Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 222,892 vehicles with defects that cause delayed deployment of the front side airbag, increasing the risk of injury in crashes.
NHTSA said last Friday, March 11, that the affected vehicles are certain 2019-20 Atlas, 2020-23 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021-23 Atlas full-length models, which feature same design as the Atlas Cross Sport but with a third row.
The defect is caused by excessive micromovement of the wire harness in the car door, resulting in damage to the wire terminal surface, NHTSA documents show. The electrical connection in the front door component can become compromised and cause a delayed airbag deployment during side-impact crashes.
Volkswagen is unaware of any injuries or fatalities caused by the defect, company spokesperson Jerohn Anderson said.
The glitch can also cause windows to inadvertently roll down and parking-brake engagement at low speeds, NHTSA said.
Owners of potential affected vehicles will receive a letter in May informing them of the defect, although a remedy is still under development.