The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is associated with 461 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 16 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 78 reports (17% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 24 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 461 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 16 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (78 / 17%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 8 crash / 0 fire / 13 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 19–24 MPG (3 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Atlas | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 22 MPG | 26 MPG | 24 MPG | — | $2,550 / yr |
| Atlas | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 25 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / yr |
| Atlas 4motion | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 17 MPG | 23 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $3,250 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 15.9% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 13.600000000000001% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Volkswagen Atlas models.
View complete 2018 Volkswagen Atlas crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2018 Volkswagen Atlas problems & component breakdown (110 categories) →
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Defect Summary: Volkswagen 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."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2018 Volkswagen Atlas recalls & campaign history (16 campaigns) →