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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4 cyl Automatic (S8) | 21 | 24 | 22 | $2,700 |
| 3.6L 6 cyl Automatic (S8) | 17 | 23 | 19 | $3,150 |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash |
Component: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.
Consequence: A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sports and 2021 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.
Fuel pump failed Daytime running light failure Broken hood latch
Premature failure of left drivers side LED Daytime Running Light.
On 4/6 - My car alert system flashed the following; Still present, Called VW Dealership. Customer Care & Checked for recalls via VIN number. Airbag Error ( message on dashboard) Passenger Airbag (Message /light -automatically turned off airbags) Passanger airbag sensor flashes then turns solid. Safety recall for VW Atlas, certain vin numbers. No active recall for mine. (confirmed via VIA VW website, dealership & VW Customer Care) This puts my family at risk of airbags not deploying properly in emergency situations.
While driving, the vehicle experiences intermittent electrical malfunctions affecting multiple systems. The door locks cycle repeatedly, windows roll down on their own, and when attempting to roll the windows back up, they immediately roll back down. The dashboard lights flicker, become extremely bright, and at times go out completely. The central display (including Apple CarPlay) also shuts off entirely. Multiple warning alerts appear, including emergency brake warnings. These failures occur while the vehicle is in motion and create a safety risk due to loss of system visibility, inability to control vehicle functions, and unexpected vehicle behavior. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent repair shop due to these issues, where I was informed of Recall 97GF (wiring harness issue), which is associated with the same electrical failures. The vehicle was then taken to a dealership for recall service. The dealership retained the vehicle for approximately one week and advised that the repair resolved the issue. The vehicle operated normally for approximately three weeks following the repair. However, on or about [XXX], the same electrical issues reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealership on February 20th, where it remained in service for over 45 days. Despite multiple repair attempts and extended time in service, the issue was not resolved and continues to occur. The dealership has indicated that the recall procedure was completed, but the original condition persists. The issue was also escalated directly to Volkswagen of America through a customer care case. The manufacturer reviewed the situation and stated that the recall procedure had been completed and the condition was no longer considered related to the recall. The case was subsequently closed without resolution, and the vehicle continues to experience the same electrical failures. Video of issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has 11 NHTSA recalls and 96 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash | |
| Side Crash | |
| Rollover |
Component: SEATS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Consequence: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
Component: STEERING
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.
Consequence: A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.
Component: TIRES:SIDEWALL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.
Consequence: Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.
Component: STEERING
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.
Consequence: A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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."
Consequence: Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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.
Consequence: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
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 tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 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.
Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.
February 2025, just outside the warranty period, the hood latch had become disconnected/broken under the hood. There is a point where the two piece cable is joined under the hood and the cable breaks at this point. There is an obvious defect in the hood latch system and puts drivers at risk as the hood cannot be opened if needed possibly stranding a driver on the road with a non-functioning vehicle and no way to assess or repair the issue. Think low oil, overheating engine, no wiper fluid, fuse blown, no way to assess the issue. This is a common problem as found in internet forums. Many complaints have been filed with the NHTSA see campaign numbers 11693537, 11691685, 11681799, 11648046, 11630017. The fix involves removing the left front tire, removing the wheel well trim and and under fender skirting (25+ torx head screws), locating and opening cable junction box in the engine compartment from under the wheel well and pulling the cable with pliers to open the hood. The broken cable has to be removed by removing two interior panels inside the car cabin and pulling cable and grommet out. Then fishing replacement cable back through firewall into channel and up to the cable junction box. This is a 2-3 hour process. Cost is in excess of $500-700 at most dealers. The replacement cable is of the same design, so likely to also fail at some point. There should not be so many failures of a part that is only used 3-5 times per year.
I purchased a new 2020 Atlas Cross Sport in 2020. The car currently has 108,000 miles. In the time I have owned the car I have had to replace the heater core THREE times. The heater core has failed once again and I must replace it a FOURTH time. The dealer (Nucar, Norwood, MA) nor VW will admit the defect and I must pay $1000.00 to replace the defective part. This part is obviously defective. I want nothing more than to have the part replaced with a quality VW replacement part. I would also recommend that your organization investigate VW for a parts issue that is impacting many VW owners.
