Volkswagen issued a recall Tuesday of more than 143,000 Atlas SUVs because of faulty passenger-side front airbags and warned owners not to let anyone ride shotgun until the issue is fixed.
The recall affects 143,053 model year 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles that may have faulty wiring in a weight sensor that causes the front passenger air bag to deactivate even when someone is in the seat.
The passenger occupant detection system issue in the seven-seat SUV could prevent the airbag from deploying, leading to increased risk of serious injury in the event of a crash, according to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
