Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine36
- Electrical system35
- Unknown or other24
- Air bags22
- Fuel/propulsion system18
- Service brakes15
- Exterior lighting15
- Forward collision avoidance9
- Power train7
- Back over prevention4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas failed the safety check 0.42% of the time — 39% less often than the average 2023 passenger car (0.69%). Median odometer at inspection: 14,342 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Volkswagen Atlas SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 15.9 % |
| 2023 Volkswagen Atlas SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 13.6 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 10.2–11.9 L/100 km (about 20–23 mpg US), CO₂ 240–279 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 9.3 | 10.2 |
| Atlas 4MOTION · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 9.8 | 10.9 |
| Atlas 4MOTION · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 13.4 | 10.1 | 11.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas.
| 2025355 25 Jun 2025 | Suspension Issue: On certain vehicles, certain bolt(s) on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension may not have been tightened properly. As a result, the bolt(s) cou… |
| 2024354 19 Jun 2024 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction. This could cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front… |
| 2022612 26 Oct 2022 | Suspension Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolts for the left-rear trailing arm may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the bolts may loosen over time and fal… |
| 2022576 7 Oct 2022 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles, the connecting rod bearings may become damaged. If this happens, the engine could make abnormal noises and a warning light may turn… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011378 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B1022F0. Communication with the airbag control module J234 has failed. |
| 11011376 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states coolant leak/coolant light on; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states the seat cover has discoloration (usually yellowing) stains; Customer states MIL-on, U01B000 stored in ECM memory; Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication |
| 11011375 | moisture witin rear tail lamp assembly |
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11010030 | Volkswagen is extending warranty coverage for the Front Door Wiring Harnesses on certain 2019-2023 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles identified by the U70 Warranty Key for 5 years / 60,000 miles (whichever occurs first) from the date that the 97GF recall was performed. |
| 11010028 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during ECM Component Adaptation Test after component replacement. |
| 11010027 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states coolant leak/coolant light on; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8 |
| 11010026 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8398624] active DTCs;Customer states MIL-on, U01 |
| 11010025 | Green Light Does Not Illuminate |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010017 | This Supporting FAQ is for the Atlas Front Door Wiring Harness Class Action Settlement for vehicles identified by U70 Warranty Key. |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008869 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication DA 0001 ECM - Certification Test Group (CTG) label P0F4800: Certification test group/engine family number Not programmed or incompatible |
| 11008868 | This communication is a notice for software changes with the ODIS program to correct the A5 Front Camera Module program test plan that is failing. |
| 11008867 | Customer states rattle from below the vehicle; Customer states MIL-on, P0442 stored in ECM memory; Customer states key FOB lock/unlock functions do not work via button press (not KESSY); Customer states seat belt won't retract; Customer states windshield has a visual imperfection, Customer states Electrical System Error Message, U04A1 [42304], U04A5 [42336], and/or U04A9 [42444] stored in DA:008C; Customer states vehicle does not start; key not detected. No communication to J519 active. AW 19: U014000[2170894][2240526], B1248F3[1074443], U17B900[8398624] active DTCs; Customer states Automatic |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008864 | The purpose of this Technical Bulletin is to inform Volkswagen dealerships that beginning on 10/1/2024, replacement of any of the following components will require specific Guided Fault Finding (GFF) direction where the test plan(s) explicitly states replacement of the part is necessary. |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation