← New search

2022 Volkswagen Atlas

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 169.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 14 of 181 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

46 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Software update for the vehicle. Since we have completed the update we have had issues with the Radio unit flashing in and out intermittenly and finally the unit went black and will not work at all. This is now showing multiple fault codes including. Engine control module 1 (U105400), Brakes 1(C102D00), Adaptive Cruise Control (…

Read full complaint

Software update for the vehicle. Since we have completed the update we have had issues with the Radio unit flashing in and out intermittenly and finally the unit went black and will not work at all. This is now showing multiple fault codes including. Engine control module 1 (U105400), Brakes 1(C102D00), Adaptive Cruise Control (U112100), Dash Board (U111000), Gateway (U105400), Telematics Communication Unit (B104914, U112100,B1916f4), Light Control Left 2 (U140700,C123AFA) Light Control Right 2 (C123AFA). None of these codes started till the System update happened.

NHTSA ODI #11756322

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2026
EngineService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

i was exiting HWY 45 at highway speed. the car began to stutter, i lost control of the propulsion of the vehicle, the breaks did not seem to work, the EPC light came on after rolling to a stop. i had to put the car in park and upon turning the car off and back on the cars EPC light went off and i was able to drive it home. it no…

Read full complaint

i was exiting HWY 45 at highway speed. the car began to stutter, i lost control of the propulsion of the vehicle, the breaks did not seem to work, the EPC light came on after rolling to a stop. i had to put the car in park and upon turning the car off and back on the cars EPC light went off and i was able to drive it home. it now sits in my driveway and has not been moved since.

NHTSA ODI #11755826

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2025
Service Brakes

Brake system-Unresolved repair and inadequate investigation.

NHTSA ODI #11704712

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2025
Service Brakes

Drumming/Grinding Brakes and my pads and rotors are still have life left on them. This is an ongoing problem.

NHTSA ODI #11699655

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

Brakes are squealing and grinding noises when i break. This noises are present no matter the speed. VW Dealership from Kearny Mesa VW, San Diego, California USA. Engine: Start/Stop does shutdown during driving after the autostop system. Electric: Sensors is causing false alerts. I deactivated the system, because the system is co…

Read full complaint

Brakes are squealing and grinding noises when i break. This noises are present no matter the speed. VW Dealership from Kearny Mesa VW, San Diego, California USA. Engine: Start/Stop does shutdown during driving after the autostop system. Electric: Sensors is causing false alerts. I deactivated the system, because the system is constantly detecting alerts for no real threats,

NHTSA ODI #11685519

30,000 miles · Aug 8, 2025
Service BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrash

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while at a stoplight with vehicles in the front and rear, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, lunged forward, and crashed into a Chevrolet pickup truck. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were reported …

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while at a stoplight with vehicles in the front and rear, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, lunged forward, and crashed into a Chevrolet pickup truck. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were reported injuries, a police report, airbag deployment, or a fire. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to service the vehicle due to parts. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. Then towed back to the same local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis and repair were completed. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer reported that the vehicle was not the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11679379

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash

My atlas forward collision system malfunctioned causing the automatic emergency braking to turn on when there was no one and nothing in front of me. I was then rear ended. Which ultimately totaled my vehicle. My car said airbag error as well. I called Volkswagen Perrysburg Ohio, to report the incident, was sent to the managers…

Read full complaint

My atlas forward collision system malfunctioned causing the automatic emergency braking to turn on when there was no one and nothing in front of me. I was then rear ended. Which ultimately totaled my vehicle. My car said airbag error as well. I called Volkswagen Perrysburg Ohio, to report the incident, was sent to the managers voicemail 7/16/2025. The manager never called me back.

NHTSA ODI #11675853

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2025
Air BagsService Brakes

Error: Airbag and the passenger airbag isn’t working. There is a recall for the atlas but my vin isn’t in there. No recall for the brakes but they are in a class action lawsuit and they are squeeling, vibrate and feel like they won’t stop. Dealership claims nothing wrong. But my car I traded in didn’t feel like this. Vw need …

Read full complaint

Error: Airbag and the passenger airbag isn’t working. There is a recall for the atlas but my vin isn’t in there. No recall for the brakes but they are in a class action lawsuit and they are squeeling, vibrate and feel like they won’t stop. Dealership claims nothing wrong. But my car I traded in didn’t feel like this. Vw need to take action before accidents happen.

