2022 Volkswagen Atlas Exterior lighting Problems

Daytime running light went out and needs the whole assembly to be replaced which is $1400+ from the dealership. Vehicle is barley 4 years old

NHTSA ID

11749401

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

The Daylight Driving Lights have failed 2X. Very expensive fix. Seems to be a common problem.

NHTSA ID

11749159

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Hello, I have a 2022 VW Atlas with 54,250 miles. I noticed today when I started up by car that the DRL (daytime running lights) was dimmed to the point where I didn't even notice it on. This seems to be an issue with Volkswagen Atlas's years 2021-2023. It is currently out and anyone can come look at it at anytime. This seems to be a larger issue, many people complaining about this online and the cost to replace / fix the issue is over $1500 with parts and labor. The design makes it so the entire headlight needs to be replaced. Without daytime running lights, I feel like I am not seen as easily so I could be in an accident much easier. I brought the issue to the dealer and they said they see a lot of these failing between 40K - 60K miles. No warning, one day it was working the next it wasn't.

NHTSA ID

11746755

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

The Daytime Running Lights are integrated into the headlight assembly so when the ights fail they cannot be replaced by the car owner by replacing a bulb. They also fail at very low mileage. Mine have failed before 70k miles. To replace the DRL the entire housing must be replaced and this costs upwards of $2k per headlight or $4k for both. That is almost 10% of the purchase price of the car! For headlights that the owner should be able to buy and replace themselves for $60

NHTSA ID

11741478

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

The daytime running lights are know to fail within 30-50k miles and the only option is to replace the whole housing unit. This is an unreasonable expectation that customers are purchasing a vehicle at 40-60k and then having to set aside 2k for a headlight replacement.

NHTSA ID

11730536

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This is concerning for several reasons: 1.The vehicle is a 2022 model year and has been properly maintained with no accidents or external damage. 2.The DRL is an integrated LED component that should reasonably last the life of the vehicle. 3.The failure of a non-replaceable LED strip forces replacement of the entire headlight assembly, resulting in excessive and unreasonable repair costs. I contacted Volkswagen Group of America requesting goodwill assistance, as this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. Despite escalation and review with a supervisor, my request was denied. The only assistance offered was a 20% dealership discount, which does not adequately address the issue. I believe this situation reflects: •A potential design defect (non-serviceable LED component) •Unreasonable repair costs due to lack of modular repair options •Failure of a component that should not fail under normal conditions in such a short time frame Desired Resolution: I am requesting that Volkswagen provide goodwill assistance to cover a significant portion (preferably full coverage) of the headlight assembly replacement. Additionally, I encourage Volkswagen to review this design approach, as it places an unfair financial burden on customers for failures of non-serviceable components. I am seeking a fair and reasonable resolution consistent with customer satisfaction and product reliability expectations.

NHTSA ID

11719144

Incident

Feb 19, 2026

DRLs are simultaneously going out in my not quite 4 year old car. I’m currently at 90k miles. It is available for inspection upon request.. There were no warning lamps. This was discovered on inspection in January 2026. The VW dealership in Bakersfield, CA and the VW dealership in Oklahoma City, OK inspected and found the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11714639

Incident

Jan 2, 2026

DLRs faulty and went out around 77k miles. I cannot burn lights in Daytime. Yes, has been confirmed by Leith VW of Raleigh There were no warning lights of the light going out.

NHTSA ID

11705572

Incident

Dec 17, 2025

While under warranty the passenger side headlamp unit was replaced. This was about one year ago- now the drive side has gone out on a car that is less than 3 years old. The dealership quoted me $1792.33 for this repair. There is no reason why these should be going out when they are LED. I am part of a facebook group for ATLAS owners and this a known issue. I see the daylight running light on multiple ATLAS vehicles daily when I am driving around town. This should be a recall.

NHTSA ID

11690754

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Daytime running lights are both inoperable. This is a known issue with these vehicles. Both went out at the same time and are $2000 to replace. It’s a robbery.

NHTSA ID

11687061

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

UNKNOWN - bought vehicle last year. The right passenger headlight LED strip went out which ended up costing $1600. The drivers side headlight LED strip just went out, which is going to cost me another $1600. Looking online, it looks like many other VW Atlas owners are experiencing the same issues, all within 20-60k miles of having their vehicles. There needs to be a safety recall for these headlights. To have to pay $1600 to get this fixed is absolutely ridiculous. The only way to fix the LED strips is to replace the entire headlight which is why they're charging so much money to do so.

NHTSA ID

11669927

Incident

Jun 27, 2025

Steering gear failed twice i have the first one make my car shake so bad and second it makes horrible noise every time i moved the steering wheel . Both front head light led failed for the day running light. Car has misfiring problems with spark plugs and injectors making driving unpredictable and engine start shaking out of nowhere and epc (electronic power control )light comes on

NHTSA ID

11648509

Incident

Jun 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the daytime running lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the lights were not operating as designed. The contact was informed that the front driver’s side headlight unit needed to be replaced. The headlight unit was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the dealer to pay for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification on NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The failure mileage was 56,000. VIN too confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11622524

Incident

Oct 21, 2024

Mileage

56,000 mi