2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas Brake Recall (25V434)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · 546 vehicles · Reported June 30, 2025
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling 546 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas; 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport; 2023-2024 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles. 4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process. A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V434 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V434000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 42HX |
| Date reported to NHTSA | June 30, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas; 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport; 2023-2024 Volkswagen ID.4 |
| Units affected | 546 |
| Build dates | June 16, 2023 to October 30, 2024 |
| Component | Service Brakes |
| Safety risk | A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas in recall 25V434?
4 vehicles.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.
Is it safe to drive a 2023-2025 Atlas with recall 25V434?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A loss of vehicle control increases 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 service brakes, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V434?
Recall 25V434 covers 546 vehicles: 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas; 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport; 2023-2024 Volkswagen ID.4.
NHTSA lists 546 vehicles in this campaign, built June 16, 2023 to October 30, 2024. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2025 | Volkswagen | Atlas |
| 2023-2025 | Volkswagen | Atlas Cross Sport |
| 2023-2024 | Volkswagen | ID.4 |
What is the fix for the Atlas brake recall?
Yes. Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.
When was recall 25V434 announced?
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported recall 25V434 to NHTSA on June 30, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as July 25, 2025.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 16, 2023 | First affected vehicle built (per Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.'s filing). |
| October 30, 2024 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| June 30, 2025 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V434000. |
| July 25, 2025 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 15 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 502 days. 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 25V434?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V434 is open on your Atlas, it will be listed there.
Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 25V434000 is open on your Atlas, it will be listed there, along with Volkswagen recall number 42HX. You can also ask any Volkswagen dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.
What should Atlas owners do about recall 25V434?
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 25V434000 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 service brakes 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 997 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 115 of them about the brakes.
Since recall 25V434 was reported on June 30, 2025, owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the brakes on these vehicles. 8 of them (17%) 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 brakes and were received on or after June 30, 2025, 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 brakes issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 997 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 115 of them involve the brakes. 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.
- 2023 Volkswagen ID.4: 459 complaints in total, 39 about the brakes
- 2024 Volkswagen Atlas: 170 complaints in total, 36 about the brakes
- 2023 Volkswagen Atlas: 133 complaints in total, 15 about the brakes
- 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: 97 complaints in total, 9 about the brakes
- 2025 Volkswagen Atlas: 49 complaints in total, 5 about the brakes
- 2024 Volkswagen ID.4: 48 complaints in total, 7 about the brakes
- 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: 23 complaints in total, 1 about the brakes
- 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: 18 complaints in total, 3 about the brakes
Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):
1. Brake system grinding noise – every time the brakes are applied the front brakes makes a terrible grinding noise, I notice that the vehicle does not break properly. This problem clears can cause a dangerous situation to my family or others.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owner, PR, NHTSA complaint 11657205, filed April 28, 2025
The brakes are loud, grinding, and sounds like water sloshing around. Upon research, VW knows this issues since their 22 model and has yet to address it but rather keeps using bad material brakes. The braking results in shaking when breaking especially in the colder months.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11707163, filed December 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brakes made abnormally loud squeaking and grinding sounds. The failure persisted, and the vehicle hesitated while responding with the brake pedal depressed while driving, causing the braking distance to be extended.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport owner, NV, NHTSA complaint 11746157, filed June 24, 2026
Can recall 25V434 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.
Recall 25V434000 does not automatically make your Atlas a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
If the 2023-2025 Volkswagen Atlas brakes have needed more than one trip to the dealer, keep every repair order. Brake defects are treated as serious safety problems under California law.
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 25V434
Did the recall 25V434 fix work?
Since recall 25V434 was reported on June 30, 2025, owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the brakes on these vehicles. 8 of them (17%) 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.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed July 25, 2025.
Is the 25V434000 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 25V434000?
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.
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 25V434000 (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.