While traveling south on Wheeler Road at the underpass of the Long Island Expressway my 2020 Volkswagon Atlas Cross Sport's emergency braking system gets activated. This has happened multiple times at approximatly 12:20 AM while heading home from work. I took the car to the dealer but the dealer said there was no way to check what happened unless the diagnostic machine was connected at the time it happened. Again, this has happened multiple times, the most recent being both January second and the third. There is no reason why this happenes as it is dark and not a sunglare issue, therei s no change of lighting, no pavement changes or obstructions, and no traffic in front of me. When this happens it scares the hell out of me because there isnt any reason why I would expect it to happen thus creating a bit of a dangerous situation for me. Maybe others have reported the same issue to you that you did or could look into the cause of this, possible a radar or broadcast system that could be the cause of the sensor activation so maybe the issue can get corrected and prevent it from happening again. Thank You for any help you can provide. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The warning light came on signaling an airbag problem. The dealer checked all the wires and connections and determined there must be a problem with vehemently airbag itself and they said it should be replaced.
GAS TANK SEAL FAILED CAUSING COLLAPSE OF GAS TANK AND DAMAGE TO FUEL PUMP. SIMILAR PROBLEM IN OTHER VOLKSWAGON VEHICLES SUCH AS JETTA AND GOLF THAT HAD RECALL IN PAST. VOLKSWAGON COSTUMER SERVICE WAS NOTIFIED, BE FAILED TO OFFER REPAIR COVERAGE DUE TO FACT I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT A NON VOLKSWAGON SERVICE CENTER. NO WORK WAS DONE ON FUEL SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL VOLKSWAGON DEALERSHIP.
The car was purchased brand new in 2020. In 2022, the heating core broke and had to be replaced. This has happened again. This is a safety issue, the defroster is blowing cold air and not clearing the windshield properly. Having to drive a vehicle while freezing is also a safety hazard. A vehicle that is 5 years old, should not have this happen twice. Volkswagen was contacted and said there was not anything they could do. I read online that many with 2019 & 2020 Atlas & Atlas Cross sports are having the same issue. It should not take an accident to happen for Volkswagen to do something, Volkswagen needs to correct this issue ASAP.
Pulled out of driveway onto major road. Brake fluid alert showed up on dash. Brakes completely stopped working. Was able to roll the car to a stop. Called tow truck which delivered car to mechanic. Mechanic confirmed that there were no brakes and advised that the brake master cylinder leaked into the brake booster which caused the brake booster to be damaged. Mechanic needed to remove and replace the the brake master cylinder and the vacuum brake booster.
On Sep 25 2025 my wife parked car in parking lot to check phone messages. The car was in park. When she finished she placed the car in drive. It began to accelerated rapidly even after the brakes were applied and struck a tree. Her foot was not on the accelerator. The car then rolled over onto the driver side door. A police officer in a nearby building saw the crash and said the car was probably at 30mph when it hit the tree. He and two other officers got my wife out of the car. After the car was towed away we contacted VW customer care and asked that the car be examined. The said when the car was returned to drivable condition they would examine it. Hartford insurance totaled the car and said they were not responsible to examine the care and referred us back to VW. Again VW will not go the a salvage yard to examine the car. The car had intermittent electronic signal issues and a previous recall on doors needed to be redone because originally the wrong part was installed. I did experience a previous incident months before where I felt the car accelerated quicker than I expected from a stop with slight pressure on the pedal but it was only momentary.
Hood cable release snapped/broke during a routine oil change.
2020 Atlas Cross Sport- hood release cable snapped- known issue. Many complaints online. Needs a recall! Dangerous
The hood latch is broken. After searching the cause I have found that this is a common issue with 2020 VW ATLAS. There needs to be a recall.
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