NHTSA ODI #11671471

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2025
Service Brakes

Loud metallic grinding sound when braking is present all the time. The dealer indicated that this is normal for the VW Atlas. However, the issue is that the driver will never know when the brake is functioning properly compared to the sound that often indicates worn-out brake pads (where the metal backing plate is scraping again…

Read full complaint

Loud metallic grinding sound when braking is present all the time. The dealer indicated that this is normal for the VW Atlas. However, the issue is that the driver will never know when the brake is functioning properly compared to the sound that often indicates worn-out brake pads (where the metal backing plate is scraping against the rotor). This could cause a collision if not properly fixed.

NHTSA ODI #11660819

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2025
Service Brakes

Since the car was purchased brand new, I have had severe brake grinding noises, brake grabbing, and inconsistent braking at both slow and high speeds. I've taken to the dealership many times to have the brakes checked and told each time the noise is a common complaint. I have requested the brakes be further inspected and one ti…

Read full complaint

Since the car was purchased brand new, I have had severe brake grinding noises, brake grabbing, and inconsistent braking at both slow and high speeds. I've taken to the dealership many times to have the brakes checked and told each time the noise is a common complaint. I have requested the brakes be further inspected and one time the brakes were measured and was told it was within normal wear when the car had less than 15,000 miles. The noises and inconsistency of brakes makes it unsafe to operate.

NHTSA ODI #11654521

Official recalls

7

24V464000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger

Jun 20, 2024

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 & remedy

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.

22V807000 · Suspension:critical Fasteners

Oct 26, 2022

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 & remedy

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.

22V753000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical

Oct 7, 2022

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 & remedy

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).

22V657000 · Trailer Hitches

Aug 31, 2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The trailer hitch bolts may have been insufficiently tightened.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loose bolts may fall out, causing the remaining bolts to break, which could lead to separation of the trailer hitch and trailer, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will tighten the trailer hitch bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N8.

22V514000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera; Equipment:electrical:infotainment:software

Jul 20, 2022

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 & remedy

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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment:electrical:infotainment:software

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.

Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

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.

22V245000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:injectors

Apr 13, 2022

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 & remedy

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.

22V152000 · Air Bags:side/window

Mar 28, 2022

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE23017 · Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

Opened Sep 28, 2023 · Closed Dec 18, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Forward Collision Avoidance; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking

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 limitations.  However, many consumer complaints alleged that Volkswagen dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or Volkswagen dealerships informed the consumers that this braking is considered normal Front Assist operation. ODI's analysis shows that MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles have the highest rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation when compared to their Volkswagen peers.The rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation in MY 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles was comparable to their Volkswagen peers. To date, ODI has received a total of 69 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of Front Assist in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.  In total, ODI reviewed 264 unique (i.e., non-duplicative Vehicle Identification Numbers) reports that may relate to the alleged defect, which include eight reports of incidents involving an alleged injury and two reports involving a crash. PE23017 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA24004) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking

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 limitations.  However, many consumer complaints alleged that Volkswagen dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or Volkswagen dealerships informed the consumers that this braking is considered normal Front Assist operation. ODI's analysis shows that MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles have the highest rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation when compared to their Volkswagen peers.The rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation in MY 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles was comparable to their Volkswagen peers. To date, ODI has received a total of 69 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of Front Assist in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.  In total, ODI reviewed 264 unique (i.e., non-duplicative Vehicle Identification Numbers) reports that may relate to the alleged defect, which include eight reports of incidents involving an alleged injury and two reports involving a crash. PE23017 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA24004) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Forward Collision Avoidance

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 limitations.  However, many consumer complaints alleged that Volkswagen dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or Volkswagen dealerships informed the consumers that this braking is considered normal Front Assist operation. ODI's analysis shows that MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles have the highest rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation when compared to their Volkswagen peers.The rate of unique incident reports alleging AEB inadvertent activation in MY 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles was comparable to their Volkswagen peers. To date, ODI has received a total of 69 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of Front Assist in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.  In total, ODI reviewed 264 unique (i.e., non-duplicative Vehicle Identification Numbers) reports that may relate to the alleged defect, which include eight reports of incidents involving an alleged injury and two reports involving a crash. PE23017 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA24004) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations in MY 2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.