2021 Volkswagen Atlas Wheel Bearing Recall (21V812)

Recall 21V812 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas in recall 21V812?

The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Atlas with recall 21V812?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Atlas shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the wheel bearing, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 21V812?

Recall 21V812 covers 30 vehicles: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas; 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport; 2021 Volkswagen Passat.

NHTSA lists 30 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Atlas wheel bearing recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.

When was recall 21V812 announced?

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported recall 21V812 to NHTSA on October 15, 2021. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as November 2, 2021.

This recall was filed 60 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 21V812?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V812 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 21V812000. 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 21V812?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V812000 applies to your Atlas.
2. Call a Volkswagen dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. 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.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the wheel bearing happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Atlas owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 656 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 14 of them about the suspension, wheels and tires.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 656 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
• 2021 Volkswagen Passat: 18 complaints in total, 0 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 21V812 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.

Owners often ask whether this wheel bearing recall means their Atlas qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

If a suspension or wheel problem on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas returns after the recall work, keep the repair orders. Repeat visits for the same defect are what California's lemon law looks at.

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.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

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.

Frequently asked questions about recall 21V812