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2023 Volkswagen Atlas problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 5safety recalls
- 140owner complaints
- 4crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 6injuries reported
140 complaints, against an average of 234 for the other 8 Volkswagen Atlas model years.
Every Volkswagen Atlas model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
The components named most often in the 140 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2023 Volkswagen Atlas owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 140 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas stall, lose power or shut off while driving?32 owners · 22.9%
- Why do the headlights or taillights fail on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?12 owners · 8.6%
- Why does the auto start-stop system act up on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?8 owners · 5.7%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?7 owners · 5%
- Why does my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas idle rough, misfire or hesitate?7 owners · 5%
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?6 owners · 4.3% · Recall 24V464000
- Why does the infotainment screen freeze, reboot or go black in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?5 owners · 3.6%
Has the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas been recalled?
5 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Service Brakes Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.
Risk: A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.
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.
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 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.
Risk: A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine failure causes an oil leak, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 13i4 (VW) and 13i5 (Audi).
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 model year Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Certain brake lines may leak at the threaded connections.
Risk: A brake fluid leak may increase the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 23, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T2.
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.
Risk: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
Is the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSARemove engine compartment cover
Risk: On affected vehicles engine compartment covers were fitted that if incorrectly installed can come loose from their attachments. An unsecured engine compartment cover could touch the hot area of the turbocharger and result in smouldering damage or even a fire.
Fix: The engine compartment cover must be removed. Check for security prior to journey if loose remove if possible if not contact dealer immediately for rectification.
EU Safety GateAn incorrectly assembled design engine cover can become detached and come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust turbocharger,…An incorrectly assembled design engine cover can become detached and come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust turbocharger, increasing the risk of the vehicle catching fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2023 Volkswagen Atlas owners report?
12 of the 140 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
I own a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas, purchased new in March 2023. The vehicle has experienced two incidents of sudden loss of propulsion. The first incident occurred around June 2026 while stopped near a roundabout entrance. The vehicle became inoperable and required multiple restart attempts over approximately 4–5 minutes before normal operation resumed. I do not recall whether any unusual noise occurred during this first incident. The second incident occurred on [XXX], at approximately [XXX], while driving at approximately 20–35 mph and entering an intersection in Madison, Alabama. The vehicle…
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the center entertainment panel blacked out, and the rearview camera display remained active while shifted into drive. The check engine, caution, and SOS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an engine misfire, and ignition coils were replaced. The battery was tested, and no failure was found. The contact stated that the failure progressed; the vehicle lost motive power, the power window rolled up when the down button was pressed, and roadside…
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas due to the complete failure of the infotainment/electronic display system, including loss of the rearview backup camera. The system initially malfunctioned intermittently over several months before failing completely. The screen is now entirely black and nonfunctional. Most concerning, the rearview camera no longer displays an image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. This creates a significant safety concern, particularly when backing up near children, pedestrians, or other vehicles. The loss of the camera is not simply…
No warning lights or under car oil leakage noted (due to "belly pan" under engine/oil pan). NY inspection [XXX] with private mechanic oil noted on belly pan ("diaper"); referred to dealer for oil change and inspection of seals leaking front crankcase. [XXX] dealer changed oil and initially stated no seal replacement needed in spite of "seepage" until informed of private mechanic's concern then dealer recommended warranty replacement (parts ordered) of front crankcase seal; work completed April 10 2024@5400 miles. Oil change [XXX] mechanic again noted oil about crankcase seal; taken to dealer…
On 8/7/26 after idling while waiting in line for a car wash, while in Drive I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle does not move forward as expected, then the vehicle prompts me to restart the engine while roll backwards at the same time. The exact cause of the malfunction has not been confirmed to me. The vehicle is currently in the dealership's possession and should be available for inspection through the dealership. The malfunction creates a safety risk because the vehicle can become unable to move when I am attempting to drive forward or reverse. If this occurs while entering traffic…
2023 VW Atlas Cross Sport SEL AWD, about 57,500 miles. Available for inspection. Oct 3, 2026: infotainment screen would not turn on. A soft reboot, a multi-hour shutdown with the car locked did not fix it. The unit is stuck in a reboot loop ("Starting navigation" then fails, repeating). By about the third restart, the blower fan stopped completely: no heat, no AC, no windshield defrost or defog, no ventilation. Rearview camera, radio, and navigation are inoperative. Cruise control, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assistance do not work. Warning lamps came on when the climate system…
I noticed today that my daytime running light strip is out on my driver side headlight I notice it’s a common issue on this year model Atlas. I know the daytime running lot helps people see you when your going down the road.
