Most common 2022 Volkswagen Atlas problems
Share of the 184 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 →
2022 Volkswagen Atlas recalls (7)
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2024.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver side rear trailing arm bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 25, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 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.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the trailer hitch bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Show 1 more recall
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2022 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…
What 2022 Volkswagen Atlas owners say
Engine & cooling all 51 →
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.
I have owned this vehicle for not even a year and bought it as a family car. It only has 24k miles. I have had consistent problems with it since the purchase. The vehicle has shut off SIX times while I've been driving. The first time I was stopped at a stop light when my car shut off. I took it in for service and VW said they couldn't "replicate the issue" so they wouldn't do anything. It has shut off five more times since then. A few of the incidents I wasn't even stopped at a stoplight but was breaking to slow down and the car shut off. My airbag warning also pops on and off all the time. It dings constantly. I took it in for service and they told me the item was being recalled and there is no fix. I now cannot have passengers in my family vehicle. I have now learned that the car has oil leaking onto the engine. …
Brakes all 50 →
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while at a stoplight with vehicles in the front and rear, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, lunged forward, and crashed into a Chevrolet pickup truck. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were reported injuries, a police report, airbag deployment, or a fire. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to service the vehicle due to parts. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. Then towed back to the same local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis and repair were completed. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer reported that the vehicle was not the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the emergency brake engaged without warning. All the warning lights were illuminated. The windows went up and down without application. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V152000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Volkswagen South Towne Service and Parts Department: 11000 Frontage Rd, South Jordan, UT 84095, where it was diagnosed that the driver door module had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who informed there was no warranty coverage and no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
Electrical system all 44 →
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The contact stated that while in the process of veering to the side of the road, the vehicle restarted independently. The contact continued driving; however, the Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Braking assist, Driving Assist, ESC system, TPMS warning lights, and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the ACC mode exceeded the set speed while driving. The contact stated that she deactivated the ACC mode; however, while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle abruptly decelerated to 20 MPH upon releasing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that the infotainment screen previously failed to operate as intended, and the dealer performed a software update; however, the failure persisted. The dealer repaired the driver's and passenger's side air bags because the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the infotainment screen went blank and was inoperable. The failure caused the rear-view camera to not display an image while reversing. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who determined that the infotainment screen and the module needed to be replaced, but the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 31,390.
2022 Volkswagen Atlas engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 25 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 24 / 22 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas a good car?
Based on 184 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2022 Atlas rates average: 30% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Atlas at the same age. 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 2022 Volkswagen Atlas?
The engine & cooling — 51 complaints, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (50) and electrical system (44).
How many recalls does the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, the most recent from June 20, 2024 (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 2022 Volkswagen Atlas problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 57% 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.