2019 Volkswagen Atlas
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Airbags & Restraints
Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 149 of 473 complaints (32%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (4) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 462 in 2018 to 473 in 2019.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | vs. 2019 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,600–3,300 | 2,850–3,300 | 2,850–3,300 | 2,850–3,450 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–24 | 19–22 | 19–22 | 18–22 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 17–22 / 23–26 | 17–20 / 23–26 | 16–21 / 22–24 | 16–21 / 22–24 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 375–454 | 394–461 | 401–480 | 400–485 | |
| Complaints filed | 462 | 473 | 27 | 467 | |
| Recalls issued | 16 | 11 | 4 | 17 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 18 | 10 | 0 | 12 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas have?
11 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas?
Airbags & Restraints: 149 of 473 NHTSA complaints (32%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas get?
EPA rates it 19–22 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas?
EPA estimates $2,850–$3,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 17 mpg (low) | 24 mpg | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 454 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 461 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 20 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | 22 mpg (high) | $2,850 (low) | 394 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 34 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 73 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Brakes | 81 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 149 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 90 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 59 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (11)
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN · Campaign 23V671000 · Oct 4, 2023
Defect: Volkswagen 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.
Consequence: The driver's side impact air bag could deploy improperly or detach in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers 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.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER · Campaign 23V215000 · Mar 30, 2023
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.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · Campaign 22V815000 · Oct 31, 2022
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 Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · Campaign 22V152000 · Mar 14, 2022
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.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · Campaign 22V086000 · Feb 17, 2022
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.
TIRES:SIDEWALL · Campaign 21V142000 · Mar 5, 2021
Defect: Volkswagen 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.
Consequence: Over 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.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY · Campaign 19V614000 · Aug 22, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen 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.
Consequence: A 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.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS · Campaign 19V389000 · May 24, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen 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."
Consequence: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · Campaign 19V218000 · Mar 22, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen 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.
Consequence: In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS · Campaign 18V904000 · Jan 30, 2019
Defect: Volkswagen 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.
Consequence: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.
Show 1 earlier campaign
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL · Campaign 18V824000 · Nov 27, 2018
Defect: Volkswagen 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."
Consequence: If 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.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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.