2021 Volkswagen Atlas Exterior lighting Problems

Passenger side headlight failed prematurely resulting in only one of the headlights functioning

NHTSA ID

11755380

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

Upon visual inspection of the car. Noticed driver’s side headlight outter light not working with no warning indicator. Have been pulled over since issue was first discovered by police. I believe it’s called daytime driving light part of the headlight.

NHTSA ID

11753203

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

Passenger side Daytime Running Light went out. The vehicle had under 60k miles. Seems like a common problem. For now will not replace because of high price tag and not necessary for safety inspection. The problem is that negates the safety feature on the car.

NHTSA ID

11752529

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

DRLs went out after the vehicle being on lly a few years old.

NHTSA ID

11750992

Incident

Jul 21, 2024

Both set of running lights on my Atlas have burned out and were replaced since purchased of car in 2021 and again both left and right running lights are no longer working. The first time the car was under warranty. The cost to fix the LED running lights are 1500.00 + per light! This is clearly a defect on VW‘s design and should be fixed and fall under a recall.

NHTSA ID

11747355

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

passenger side day time running light went out right at 60,000. called dealer not covered under warranty on a 21 atlas even though i purchased a 4 year 80,000 mile warranty.. the extended warranty started the day i bought the car.

NHTSA ID

11746013

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

Daytime running lights have failed on both headlight assemblies. Both failed at just outside the warranty period. High and low beams work fine and the repair is $2000 for a headlight which is outrageous.

NHTSA ID

11745383

Incident

Feb 2, 2022

The right driver side daylight light is out, the SOS response system warning light is on, tire pressure loss detected light is but tires are fine and no loss in pressure, cruise control doesn’t always work and deactivates.

NHTSA ID

11740726

Incident

Mar 6, 2026

Front passenger-side daytime running light went out. Cannot be replaced individually. Must replace entire front lighting assembly at significant cost.

NHTSA ID

11740364

Incident

May 27, 2026

The DRLs went out at the same time. It's still not working so it's available for inspection. DRLs are obviously safety-relevant. No warning, no messages. Checking fault codes shows "module overheating".

NHTSA ID

11739993

Incident

May 22, 2026

Passenger side daytime running light has burned out. Driver side daytime running light is starting to burn out as well. Starting to read that this is a problem for this year make and model of vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11739873

Incident

Apr 2, 2026

Driver's side daytime running lights have gone out already after fairly low mileage. Have since discovered this is a very common issue for this model and requires entire headlight assembly replacement, which is over $1,000. This prohibitive cost lessens the likelihood of replacement for many drivers and since it is not legally required it negates the added safety value of these lights.

NHTSA ID

11739342

Incident

May 21, 2026

The daylight running lights failed at the same time. This a closed system so VW wants 1000 per headlight unit.

NHTSA ID

11738502

Incident

May 9, 2026

THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION FOR THIS ISSUE WHICH IS THE DRL'S/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FOR THE VW 2021 (2021-2023 ACTUALLY) GIVE OUT/FAIL, AND THEY CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT REPLACING THE $1200 ENTIRE HEADLIGHT PART. CRAZY FOR A LIGHT THAT NEW TO GIVE OUT FOR SO MANY. I REFUSE TO PAY FOR THESE IT IS OBVIOUYSLY A DESIGN FLAW ON THEIR END. IN OUR CASE, BOTH DRL'S GAVE OUT. REGULAR NIGHT LIGHTS WORK BUT THOSE DO NOT WORK DAY OR NIGHT AS THEY SHOULD

NHTSA ID

11737256

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

Both LED headlight running day lights went out together.

NHTSA ID

11736671

Incident

May 3, 2026

One of the headlights failed at 80,000 miles (the other headlight was replaced due to car accident years ago). Volkswagen Atlas models are consistently experiencing a failure of LED headlights prematurely when they should last 10-15 years. There is a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen to force them to recall and correct the issue as they have known and failed to correct this critical safety issue. It is unsafe to have these vehicles on the road with faulty headlights, for both the drivers and occupants as well as the other vehicles on the road with them. This particular vehicle has been inspected by a certified mechanic. The dealership would not return my calls in a timely manner and the vehicle needed to be inspected and fixed as quickly as possible as this is a safety issue. There have been no warning lights or messages from the vehicle or my VW app to notify me of this issue prior to failure or after.

