2021 Volkswagen Atlas Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 13,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “parking brake” (24% of reports).
- 148electrical system complaints
- 13,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 21%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.
- Parking brake: mentioned in 36 of 148 complaints (24%)
- Start stop: mentioned in 16 of 148 complaints (11%)
- Windows roll: mentioned in 15 of 148 complaints (10%)
- Driver door switch: mentioned in 14 of 148 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 10 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 148 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Volkswagen Atlas electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Atlas | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2025 Atlas | 17 | 35% | 4,379 |
| 2024 Atlas | 44 | 25% | — |
| 2023 Atlas | 33 | 24% | 25,250 |
| 2022 Atlas | 44 | 24% | 31,390 |
| 2021 Atlas | 148 | 31% | 13,500 |
| 2020 Atlas | 11 | 41% | 66,525 |
| 2019 Atlas | 76 | 16% | 10,250 |
| 2018 Atlas | 111 | 24% | 18,738 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:wiring:relays/solenoids; electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Damaged relays may have been installed in the engine compartment fuse box, which could inadvertently activate the horn or engine starter.
Risk: A horn or starter that remains activated for an extended period of time can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and as necessary, replace the relays, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97FR.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Malfunctioning Component/System: The vehicle is experiencing two separate, severe safety malfunctions: Issue 1 (Engine Stalling): The engine completely shuts off while the vehicle is actively in "Drive." Issue 2 (Unintended Lockout): The vehicle automatically locks all doors with the keys inside…
Drivers side daytime running light failed under normal use.
The vehicleâs 5F infotainment control module intermittently/continually fails, causing loss of the center display and backup camera. The vehicle has been diagnosed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer as requiring replacement of the 5F module. The replacement module is currently back-ordered. This…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Volkswagen Atlass have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 148 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas (31% of the 478 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 2021 Volkswagen Atlas electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 13,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas?
The most frequent phrase is “parking brake”, in 36 of 148 complaints, followed by “start stop” (16).
Other 2021 Volkswagen Atlas problems
See all 2021 Volkswagen Atlas problems or electrical system problems across all Atlas years.