The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·23V215000·Announced 2023-03-29

2018-2021 Volkswagen Atlas Front Passenger Air Bag Sensor Fault

Volkswagen is recalling certain 2018–2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles because a wiring fault in the passenger occupant detection system may deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: This is a structural vehicle safety defect involving deactivation of a protective system (front passenger air bag), which creates significant risk of injury during a crash. The rubric identifies structural vehicle defects as Severe (score 4).

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 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 that causes the front passenger air bag to deactivate even when the seat is occupied.

A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024.

Affected owners should contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness at no charge. Volkswagen's recall number is 69FB.

The recalled product

Product
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS, ATLAS CROSS SPORT
Brand
VOLKSWAGEN
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag System
Hazard
Affected units
143,053

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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