Wrench.Pro

2020 Volkswagen Atlas: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle2020 / volkswagen / atlas
known issues4 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-02)
complaints27 on file (2021-04-06 → 2026-07-23)
recalls4
investigations2
fars4 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexedyes
licenseCC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

Door wiring harness causing parking brake engagementELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE, SERVICE BRAKES7 complaints2022-01 → 2024-12atlas-2020-door-harness-parking-brake
  • 11448453 In the beginning of Novemeber 2021 with 7680 miles an alarm stating Error: Driver door contact switch Fault: Electronic parking brake Attention: Engine is running. Error: Start Stop The check engine light/EPC lights were on
  • 11475422 We had issues in March 2022 (electronic parking brake engaging while car is moving and driver's window rolling down when attempting to roll it up) that led to the defective door wiring harness diagnosis that was the subject of the national recall
  • 11457473 Driver door harness malfunction causing many errors to display on dash. It also causes emergency brake to engage before coming to a complete stop basically slamming on the brake
Airbag warning light and occupant sensor faultsAIR BAGS8 complaints2021-04 → 2026-02atlas-2020-airbag-pods-sensor-faults
  • 11606157 I was driving today and an Airbag Error Message popped up with the Airbag Warning Lamp and will not turn off. I called the dealership I purchased it from and was told it is a faulty Airbag Sensor but my car is not part of the open recall Volkswagen has open
  • 11525353 Passenger side airbag displays Airbag warning, and passenger side seat heater stops working. Both use the same wiring harness. Seems to be the exact same fault as April 2023 recall for 2018-2021 Volkswagen Atlases but my VIN is not included
  • 11644988 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
Power steering rack failure and seizureSTEERING4 complaints2022-09 → 2025-02atlas-2020-steering-rack-failure
  • 11640877 The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn, and the hazard indicator warning light illuminated
  • 11504476 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
  • 11483831 Steering gear feeling loose & making noise going down the road. Steering wheel shake & vibration. No warning lights initially. Few hours later when steering vibration was at it worse, the front end collision warning light with cruise control light came on
Unexpected engine stall or auto start-stop failureENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4 complaints2023-10 → 2026-07atlas-2020-engine-stall-start-stop
  • 11752297 The car will shut down/stall while sitting at a red light. The START/Stop function is turned off, I turn it off while driving. So I am stalled at a red light and then have to place the car back into park and restart it
  • 11660065 Hello. I have a 2020 Vw Atlas V6 SE R-Line. The truck shots off when idleling, on speeds of 5 mph to 10 mph and even on the highway
  • 11549247 Since I purchased this vehicle for my wife, she has repeatedly called me in tears regarding the vehicle turning itself off in school parking lots, stop lights, stopping at stop signs, and in drive through lanes

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

countearliest_datelatest_datecrash_flaggedfire_flaggedtop_components
272021-04-062026-07-2300ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:11; AIR BAGS:8; FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE:7; UNKNOWN OR OTHER:5; STEERING:5

Recalls all years →

campaign_numberreport_received_datecomponentsummaryconsequenceremedy
22V08600016/02/2022EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSVolkswagen 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.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. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.
22V15200028/03/2022AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWVolkswagen 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 impact crash.A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
22V81500031/10/2022TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMSVolkswagen 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. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.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 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
23V21500029/03/2023AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERVolkswagen 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.A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.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. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.

Investigations all years →

action_numberstatussubjectcomponentsopenedclosedrecall_campaignsummary
PE21008closedFuel Injector LeakFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS2021-03-292022-10-03·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. Prior to opening the investigation, ODI also observed that warranty data for the fuel system from TREAD reporting was an outlier for the MY 2018 Atlas.The allegation involved fuel injectors leaking fuel near engine compartme
PE23017closedInadvertent Automatic Emergency BrakingFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING2023-09-282024-12-18·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 sudden vehicle deceleration. Volkswagen indicated that it is aware of a total of 292 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.Volkswagen

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_yearsoccupant_deathsmatch_typevpic_recovered
2010-20244legacy-code0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2020 Volkswagen Atlas vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2020/volkswagen/atlas
@misc{wrenchpro_2020_volkswagen_atlas_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2020 Volkswagen Atlas},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2020/volkswagen/atlas}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

hub · known-issues · methodology · license · research (interpretation)