2018 Volkswagen Atlas Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 45,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags contacted” (18% of reports).
- 100air bags complaints
- 45,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 9%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags contacted: mentioned in 18 of 100 complaints (18%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 15 of 100 complaints (15%)
- Airbag error: mentioned in 6 of 100 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 17 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 100 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Volkswagen Atlas air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Atlas | 8 | 5% | 15,327 |
| 2023 Atlas | 22 | 16% | 20,000 |
| 2022 Atlas | 30 | 16% | 48,000 |
| 2021 Atlas | 66 | 14% | 19,500 |
| 2020 Atlas | 8 | 30% | 90,000 |
| 2019 Atlas | 141 | 29% | 30,250 |
| 2018 Atlas | 100 | 21% | 45,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
Problem: 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.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Air bags
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrectly manufactured air bag sensor, which can delay or disable air bag deployment when necessary.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating frontal air bag deployment, a delayed or disabled airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag crash sensor, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AL.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. During production, the air conditioning system drain tube may have been twisted, causing water to drain into the air bag control module.
Risk: The wet air bag control module may result in an unintentional deployment of the air bags, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain tube, and if it is twisted, the drain tube and air bag control module will be replaced, free of charge. Some of the affected vehicles have had their drain tube previously replaced but did not receive a new air bag control module; the airbag control module will be replaced in these vehicles. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87F9.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan vehicles. In the event of a crash, the passenger frontal air bag may tear or not properly unfold during deployment.
Risk: If the air bag were to tear or unfold incorrectly during deployment, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69W8, and 69W9.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The passenger airbag âoffâ light remains on even when a passenger is sitting in the passenger front seat. This remains on even after Iâve taken it in for a different component for the airbag that was recalled.
I am reporting a failure by Volkswagen Group of America to provide a safe and timely remedy for Safety Recall 23V-215. Per the manufacturer's notice, the front passenger seat is unsafe for use until repaired. I physically surrendered my vehicle to Merced VW on Dec 29, 2025, due to this grounding…
Waiting at a stoplight for light to turn green. Driverâs side door airbag deployed for no reason and the car shut down completely. Except for my hazard lights and a blinking message that read âerror driver door contact switchâ. Had to have it tow and the tow truck driver couldnât even put…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Volkswagen Atlass have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 100 owner complaints about air bags for the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas (21% of the 466 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas air bags?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 45,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags contacted”, in 18 of 100 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (15).
Other 2018 Volkswagen Atlas problems
- Electrical System problems (111)
- Engine problems (100)
- Service Brakes problems (74)
See all 2018 Volkswagen Atlas problems or air bags problems across all Atlas years.