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.
About 3% of Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models in the U.S. are affected.
“Until the free recall repair is developed and completed, owners should not allow anyone to sit in the front passenger seat. Volkswagen is currently developing a remedy and will notify affected owners as soon as the repair is available,” the NHTSA said in a statement.
The German automaker said no injuries had been reported because of the issue, which was first discovered in August 2019.
Owners of affected SUVs will be notified by mail by the end of May. In the meantime, owners can call VW’s customer service number or check if their vehicle is affected online.
This is not the first time VW has recalled certain Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models. In March 2022, the company recalled more than 246,000 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada over a wiring issue causing vehicles to automatically brake suddenly and unexpectedly.
The company also recalled several types of sedans in 2019 and 2020 for risks of rolling away while parked and catching fire because of a fuel leak.
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