Most common 2020 Volkswagen Atlas problems
Share of the 27 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Atlas complaints by model year
Best Atlas years: 2020, 2025, 2023. Years to avoid: 2024, 2021. Compare all years →
2020 Volkswagen Atlas recalls (4)
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.
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.
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.
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 Audi's customer service at…
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…
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.
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas:
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
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…
Fuel Injector Leak
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.
What 2020 Volkswagen Atlas owners say
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH on local streets, the accelerator pedal was slightly released however, the vehicle immediately stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the destination safely. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed and was informed that an unstated wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 17,049.
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and Electronic Power Control (EPC) warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
Air bags
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and Electronic Power Control (EPC) warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag sensor warning light illuminated and the seat warming function failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring in the seat was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Driver assistance
We've had our Atlas since 5/2020. Since then, we've had multiple issues similar to what I have seen reported on VW's upcoming recall. I am not sure how VW intends to identify which VIN's are an issue, but ours should probably be included. Here's a list of issues... 1) Emergency braking goes off when backing up, even though there is no risk. 2) Emergency braking goes off at the end of a decline when the road is transitioning from angled to flat. Since you're pointed down, it thinks the upcoming road is another vehicle. 3) Using the remote start feature results in both the radio and cruise control not working. 4) Window buttons on driver's side sometimes don't respond or act erratically (ex: pressing up and the window goes down) 5) GPS is inaccurate. We actually had a part replaced in 2020 that fixed the problem, but we've noticed over the past few months it has started to get lost again. …
We own a 2020 VW Atlas SE W/Technology. This vehicle has grossly failed to meet reliability expectations. Of most concern is the repeated failure of the vehicle's electric power steering rack. This component has been replaced 3 times on my vehicle. Each failure has been accompanied by a creak in the front suspension and a clunk in the steering movement. I have asked VW of America to extend the warranty on my vehicle as this failure and it's the history of failures lead me to believe I will encounter this issue again very soon. VWOA has denied my request so far stating that my warranty had already expired. I reminded them that they had already extended my warranty for a separate mechanical issue that I experienced with both this vehicle and my previous vehicle, a 2018 VW Atlas involving the cylinder head. …
2020 Volkswagen Atlas engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 24 / 22 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas a good car?
Based on 27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Atlas rates better than average: 93% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Atlas at the same age. It is one of the best Atlas years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas?
The electrical system — 11 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (8) and driver assistance (8).
How many recalls does the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas, the most recent from March 29, 2023 (front passenger). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Atlas?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2025 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024 and 2021. See the full Volkswagen Atlas years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Volkswagen Atlas problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.