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2018 Volkswagen Atlas Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 466 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, most often about the electrical (24% of complaints, typically around 18,500 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Atlas model year since 2000 and has 17 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2018 Volkswagen Atlas problems
Electrical
111 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 18,500 miles. Parts named most often: adas.
My vehicle battery died after refueling. And I had to call for roadside assistance for a jump. Vehicle infotainment system showed 2 messages: 1) 12 volt battery low and recharge while driving 2) error start/stop system
Left fog lights sporadically blink on and off for no specific reason. This happens during normal driving conditions, and while stopped at red lights.
Engine
102 complaints · 22%Half of these problems showed up before 18,500 miles.
My vehicle battery died after refueling. And I had to call for roadside assistance for a jump. Vehicle infotainment system showed 2 messages: 1) 12 volt battery low and recharge while driving 2) error start/stop system
Battery has been dying and was dead this morning. 2 year old car in san diego temperate weather. 18k miles. From forums, it seems this car has faulty stock batteries that cannot sustain the start/stop strain on the batteries. Having to take to dealership for replacement. Uncertain they will properly cover it.
Air bags
100 complaints · 22%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: air bag/restraint control module.
When riding in the passenger seat the air bag would disengage and engage as the person moved in the seat with the movement of the car. Moved the seat back and it went off, dealership mechanic could find nothing wrong. Last happened this morning, started after a few seconds of grinding, then went 12 MPH, shut down…
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v215000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted.…
Brakes
75 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 13,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that the brake booster failure indicator illuminated. Shortly after, the brake pedal went up and down on its own and had to be depressed with full force in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to neftin westlake Volkswagen (3550 auto mall dr…
While applying brakes to come to a stop at a stop light, the brakes would not work and then made a metal grinding sound. An alert went off and the brake light began blinking. The automatic brakes engaged and slammed on. The brake light went solid and then off, and was replaced by a "brake booster faulty" warning.…
Other or unspecified
72 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 9,000 miles.
On 11/20/2018 my low coolant light came on. I took it to a local dealership in town & they topped off the coolant. The tech advised me to take it to my registered dealership for inspection. On 11/21/2018 I took it to my dealership & stated the issue and noted the warning light. They inspected the vehicle, found the…
One of the safety features of the 2018 vw Atlas is the automatic breaking system in the instance that a crash may occur. With this the front sensors of the vehicle warn prior to by either beeping or in some cases slamming on the automatic breaks. I have found that when I am on a hill of a certain grade, that the…
Fuel system
35 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 39,000 miles.
There is a strong gas smell inside and outside my vehicle while driving and stationary. Vw replaced the upper and lower fuel rails and the high pressure fuel pump on the first service visit. I could still smell the gas outside the vehicle, not inside, when I left the service bay. I returned it and they said they…
Needs new catalytic converter. Needs excessive gas. Told to just keep driving until back ordered catalytic converter comes in. I don't feel like it's safe to drive especially with my children. Check engine light came on. Researching the problem and vw definitely has a problem and has not voluntarily recalled the…
Driver assistance
33 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 55,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, warnings, assist.
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the auto stop warning message was displayed and a loud audible beep coming from the vehicle to alert that there were vehicles ahead even though there were no vehicles ahead. Several unknown warning messages were…
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact engaged the cruise control function, and the brakes would inadvertently engage. The contact was not able to verify the warning light that was illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the…
Steering
26 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 20,000 miles.
Battery issue- the start/stop feature drains the battery. A 2018 Atlas battery died while the car was on at an intersection. Was in the middle of an intersection waiting to turn and the car shut down. It cause everything to try off and steering and braking were impossible. It is a known issue at vw and there is no…
I've had scary problems with brake assist and lane assist. With lane assist the vehicle has made sudden violent turns to stay in a lane. Sometimes if there's a gap in the road lines (such as a turn lane) lane assist can be unpredictable. Adaptive cruise control works fine but I've had several instances when traffic…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Volkswagen Atlas recalls
Steering
Risk: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed november 10, 2026. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48lg and 48vt. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on september 16, 2026.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: front passenger
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the pods sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on march 22, 2024. Owners may contact volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69fb.
Full defect summary
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.
Equipment: labels
Risk: Without the reduced gvwr label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install the reduced gvwr label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed march 31, 2022. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09d9.
