- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 7
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
7 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2024 Volkswagen Atlas
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 7
- Owner complaints
- 159
- Complaints citing a crash
- 6
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
7 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
7 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 23V593000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024 Atlas PA2 and Atlas Cross Sport PA 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. In addition, engine failure may cause an oil leak which can increase the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 13i6.
- 24V464000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 24V480000high
Backup camera software issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Golf R, Golf GTI, 2024 Atlas, and 2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The rearview camera image may be delayed or deactivated after shifting into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A rearview camera with a delayed or deactivated image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 15, 2024, and July 16, 2024. Owners may contact VW customer service at 1-800-893-5298. VW's number for this recall is 91US.
- 24V723000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024 Atlas and 2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been assembled with an incorrect secondary piston spring retainer, which can block the brake fluid port.
Consequence
An obstructed brake fluid port can cause a loss of brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 21, 2024. Additionally, vehicles that were added to the population on November 21, 2024, their letters were mailed on December 2, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen Customer Relations at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 471F.
- 25V100000high
Engine issue
ENGINE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine cover may have been improperly installed after vehicle service, allowing it to come loose and contact hot engine surfaces.
Consequence
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will remove the engine cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10X5.
- 25V334000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to become distorted when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91SB.
- 25V434000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 13.6%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 13 comparable 2024 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 13.6% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
20
City
27
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,650
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 393 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas ranks 13th of 14 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2024 — 6.2 MPG short of the 29.2 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the thirstiest vehicles in its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,650, $650 more than the $2,000 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,250, a $3,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 393 grams per mile — about 5.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
159 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 159
- Total
- 6
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 9
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE37
- BRAKES35
- ELECTRICAL27
- OTHER26
- AIR BAGS8
Notable Issues
159 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 9 reports involve injuries. 6 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, newest first.
- Recall
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
An obstructed brake fluid port can cause a loss of brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A rearview camera with a delayed or deactivated image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
- Recall
A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Recall
A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, engine failure may cause an oil leak which can increase the risk of a fire.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- SUV
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
20
City
27
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,650
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
An obstructed brake fluid port can cause a loss of brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A rearview camera with a delayed or deactivated image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.