Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Where it stands out against its peers

• Air bags: more complaints than 92% of 2021 cars — 23% of its 163 complaints, where an ordinary 2021 car has 7%.
• Service brakes: more complaints than 91% of 2021 cars — 22% of its 163 complaints, where an ordinary 2021 car has 9%.
• Exterior lighting: more complaints than 94% of 2021 cars — 10% of its 163 complaints, where an ordinary 2021 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• AIR BAGS — 26 owners reported this, 4 involving a crash
• SERVICE BRAKES — 14 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 12 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 8 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 8 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 5 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 4 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 3 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 3 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 3 owners reported this
• FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 3 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 3 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 3 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 2 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• AIR BAGS,SEATS — 2 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — 2 owners reported this
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 2 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,SUSPENSION — 2 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

18% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  20V712000

  A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.

• 20V504000

  A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.

• 20V505000

  In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

• 20V702000

  Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.

• 20V716000

  A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.

• 21V026000

  A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.

• 21V132000

  An insufficiently attached wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four wheels, and as necessary, replace the wheels, lug bolts ,and wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q9.

• 21V616000

  A horn or starter that remains activated for an extended period of time can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

  Dealers will inspect and as necessary, replace the relays, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97FR.

12 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Fuel Injector Leak

  Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2021, closed October 2022.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volkswagen filed 97 bulletins about the 2026 Atlas Cross Sport.

• Engine: 18
• Electrical system: 15
• Power train: 6
• Forward collision avoidance: 4
• Service brakes: 4
• Air bags: 2
• Exterior lighting: 2
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1
• Steering: 1
• Suspension: 1
• Other: 43

• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 -… · August 2026
• Disconnect the control console for 10 seconds to reset. · August 2026
• Disconnect the control console for 10 seconds to reset. · August 2026
• Replace the steering column switch for Ghost (mystery) activation. · August 2026
• Over-the-Air Software Update Dealer Recovery Process · August 2026
• Over-the-Air Software Update Dealer Recovery Process · August 2026
• MIB3 Recovery Solution · August 2026
• Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement · August 2026

89 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.