Volkswagen recalls 220,000 Atlas SUVs over airbag issue

Volkswagen will be recalling more than 220,000 newer Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUV models for an issue with the side airbag deployment, the NHTSA disclosed on Friday.

The Atlas three-row SUV and its related five-seat Atlas Cross Sport has front side airbags that might deploy later than necessary in the event of a side crash.

VW believes the issue is caused by micromovements that can corrode the contacts in the door wiring harness on both the driver and passenger side.

A delayed airbag deployment could increase the risk of injury. The airbag warning light could illuminate in the instrument cluster if there is an error. Other symptoms of the faulty wiring could be less obvious: Volkswagen states the windows could inadvertantly roll down, the parking brake could be engaged at low speeds (under 2 mph), and a faulty door sensor warning could activate.

The recall covers the 2019-2023 Volkswagen Atlas and the 2020-2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Owners will be notified as early as May 10 of the safety issue, but VW doesn’t yet have a recall fix. Reimbursement will be provided to owners who have had it fixed. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or visit its recall site here.