The Lemon Index2019 Volkswagen Atlas.
The 2019 Volkswagen Atlas is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 197 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 234, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about automatic emergency braking, it has 12 recalls, and it gets 19 to 22 mpg combined. The best Volkswagen Atlas year is 2020.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 482 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Volkswagen Atlas year. 2019 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 3K to 30K miles on the car (140 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 18K–57K miles
- brakes complaints mostly came at 1K–11K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 0K–15K miles
Recalls 12
- steering 2026
One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break.
- airbags 2023
The driver's side impact air bag may be missing a weld at the side air bag housing.
- airbags 2023
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.
Show all 12 recalls
- tires 2022
The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously.
- airbags 2022
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.
- equipment 2022
The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed.
- tires 2021
On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
- fuel system, gasoline 2019
The suction jet in the fuel tank may have been welded in the incorrect position allowing fuel to leak.
- lights 2019
The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed.
- airbags 2019
An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag may have been installed.
- suspension 2018
The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
- electrical 2018
The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Volkswagen told dealers about
Volkswagen sent dealers 716 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Customer states noise from heat shield, MIL-on P11AD/P11AE/P11AF, MIL-on P0456, Customer…
- Customer states MIL-on with P1429 and/or P0556 Customer states MIL-on with P0133 Customer…
- Customer states MIL-on with P1429 and/or P0556 Customer states MIL-on with P0133 Customer…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenInadvertent automatic emergency braking2024
- ClosedInadvertent automatic emergency braking2023–2024
- ClosedFuel injector leak2021–2022
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Atlas SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Volkswagen Atlas SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
My AES has been acting up. It has braked unnecessarily when nothing was in front of me worth braking for. I see this is an ongoing issue with VW Atlas. Mine is a 2019 (purchased used Nov 2021).
2019 Volkswagen Atlas owner · NHTSA complaint 11452502
More owner reports
Multiple times the suv will automatically break with the parking break. It has happened will trying to take off from a light. And while driving. City street
NHTSA complaint 11361207
The driver door wiring harness started lowering windows randomly..it was replaced 3/1/22 and now it is bringing up two info driver door contact switch and electronic parking brake..online it is saying this is a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint 11455650
Quick answers
Is the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 2.3× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 234; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Volkswagen Atlas year by this measure is 2020.
What are the most common 2019 Volkswagen Atlas problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are automatic emergency braking (26%), brakes (25%) and electrical (21%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas have?
12 safety recalls (latest: steering). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas get?
19 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2019 Volkswagen Atlas problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 3,000 and 30,000 miles. The middle report was at 10,500 miles, from 140 complaints.
Does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas have?
2.0L 4-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl.
What Volkswagen Atlas year is better than the 2019?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2020, 2022 and 2019.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works