2021 Volkswagen Atlas Tire Sidewall Recall (20V702)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 760 vehicles · Reported November 13, 2020
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling 760 2021 Volkswagen Atlas; 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The tires may have been over cured. Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 20V702 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 20V702000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 44Q5 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | November 13, 2020 |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2021 Volkswagen Atlas; 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport |
| Units affected | 760 |
| Component | Tires > Sidewall |
| Safety risk | Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas in recall 20V702?
The tires may have been over cured.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Atlas with recall 20V702?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the sidewall.
Which vehicles are included in recall 20V702?
Recall 20V702 covers 760 vehicles: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas; 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.
NHTSA lists 760 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Volkswagen | Atlas |
| 2021 | Volkswagen | Atlas Cross Sport |
What is the fix for the Atlas tire sidewall recall?
Yes. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.
When was recall 20V702 announced?
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported recall 20V702 to NHTSA on November 13, 2020.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| November 13, 2020 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 20V702000. |
This recall was filed 71 months ago. If your Atlas was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Atlas is part of recall 20V702?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 20V702 is open on your Atlas, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 20V702000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Atlas owners do about recall 20V702?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 20V702000 applies to your Atlas.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Volkswagen dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Write down when symptoms involving the sidewall happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Atlas owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 638 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 14 of them about the suspension, wheels and tires.
Since recall 20V702 was reported on November 13, 2020, owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the suspension, wheels and tires on these vehicles. 1 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the suspension, wheels and tires and were received on or after November 13, 2020, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related suspension, wheels and tires issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 638 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 14 of them involve the suspension, wheels and tires. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Volkswagen Atlas: 473 complaints in total, 9 about the suspension, wheels and tires
- 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: 165 complaints in total, 5 about the suspension, wheels and tires
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
My vehicuel vibrate at low speed or hight speed, speed does not descrimita, the steering wheel vibrate in a very strange way, when the car hit a bump, at any speed, it vibrate like a motor, for a short period of time, and them it goes back to normal, until agiang I hit a bump…
2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owner, NJ, NHTSA complaint 11694382, filed October 19, 2025
Brakes are extremely loud and not as good as they should be for such a behemoth of an suv. Leads to a lot of uncertainty especially in wet weather. Any attempt to rectify this issue at the dealer leads to me being without a vehicle for HOURA for them to simply state no issue produced.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11500627, filed January 7, 2023
Rattling or metal grinding sound coming from the right rear tire/wheel. I’ve had it checked out by two different dealerships and neither of them found a problem. The metal rattling noise occurs mostly while I’m doing in town driving (30-40 mph) but recently started doing it on the freeway as well.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11648415, filed March 14, 2025
Can recall 20V702 make my Atlas a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Suspension, wheel and tire defects can affect handling and control. Clunks, pulling and vibration that return after a repair point to a defect that has not been fixed.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Atlas went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Atlas been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Volkswagen Atlas recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 20V702
Did the recall 20V702 fix work?
Since recall 20V702 was reported on November 13, 2020, owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the suspension, wheels and tires on these vehicles. 1 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 20V702000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Atlas is part of recall 20V702000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 20V702000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Volkswagen. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.