2019 Volkswagen Atlas: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas: 12 recalls, 481 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
12 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Electrical Vehicle recall #18V824000 · 2018 · 73,549 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018.
Suspension Vehicle recall #18V904000 · 2018 · 6,322 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2019.
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V218000 · 2019 · 3 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 atlas and 2020 passat vehicles. An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag May have been installed.
Why it matters: In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag May not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Volkswagen has inspected and replaced the side air bags, free of charge. The recall was completed in April 2019.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #19V389000 · 2019 · 662,185 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #19V614000 · 2019 · 6 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 atlas vehicles. The suction jet in the fuel tank May have been welded in the incorrect position allowing fuel to leak. Additionally, the vehicle May stall due to uneven fuel distribution.
Why it matters: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019.
Tires Vehicle recall #21V142000 · 2021 · 2,535 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Equipment Vehicle recall #22V086000 · 2022 · 3,648 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: Without the reduced gvwr label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install the reduced gvwr label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022.
Airbags Vehicle recall #22V152000 · 2022 · 222,892 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 atlas, 2020-2023 atlas cross sport, and 2021-2023 atlas fl vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts May corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
Why it matters: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022.
Tires Vehicle recall #22V815000 · 2022 · 296,044 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen tiguan lwb, golf sportswagen a7, golf alltrack, golf r gp, Audi q3, Audi a3 cabriolet, 2019-2020 jetta nf, jetta gli, golf gti, atlas, golf a7, Audi a3, 2020-2021 atlas cross sport, and 2021 atlas fl vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system May not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four…
Why it matters: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022.
Airbags Vehicle recall #23V215000 · 2023 · 143,053 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the pods sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024.
Airbags Vehicle recall #23V671000 · 2023 · 2 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 atlas vehicles. The driver's side impact air bag May be missing a weld at the side air bag housing.
Why it matters: The driver's side impact air bag could deploy improperly or detach in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side impact air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023.
Steering Vehicle recall #26V590000 · 2026 · 208,724 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 10 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (141): the most common themes are warning light on (29).
- Brakes (76): the most common themes are warning light on (18).
- Electrical (75): the most common themes are electrical failure (25), warning light on (20), door / lock issues (17).
- Forward collision avoidance (72): the most common themes are warning light on (16), electrical failure (14).
The 2019 Volkswagen Atlas has 481 owner complaints, ranking #1 of 9 Atlas model years for complaints (2.2× the average Atlas year). Complaints peaked in 2023 (124 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 10,527 miles. Neighboring years: 2018 (466 complaints, 17 recalls), 2020 (27 complaints, 4 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas.
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FAQ
Does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 12 vehicle recalls for the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2019 Volkswagen Atlas problems?
Owners have filed 481 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (141), brakes (76), electrical (75).
What gas mileage does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic (S8)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.