NHTSA ID

11736044

Incident

May 1, 2026

This vehicle is equipped with LED Daytime Running Lights. These are designed to be long-life, however, as has been noted multiple times in this forum, half of the passenger-side DRL on my vehicle has stopped functioning. The repair cost for this item is in excess of $2,000 as the front bumper needs to be removed and the entire headlight assembly replaced. Most drivers will choose to defer replacement, thereby negating the safety value that the DRLs are intended to provide.

NHTSA ID

11735726

Incident

May 2, 2026

LED passenger daytime light malfunctioned, and now LED driver's headlight has stopped working. Cost to replace each headlight was quoted by 3 dealerships at $3,000 EACH. Cannot afford to fix this major safety issue. LED lights should not be going out! It should not cost $3,000 to replace headlights! I will need to drive without lights!!

NHTSA ID

11735007

Incident

Apr 29, 2026

The integrated LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) strip within the passenger-side headlight assembly failed prematurely at 79,136 miles and remains available for inspection on the vehicle. This failure directly compromises road safety by reducing the vehicle's visibility to oncoming traffic during dawn, dusk, and inclement weather, increasing the risk of a head-on or intersection collision. While I have not yet obtained a formal dealership estimate, this is a known non-serviceable component that typically requires a full headlight assembly replacement costing upwards of $1,500 to $2,000. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms like flickering occurred prior to the total failure. As this is a factory-installed safety component designed to last the life of the vehicle, its sudden failure suggests a widespread manufacturing defect in the LED circuitry. Out daughter used the car to go eat with a friend at a restaurant and noticed the light out when she unlocked the car.

NHTSA ID

11730606

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

Daytime running light on passenger side has failed. Repair is complex and estimated at a minimum of $1200 for a part that should last for the lifetime of the car. Numerous other reports of this issue for 2021 VW Atlas model year.

NHTSA ID

11718437

Incident

Jan 12, 2026

LED Headlight and DRL burned out and bulbs cannot be replaced, the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced costing upwards of $1500. Commonly known problem with VW Atlas, occurring right after the car falls out of manufacturer warranty. Dealership refuse to replace at their expense.

NHTSA ID

11713898

Incident

Jan 24, 2026

Passenger daytime running lights stop working. Vehicle has low mileage but beyond warranty due to years owned.

NHTSA ID

11710633

Incident

Jan 13, 2026

The headlight on my vehicle failed, and when I took it to the dealer, I was told this is a known and ongoing issue that they deal with constantly. Despite being aware of this widespread failure, Volkswagen continues to install the same defective headlight assemblies. These are not simple bulb replacements—the entire headlight assembly must be replaced at a cost of approximately $1,900 per side, not including labor. This cost is completely unreasonable for most vehicle owners. As a result, many people will be forced to drive with non-functioning headlights because they simply cannot afford such an expensive repair. This creates a serious and unnecessary safety risk for drivers, passengers, and everyone else on the road. Volkswagen is fully aware that these headlights fail prematurely and repeatedly, yet no corrective action has been taken to redesign the component, reduce the cost, or issue a recall. Continuing to sell vehicles with a known defective and safety-critical component is unacceptable. Headlights are not a luxury feature—they are a basic safety requirement. There needs to be an immediate recall or manufacturer-covered repair for these headlights. Owners should not be financially punished for a defect that Volkswagen already knows exists, especially when the failure directly compromises vehicle safety. The current situation puts the public at risk and demands prompt action.

NHTSA ID

11710182

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

The cars Headlight DRL burnt out and no way to replace them or turn of warning off without paying dealership $2K to replace whole light housing. See Reddit Post: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11701460

Incident

Nov 25, 2025

My daylight running headlights are out, went out before 40k miles. They said they would have to replace the whole assembly for over 1000 each. I have read many people’s complaints with the same issue. How can a car company not provide safe headlights that last more than 40k miles. I cannot afford to fix it and with all these atlas on the road with people in the same financial situation it is dangerous. They should have to replace these assemblies through recall before someone gets killed.

NHTSA ID

11699356

Incident

Jul 31, 2025