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2019 Volkswagen Atlas

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
F
Safety Signal
35 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical11
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA473
Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA22 mpg
2027202620252024202320222021202020192018

The 2019 Volkswagen Atlas is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Atlas, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 473 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
AtlasGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202622$2,850
AtlasGasFWD3.6L 6-cyl172419$3,300
Atlas 4motionGasAWD3.6L 6-cyl172319$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 40914, 40856, 40862.

Factory warranty running out?

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Recalls (11)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Air Bags

69FK
2 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskThe driver's side impact air bag could deploy improperly or detach in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.FixDealers 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 campaign 23V671000reported Oct 4, 2023Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

69FB
143,053 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskA deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.FixDealers 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 campaign 23V215000reported Mar 29, 2023Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Tires

AU:45J7,VW:45J6,45J8
296,044 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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."RiskAn undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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 AudiÂ’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
NHTSA campaign 22V815000reported Oct 31, 2022Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

97GF
222,892 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskA delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.FixDealers 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 campaign 22V152000reported Mar 28, 2022Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
○minor

Equipment

09D9
3,648 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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."RiskWithout the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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 campaign 22V086000reported Feb 16, 2022Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Tires

44R1
2,535 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskOver 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.FixVolkswagen 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 campaign 21V142000reported Mar 5, 2021Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
!critical

Fuel System, Gasoline

20BU
6 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskA 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.FixVolkswagen 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 campaign 19V614000reported Aug 21, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Exterior Lighting

94L9
662,185 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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."RiskWithout the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.FixVolkswagen 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 campaign 19V389000reported May 22, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

69Y8
3 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskIn an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.FixVolkswagen 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 campaign 19V218000reported Mar 20, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Suspension

42J2/42J3
6,322 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskIf a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.FixVolkswagen 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 campaign 18V904000reported Dec 19, 2018Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Electrical System

90L3 / 90L4
73,549 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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."RiskIf 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.FixVolkswagen 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.
NHTSA campaign 18V824000reported Nov 26, 2018Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

NHTSA defect investigations

Forward Collision Avoidance — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking open

On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.  The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 226 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of Front Assist and its limitatio

Opened Dec 18, 2024 · action EA24004

Forward Collision Avoidance — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking closed

On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 292 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of Front Assist and its limitat

Opened Sep 28, 2023 · closed Dec 18, 2024 · action PE23017

Fuel System, Gasoline — Fuel Injector Leak closed

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (MY) 2018 through 2020 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs. These vehicles are equipped with either a 3.6 or 2.0 liter engine. The subject investigation concerns vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. Prior to opening the investigation, ODI also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from TREAD reporting was an outlier for the MY 2018 Atlas.The allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine compartment components that operate at high temperatures. Consumers allege a fuel leak, fuel odor, and/or an

Opened Mar 29, 2021 · closed Oct 3, 2022 · action PE21008

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
473complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 10 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 37 · 2020: 52 · 2021: 25 · 2022: 82 · 2023: 124 · 2024: 63 · 2025: 52 · 2026: 37

Most-cited components

Air Bags141
Forward Collision Avoidance96
Service Brakes76
Electrical System73
Engine60
Unspecified59

What owners describe

“The windshield wipers stop functioning after cold freezing snow and rain. I have had the wipers repaired 4 times, but the issues continue to happen. The wipers fall out of timing, the wiper motor fails, and the fastening design strips out preventing the wiper to correct itself. The most serious failure happened while d…”Feb 7, 2022 · Visibility/Wiper · NHTSA owner report
“My car had an airbag alert show up on Thursday, January 27th. It said Error: Airbag. I contacted the dealership was able to get my car into Glenwood Springs Volkswagen service center on Friday, January 28th. At 4:30 pm I was told there was an issue with the airbag system. According to the Volkswagen employee, this is a…”Jan 29, 2022 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report
“The Panoramic sunroof continues to leak water. This is a safety risk by water obstructing the driver's vision. Also, the water mixing with electrical wires in the A frame, driver-side electronics, and leaking on and through the center dash area is a major concern. The vehicle has been serviced twice within the same mon…”Jan 13, 2022 · Visibility/Wiper · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆14%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.

Other Atlas model years

A

2027 Volkswagen Atlas

0 recalls · 0 complaints

B

2026 Volkswagen Atlas

2 recalls · 8 complaints

D

2025 Volkswagen Atlas

5 recalls · 63 complaints

F

2024 Volkswagen Atlas

8 recalls · 259 complaints

F

2023 Volkswagen Atlas

6 recalls · 148 complaints

F

2022 Volkswagen Atlas

7 recalls · 249 complaints

F

2021 Volkswagen Atlas

17 recalls · 631 complaints

F

2020 Volkswagen Atlas

11 recalls · 132 complaints

F

2018 Volkswagen Atlas

16 recalls · 462 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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