Volkswagen Recalls 2018 Atlas and Tiguan for Passenger Air Bag Defect
Volkswagen is recalling 2018 Atlas and Tiguan vehicles because the passenger frontal air bag may tear or fail to unfold properly in a crash, increasing injury risk.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (air bag deployment failure) that explicitly increases the risk of injury, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.
Plain-English summary
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. The recall addresses a defect in the passenger frontal air bag inflator module. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.
If the air bag tears or unfolds incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury to the occupant. No specific number of affected units is provided in the source text, though the product information indicates a total of 821 vehicles are affected.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's recall numbers for this campaign are 69W8 and 69W9. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit www.safercar.gov.
The recalled product
- Product
- VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN, ATLAS
- Brand
- VOLKSWAGEN
- Manufacturer
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Category
- Vehicle — Air Bags
- Hazard
- Affected units
- 821
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (2)
- TIGUAN
- ATLAS
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
Related recalls
Same brand · VOLKSWAGEN
- SevereVolkswagen Recalls ID.4 Vehicles Due to High Voltage Battery Fire Risk
NHTSA · 2026-09-30
- SevereVolkswagen Recalls 2025 Tiguan for Software Error Causing Engine Stalls
NHTSA · 2026-09-10
- High
- HighVolkswagen Tiguan rearview camera may fail to display after repair
NHTSA · 2026-05-20
- SevereVolkswagen Taos fuel pressure sensor may separate in a rear-end crash
NHTSA · 2026-04-22
Same manufacturer · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
See all →- SevereAudi Recalls 2024-2025 Q4 E-Tron Models Due to Battery Fire Risk
NHTSA · 2026-10-21
- SevereVolkswagen Recalls 2018-2021 Models for Steering Rack Bolt Corrosion
NHTSA · 2026-09-11
- SevereAudi Q5 front seat belts may fail to restrain occupants
NHTSA · 2026-04-24
Same hazard · air bag failure
See all →- SevereChrysler Recalls 2026 Ram 1500 Vehicles for Side Air Bag Defect
NHTSA · 2026-09-29
- HighFord Recalls 2026 Bronco Vehicles Due to Air Bag Mounting Defect
NHTSA · 2026-09-09
- HighFord Recalls 2026 Explorers Due to Passenger Air Bag Deployment Defect
NHTSA · 2026-09-09
- SevereNissan Recalls 2025 Altima Vehicles Due to Air Bag Fastener Defect
NHTSA · 2026-08-12
- HighChrysler Recalls Pacifica and Voyager Models Due to Air Bag Defect
NHTSA · 2026-06-02
Similar recalls
- High
- HighVolkswagen Recalls 2018 Atlas Vehicles Due to Air Bag Sensor Defect
NHTSA · 2020-01-31
- SevereVolkswagen Recalls 2019 Atlas Vehicles Due to Driver Side Air Bag Defect
NHTSA · 2023-10-04
- High
- HighVolkswagen Atlas and Passat Recall for Incorrect Side Air Bags
NHTSA · 2019-03-20
- SevereVolkswagen Recalls 2018 Tiguan Vehicles Due to Roof Reinforcement Defect
NHTSA · 2021-09-23