Volkswagen Warns Owners of Recalled SUVs: Don’t Sit in Passenger Seat
The front passenger airbags in certain Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles might not deploy in a crash
Volkswagen is recalling some 2018 through 2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport SUVs because of a problem with the front passenger airbag. A wiring fault means that the airbag might not deploy in a crash, which could increase the risk of injury to anyone sitting there. Over 143,000 vehicles are being recalled.
Volkswagen says that nobody should sit in the front passenger seat of these vehicles until dealerships perform a free fix, which isn’t yet available.
Learn what to do when there’s no fix for your car’s recall yet.
The Details
Vehicles Recalled
• 2018 to 2020 Volkswagen Atlas SUVs manufactured between Aug. 19, 2016, and Aug. 30, 2019
• 2021 Volkswagen Atlas SUVs manufactured on July 17, 2019
• 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross sport SUVs manufactured between Apr. 19, 2019, and July 24, 2019
The problem: a sensor in the front passenger seat that determines whether the airbag should deploy. In the recalled vehicles, a short circuit in that connection could incorrectly switch off the airbag even if someone is sitting in the front passenger seat.
The fix: Volkswagen does not yet have a fix available. The automaker will contact owners directly by mail once a fix is available.
How to contact the manufacturer: Owners may contact Volkswagen at 800-893-5298.
NHTSA campaign number: 23V215. Volkswagen’s own number for this recall is 69FB.
Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.
If you plug your car’s VIN into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.
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