The updated 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are facing a recall right off the bat. According to a recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,018 examples of the crossover in the U.S. and Canada are being impacted by a potential engine problem. Apparently, a possible connecting rod bearing failure could happen and could catastrophically destroy the engine. That is, in a word, bad.
According to NHTSA, contaminants in the bearing production process could increase wear on the bearing over time and result in premature failure. If the problem is ignored, it could lead to catastrophic engine damage. You may be able to tell there’s something wrong because the issue causes “excessive engine noise” and an engine warning light. If you ignore those two things, then your engine may take a shit. In theory, it could even start a fire because of a loss of engine oil. Also bad.
The recall notice says that if you happen to own one of the impacted 2024 Atlases, you’ve got to take your brand-new crossover back to a Volkswagen dealer for inspection. After that, a technician will decide if your car needs a brand-new engine. That shouldn’t be too much of a pain in the ass at all. I don’t even know why you’re upset about this.
Anyway, the recall only affects the 2024 model-year Atlas twins that were built before May 12, 2023, so if you’re car was built after that, you’re in the clear. You can check out if your Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport is impacted by this recall on the NHTSA’s website. If you’d rather play the waiting game, VW plans to send out notices to customers in September of this year.