VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS · model year

2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

246 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2022VOLKSWAGENATLAS carries 246 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2022 ATLAS is service brakes with 44 filings, followed by engine (39) and electrical system (37). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 7 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2022 ATLAS, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

246
Complaints
5
Crashes
5
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

246 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES44
ENGINE39
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM37
AIR BAGS26
UNKNOWN OR OTHER20
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING12
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM10
EXTERIOR LIGHTING7
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS6
STEERING6
SEATS5
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING4
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS4
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL4
POWER TRAIN3

Recalls (7)

22V65700031/08/2022

TRAILER HITCHES

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The trailer hitch bolts may have been insufficiently tightened.

22V15200028/03/2022

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 fro

22V80700026/10/2022

SUSPENSION:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Volkswagen Atlas FL and 2022-2023 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The driver-side rear trailing arm bolts may not have been tightened properly, allowing them to loosen and fall out.

22V51400020/07/2022

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause

24V46400020/06/2024

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.

22V24500013/04/2022

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.

22V75300007/10/2022

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.

Recent Complaints

20260219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my req

20260219EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my req

20260219VISIBILITY/WIPER

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my req

20260206ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My remote start no longer works since the VW update. Intermittent electrical issues with “check tail light” message. VW has changed the light and module and it’s still happening.

20260205UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Myself and several other VW owners do not have access to the app remote start/lock features. Apparently this has been a known issue for a few years, and car owners pay for this extra service, but the MYVW app does not work properly no matter what we try.

20260204AIR BAGS

Dangerous car cyput off in full engagement. Brakes grinding squealing an unfamiliar sounds. The engine has major rust in air intake valves the epc code shut car down in full engagement and you can not restart unless u put extra gas in. TE car was replaced with new seats new body new rugs an the color has been repainted. The screws in bolts are not lined up an junkyard parts under carriage of car. Unfortunately I didn't see all this when I fiancee it in May a machine showed me this an I bought a used lemon from Tampa Enterprise car sales in May 2025.645 a month in payment to ally banks. Car in shop more then on road anit has never ever been serviced as it was told to me as a pre certified car.they lied to me an restore almost everything in this car the dealership even questioned me about color coating comestic missing ve design on plated door. I need help

20260204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Dangerous car cyput off in full engagement. Brakes grinding squealing an unfamiliar sounds. The engine has major rust in air intake valves the epc code shut car down in full engagement and you can not restart unless u put extra gas in. TE car was replaced with new seats new body new rugs an the color has been repainted. The screws in bolts are not lined up an junkyard parts under carriage of car. Unfortunately I didn't see all this when I fiancee it in May a machine showed me this an I bought a used lemon from Tampa Enterprise car sales in May 2025.645 a month in payment to ally banks. Car in shop more then on road anit has never ever been serviced as it was told to me as a pre certified car.they lied to me an restore almost everything in this car the dealership even questioned me about color coating comestic missing ve design on plated door. I need help

20260204ENGINE

Dangerous car cyput off in full engagement. Brakes grinding squealing an unfamiliar sounds. The engine has major rust in air intake valves the epc code shut car down in full engagement and you can not restart unless u put extra gas in. TE car was replaced with new seats new body new rugs an the color has been repainted. The screws in bolts are not lined up an junkyard parts under carriage of car. Unfortunately I didn't see all this when I fiancee it in May a machine showed me this an I bought a used lemon from Tampa Enterprise car sales in May 2025.645 a month in payment to ally banks. Car in shop more then on road anit has never ever been serviced as it was told to me as a pre certified car.they lied to me an restore almost everything in this car the dealership even questioned me about color coating comestic missing ve design on plated door. I need help

20260131EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DRLs are simultaneously going out in my not quite 4 year old car. I’m currently at 90k miles. It is available for inspection upon request.. There were no warning lamps. This was discovered on inspection in January 2026. The VW dealership in Bakersfield, CA and the VW dealership in Oklahoma City, OK inspected and found the same issue.

20260130FireENGINE

Driving my car only a few minutes and it caught fire and blew up. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Son was barely able to get out before engine burst into flames.

20260130FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Driving my car only a few minutes and it caught fire and blew up. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Son was barely able to get out before engine burst into flames.

