CSR

Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2025 Volkswagen Atlas

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

40

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas have filed 40 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2024 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 15 of them (38%). The typical failure was reported at 4,379 miles, the median across the 4 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

26V473000 · July 22, 2026

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling 2024-2026 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may experience a low-voltage electrical event that affects display screen functions. As a result, the rearview camera image may fail to display as intended.
The risk
A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 28, 2026.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 57,851 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES

25V434000 · June 30, 2025

The defect
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.
The risk
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 546 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V334000 · May 21, 2025

The defect
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."
The risk
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 171,381 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

25V100000 · February 17, 2025

The defect
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.
The risk
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 177,493 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

25V081000 · February 12, 2025

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The transmission may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in a loss of drive power.
The risk
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38CX.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 19 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 40.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15 38%
POWER TRAIN 12 30%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 20%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6 15%
ENGINE 5 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 8%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 8%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 2 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 2 5%
STEERING 2 5%
SUSPENSION 2 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 24.

2024 2026
2024 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

crash

In December all of the cameras and front assist sensors stopped working. When I called to get into a Volkswagen dealer they first told me to get a car wash and that should solve it. When that didn’t work they weren’t able to get my car in for about 1 month. I’m that time we collided with deer on the highway and none of the collision assists worked. Now my car repaired and it’s still not working. My car was new in July 2025.

NHTSA complaint 11721547. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 10,000 miles

The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact was unable to move to the side of the road and called the Police. The Police helped to push the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission control module needed to be updated. The transmission control module was updated; however, several weeks later, while the vehicle was at the dealer for a

NHTSA complaint 11721428, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Failure of brake booster and master cylinder. Failure caused breaks to malfunction, not allowing the vehicle to break appropriately. To break, you had to step on the break very hard, break pedal did not have usual pressure. No leakage visible on the ground outside of the car. When starting the car (usually you must press on breaks) it was already obvious something was wrong. After starting the car got a warning light about break malfunction and was alerted to contact my local dealership. The car was taken to a Volkswagen dealership and is currently being repaired. It was inspected by a technician in the service department and we are waiting on replacement parts. I am still waiting on a full

NHTSA complaint 11756552, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas the vehicle unexpectedly shifted itself into neutral without any action from the driver. I was driving with my daughter when this occurred. After the vehicle shifted into neutral, it would no longer shift back into drive, and I was unable to continue driving normally. This resulted in an unexpected loss of propulsion while the vehicle was being operated on the road. the vehicle had to be stopped and requires dealership inspection. I am concerned this is a serious transmission or electronic transmission -control safety defect because the vehicle can unexpectedly lose drive power while moving. The Vehicle was towed to VW car dealership in Clarksville Tn,

NHTSA complaint 11755559, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Our 2025 VW Altas had several engine lights come on at the same time after parking and would not shift out of neutral. Towed to the nearest VW for service and they stated it needed a transmission replacement. This vehicle had less than 16k miles.

NHTSA complaint 11751984. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracked a singular crack from the top to the bottom of windshield after lifting car with spare tire jack.

NHTSA complaint 11752001. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Bought it with 39k miles on it. A year old. within thirty hours I was trying to return from a trip and when I turned the key the car powered on but the engine didn’t turn over and several error messages popped up including a transmission error. The car would not start. I had it towed to the dealer and they said it was a software issue. Within 24 hours of having it back I when to drive it and a check engine light was on again. Dealer is saying it’s a piece of the transmission that needs replaced.

NHTSA complaint 11748954. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sensors keep failing. Constant on and off warnings. Radio is also only working at times. Reboots often on its own. Total distraction and very dangerous. Dealership already updated software twice. They can’t seem to fix it either.

NHTSA complaint 11747165. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volkswagen Atlas

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2024 165 8
2023 123 5
2022 175 7
2021 455 17
2020 27 4
2019 468 11
2018 460 16

Other 2025 Volkswagen models

Every Volkswagen on this site — 152 vehicles, 256 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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