Model year
2018 Volkswagen Atlas
NHTSA lists 17 recalls and 466 complaints for the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). 1 recall marked do not drive. The components listed on the most complaints are ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (110), ENGINE (100), AIR BAGS (99). NHTSA lists 2 investigations. NHTSA rated 2 variants 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 19–24 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,800–$3,550, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2018 466 complaints
- 2019 483 complaints
- 2020 27 complaints
- 2021 480 complaints
- 2022 184 complaints
- 2023 139 complaints
- 2024 175 complaints
- 2025 50 complaints
- 2026 11 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
26V590000 · Sep 11, 2026
STEERING
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
23V215000 · Mar 29, 2023
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
22V086000 · Feb 16, 2022
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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…
21V321000 · May 5, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all…
21V142000 · Mar 5, 2021
TIRES:SIDEWALL
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.
20V561000 · Sep 16, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory…
20V057000 · Jan 31, 2020
AIR BAGS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrectly manufactured air bag sensor, which can delay or disable air bag deployment when necessary.
19V389000 · May 22, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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…
18V904000 · Dec 19, 2018
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
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.
18V824000 · Nov 26, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
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…
7 more recalls are in the NHTSA file for this name and are not listed here. Campaign numbers above link to NHTSA.
Complaints
466 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 8, fire flag on 0, injury field 18, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE21008 | Fuel Injector Leak · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | Mar 29, 2021 | Oct 3, 2022 |
| PE23017 | Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING; FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Sep 28, 2023 | Dec 18, 2024 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.136 | NHTSA photo |
| SUV FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.159 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas · 3.6L · Automatic (S8) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 18 | 25 | 20 | — | — | $3,350 |
| Atlas 4motion · 3.6L · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 17 | 23 | 19 | — | — | $3,550 |
| Atlas · 2L · Automatic (S8) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 26 | 24 | — | — | $2,800 |
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Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2018 Volkswagen Atlas at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.