Volkswagen recalls over 143,000 Atlas SUVs because passenger airbags may fail during crash
Volkswagen is recalling select models of its SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because of a wiring defect that could prevent front passenger airbags from deploying during a crash.
The German automaker plans to recall Atlas SUVs manufactured between 2017 and 2020, as well as 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, due to faulty occupant detection systems, according to a recall notice posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The flaw could deactivate the front-seat passenger airbag even when someone is in the passenger seat, increasing the risk of serious injury in an accident, the company said.
The recall covers 143,053 vehicles, or 3% of all Atlas and Atlas Cross Sports on the road today, according to the notice. Volkswagen is working on a fix to the system, it told NHTSA officials this week, and will notify consumers when a remedy is available. Until then, the company advises owners of recalled models not to let anyone sit in the vehicle's front passenger seat.
The detection sensor, which Volkswagen calls Body Sense, is inside the bottom cushion of the passenger seat and is connected by a wire to the heated-seat system. When someone sits down in the seat, Body Sense is supposed to activate a sensor that makes the airbag ready for deployment in a crash situation. If the sensor isn't connected, the driver will see an airbag warning light on the dashboard and an error message reading "Passenger Airbag OFF."
Volkswagen has not reported any injuries or deaths as a result of the faulty front passenger seat wiring.
Other recent recalls
The Atlas recall comes one year after Volkswagen recalled more than 246,000 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because faulty wiring made the vehicles brake unexpectedly and sometimes while in traffic. Nearly 50 people complained to safety regulators about the problem last year with some reporting nearly being rear-ended by other vehicles.
Volkswagen also recalled nearly 225,000 vehicles last year because the tire pressure monitoring systems didn't detect air losses in all four tires at the same time.
Anyone with questions about the recall can contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298 and reference recall number 69FB. Customers can also contact NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.