Vehicle has issues with sputtering and stalling out when at idle and while reversing after warming up. The first time that the vehicle actually stalled while reversing, it had to be put into park and restarted. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the in tank fuel pump. When I got the car back it was still acting a little strange but I thought it was just the computer relearning process. Shortly afterward (approx 100-150 miles later) it started struggling at idle again. Yesterday the vehicle again died while reversing, which required being placed into park and restarting. The idle was…
On July 7, I was driving the vehicle with my son in the car when the EPC warning light suddenly came on. The vehicle immediately went into limp mode and subsequently shut down. I was able to maneuver the vehicle off the main roadway and onto the grass; however, this left my son and me in an unsafe situation on the side of the road. After allowing the vehicle to sit for several minutes, I was able to restart it and drive it a short distance to a nearby parking lot. I then arranged for the vehicle to be towed to Mike Savoie Volkswagen for diagnosis and repair. The repairs were completed, and the…
Lost complete control of both the brake and the throttle while attempting to pull into a parking spot at low speed. Car started to roll backwards down a hill and I was unable to stop it. Had to cycle the car off and back on to fix it. Took it to a VW dealership service department and they reported no fault codes so there was nothing they could do. No check engine light or fault codes.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,843.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the recall repair was not performed. The contact stated the vehicle was at the dealer for five days. The contact stated that the dealer had not provided a receipt for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact was informed that the recall repair was not performed. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
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2023 Volkswagen Atlas: questions owners ask
Is the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas; the most common categories were engine (37, 26.4%), electrical system (36, 25.7%), air bags (22, 15.7%). There are 5 safety recalls. 4 complaints mention a crash, 6 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
Across 140 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (26.4% of complaints), electrical system (25.7% of complaints), air bags (15.7% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (12.9% of complaints), exterior lighting (10.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas; the most recent (campaign 25V434000, 2025-06-30) concerns Service Brakes. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
32 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (22.9%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Auto has stalled 3 or more times without warning lights since purchasing 2 months ago Very unsafe for me and others stalling in traffic" (NHTSA complaint 11765114, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why do the headlights or taillights fail on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
12 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (8.6%) describe headlights, taillights or brake lights failing or condensation in the lamps. One owner wrote: "I noticed today that my daytime running light strip is out on my driver side headlight I notice it’s a common issue on this year model Atlas. I know the daytime running lot helps people see you when your going down the road." (NHTSA complaint 11766748, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does the auto start-stop system act up on my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
8 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (5.7%) describe problems with the automatic start-stop system. One owner wrote: "This vehicle has the auto stop start feature. The engine has shut off 3 times while driving and had to be restarted with the ignition since purchasing this vehicle. Twice at a red light and once while braking in a parking lot." (NHTSA complaint 11744100, June 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
7 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Lost complete control of both the brake and the throttle while attempting to pull into a parking spot at low speed. Car started to roll backwards down a hill and I was unable to stop it. Had to cycle the car off and back on to fix it." (NHTSA complaint 11754756, August 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
7 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (5%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Vehicle has issues with sputtering and stalling out when at idle and while reversing after warming up. The first time that the vehicle actually stalled while reversing, it had to be put into park and restarted." (NHTSA complaint 11760372, August 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
6 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (4.3%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 24V464000 (air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger). The fix: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. One owner wrote: "I have attempted to have a recall repaired on the defected PODS sensor and everytime I have tried the dealership says that the part is on back order. I have had the airbag light come on multiple times with no remedy for the issue." (NHTSA complaint 11649042, March 2025). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does the infotainment screen freeze, reboot or go black in my 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
5 of the 140 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas (3.6%) describe the infotainment or touch screen freezing, rebooting or going black. One owner wrote: "Infotainment center is freezing. Just purchased the car 2 weeks ago. Have read NUMEROUS complaints on this issue. VW needs to get a fix/recall. This can potentially be a danger!!! Advice is to report to NHTSA!!!" (NHTSA complaint 11635499, January 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Atlas
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2023 only.