20260130FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

Driving my car only a few minutes and it caught fire and blew up. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Son was barely able to get out before engine burst into flames.

20260120VISIBILITY/WIPER

windshield cracks very easily with very minimal impact. There are countless threads and reports of this chassis having this problem and unfortunately VW put many sensors into the windshield causing the replacement to require calibration to use the some of the safety features. Second time this has happened.

20260102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while checking fluid levels in the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the coolant reservoir was low. The contact stated that there was no sign of a coolant leak, but coolant needed to be added to the reservoir weekly. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a coolant leak that was draining into a protective shield underneath the engine compartment. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20251231SEATS

The vehicle has middle row captains chairs. While slowing down for a stoplight, the captain chair behind the driver side lunged forward pinning my son’s head between his car seat and the back of my seat. Prior to the incident, there was no error indication (would pop up RED) telling me there was a bad latch when putting my son in his car seat. Is it available for inspection upon request? Yes, I still currently own the vehicle. My [XXX] old was not safe in his seat it flung forward he was stuck squished between two seats. I was unsafe as I was in a turn lane at a stoplight and got out of my vehicle to assist him. Thankfully, there were no cars behind me. The problem has not been resolved produced by me. But I am aware of other people this has happened to, my friend this happened (same make and model year as mine) and two random people on a group on Facebook. The vehicle was inspected by a dealership tech and after they sent pictures to VW they deemed it to not be returned to

20251218ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The infotainment system where the back up camera is held and all other safety features started re booting and eventually went black December 17th 2025. I brought into Volkswagen Riverhead NY dealer where they said there was an update that needed to be done and all was fixed. I am 1000 miles under warranty so all was covered. After driving about 20 minutes home the issue started happening again where the system was re booting and than eventually black. I called the dealer on the way home and they said oh yes its been a "known" issue on many makes of volkswagen since October 2025. They told me there was nothing they could do. I now called volkswagen customer care where they are stating they are un sure how to fix this. If you google you will see many complaints about this stemming back quite some time. I would like a resolution before my warranty runs out and I am than going to have to pay out of pocket.

20251217EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DLRs faulty and went out around 77k miles. I cannot burn lights in Daytime. Yes, has been confirmed by Leith VW of Raleigh There were no warning lights of the light going out.

20251216AIR BAGS

November 26th, I was leaving my home to go tPublix. Upon exiting the Eagle Creek community gate, I proceeded down Eagle Creek Sanctuary Boulevard to avoid hitting a cat, I ended scraped the side of my tires and rims on the side curb. Unexpectedly, while driving, the airbags deployed, even though I had not come into contact with the cat or any other object. The steering wheel airbag did not deploy only the airbags on the side a cop did show up because he was coming out of the eagler creek community and stopped to ask if I needed assistance I showed the office inside my vehicle he was shocked to see that my airbags deployed and the gentlemen that was Towing the vehicle was shocked as well the officer and the towing gentleman inform me I should contact Volkswagen. I contacted volkswagen customer service but I also wanted to report it to the NHTSA my concern is this should be investigated further.

20251216ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The infotainment system on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas SE failed completely at 58,435 miles. The screen goes blank/black and the system will not remain operational. The vehicle was inspected and diagnosed by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (AutoNation Volkswagen of Hilton Head, Repair Order #434220). The dealer confirmed failure of the 5F Information Electronics (Infotainment) Control Module and recommended full module replacement. Volkswagen Customer CARE acknowledged the diagnosis but denied goodwill assistance solely because the vehicle was approximately 8,000 miles beyond the warranty period. No misuse, modification, water intrusion, or customer-caused damage was alleged. This failure renders core vehicle functions inoperable and is consistent with widely reported failures of Volkswagen/Audi infotainment control modules (5F / MIB / MMI systems). This appears to be a premature failure of a non-wear electronic control module and may represent a broader defect pattern affecting m

20251212SERVICE BRAKES

Brake system-Unresolved repair and inadequate investigation.

Compare 2022VOLKSWAGENATLAS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS have?
The 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS has 246 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS?
The 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS?
Yes, the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is TRAILER HITCHES. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS?
The most-complained component for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS is SERVICE BRAKES with 44 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2022 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.