Over 143,000 Volkswagen Atlas SUVs recalled due to potential air bag issue
FILE - A 2020 Atlas Cross Sport on display. (Erik Voake/Getty Images for Volkswagen)
Volkswagen of America has issued a recall on select 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles due to "faulty occupant detection systems in the front passenger seat," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The recall affects 143,053 vehicles.
The passenger occupant detection system in the specified models may experience faulty wiring, according to Volkswagen, and could deactivate the front passenger air bag even when someone is sitting in the seat.
Essentially, in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy if it has been deactivated.
Any owners of the impacted models are urged to not let anyone sit in the front passenger seat until the vehicle has been fixed, the NHTSA said.
Volkswagen is currently developing a solution and will notify owners as soon as repairs are available. For more information, visit Volkswagen's recall website or contact your nearest Volkswagen dealer.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.