The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·20V712000·Announced 2020-11-17

Volkswagen Atlas Vehicles Recalled for Steering Knuckle Damage

Volkswagen is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles with damaged steering knuckles that may fail during operation. A failed steering knuckle can cause loss of steering control, increasing crash risk.

NHTSA safety advisory

Do not drive this vehicle

NHTSA advises owners to stop driving this vehicle until the recall repair has been completed.

This is the agency’s own advisory, not our assessment. Contact the manufacturer or a dealer, and see the official NHTSA notice for the current guidance.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: Structural vehicle defect affecting steering control with potential for loss of steering and increased crash risk. No injuries or property damage have been reported in the source text.

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles in these vehicles may have been damaged during production.

A damaged steering knuckle can fail during operation, causing a loss of steering control. This increases the risk of a crash.

Approximately 776 vehicles are potentially affected by this recall. Owners are advised not to drive the vehicle until it has been inspected and repaired if necessary. Volkswagen dealers will inspect and replace the steering knuckle free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2020. Owners can contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 with recall number 40Q6, or contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.safercar.gov.

The recalled product

Product
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, ATLAS CROSS SPORT
Brand
VOLKSWAGEN
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Steering System
Hazard
Affected units
776

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)

  • ATLAS
  • ATLAS CROSS SPORT

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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