigation into this model year; all are now closed.

Which Volkswagen Atlas years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Atlas years to avoid are 2021, 2019, 2018. The cleanest record among Atlas years belongs to 2026.

How safe is the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas?

In NHTSA's NCAP crash testing, the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas 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.