Full defect summary
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 installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 110, "tire selection and rims."
Other: unknown or other
Risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed may 20, 2021. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01f1.
Full defect summary
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 applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Wheels and tires: sidewall
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on march 24, 2021. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44r1.
Full defect summary
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.
Other: unknown or other
Risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began october 6, 2020. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01e9.
Full defect summary
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 requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Air bags
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating frontal air bag deployment, a delayed or disabled airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag crash sensor, free of charge. The recall began february 21, 2020. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69al.
Full defect summary
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.
Lights: headlights
Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began july 16, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94l9.
Full defect summary
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 federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Suspension: coil springs
Risk: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began january 31, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42j2/42j3.
Full defect summary
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.
Electrical: instrument cluster/panel
Risk: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began december 13, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90l3 and 90l4.
Full defect summary
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 the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 114, "theft protection."
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Risk: The wet air bag control module may result in an unintentional deployment of the air bags, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain tube, and if it is twisted, the drain tube and air bag control module will be replaced, free of charge. Some of the affected vehicles have had their drain tube previously replaced but did not receive a new air bag control module; the airbag control module will be replaced in these vehicles. The recall began september 14, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87f9.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 volkswagen atlas vehicles. During production, the air conditioning system drain tube may have been twisted, causing water to drain into the air bag control module.
Brakes: caliper
Risk: The loose brake bracket bolts can allow the caliper to move, reducing braking ability or causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torque the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Additionally brake caliper fasteners, bleeder valve, and brake hose bolts will be checked and torqued to the correct specification, if necessary, free of charge. For passat vehicles, dealers will also inspect the parking brake cable for proper connection, free of charge. The recall began september 14, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46h6.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 volkswagen atlas and 2017-2018 volkswagen passat vehicles. The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts on these vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently.
Seat belts: buckle assembly
Risk: A damaged seat belt buckle can release unexpectedly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the center and left outboard seat belt buckles, and replace them if necessary, free of charge. Volkswagen will also provide an owner's manual supplement addressing child safety and child restraints. The recall began june 29, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69x1.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswaen) is recalling certain 2018 volkswagen atlas vehicles. The owner's manuals provided with the affected vehicles do not inform the customers about the child restraint size limitation/restrictions for the second row center seating position. As a result, the center and adjacent outboard seat belt buckles on the second row can become damaged it a child seat base is installed that is wider than 12.6 inches.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began july 19, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69w8, and 69w9.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 volkswagen atlas and tiguan vehicles. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.
Brakes: caliper
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen and audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began june 29, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47n8, 47n9, and 47n6.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 volkswagen atlas, passat, beetle, beetle convertible, golf, golf sportwagen and gti and audi q5 and sq5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Fuel system: tank assembly
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began june 22, 2018. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20aw. Note: this recall is an expansion of recall 17v-766.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain volkswagen atlas vehicles. The fuel tank on these vehicles may leak fuel due to a manufacturing error. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 301, "fuel system integrity."
Fuel system: storage
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began december 10, 2017. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20aq.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 atlas vehicles. The fuel tank may have been manufactured with insufficient wall thickness, potentially resulting in the tank leaking fuel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 301, "fuel system integrity."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking
Summary
On september 28, 2023, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the front assist automatic emergency braking (aeb) system in model year (my) 2018-2019 volkswagen atlas vehicles.the reports alleged that activation of the aeb system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 292 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in my 2018-2019 volkswagen atlas vehicles.volkswagen stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of front assist and its limitat
Fuel injector leak
Summary
On march 29, 2021, the office of defects investigations (odi) opened pe21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (my) 2018 through 2020 volkswagen atlas and atlas cross sport suvs. These vehicles are equipped with either a 3.6 or 2.0 liter engine. The subject investigation concerns vehicles equipped with 3.6l engines. Prior to opening the investigation, odi also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from tread reporting was an outlier for the my 2018 atlas.the allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine compartment components that operate at high temperatures. Consumers allege a fuel leak, fuel odor, and/or an
Questions about the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (111 complaints, typically around 18,500 miles); engine (102 complaints, typically around 18,500 miles); air bags (100 complaints, typically around 45,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas have?
- 17 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 11, 2026 (steering). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Volkswagen Atlas?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Atlas model year since 2000, with 466 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.