2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 18about this part
- Share
- 11%of 165 total for the year
- Median mileage
- —not reported
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 18 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, 11% of the 165 complaints for this model year.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“At 76000 miles, the daytime running light on the passenger side went out. I took the vehicle into the dealership for repair and I was told that because there is an internal open circuit, the entire headlight assembly will need to be replaced. I was quoted $1600 for the part, not including labor. This is a safety issue due to one daytime running light being a distraction for other drivers as well as myself.”
NHTSA complaint #11738630, filed 2026-05“Daytime running lights are non replaceable and a hazard left unfixed. The dealer refuses to acknowledge this or do anything but charge me 1600 dollars to replace. We don't have that kind of money just sitting around these days and they refuse to do anything. DRLs are critical for visibility. We had an extended warranty and they replaced 1 side last year instead of both. Now that the warranty is up they are telling us we are out of luck with this hazard driving around the street.”
NHTSA complaint #11738490, filed 2026-05“While driving the vehicle it would randomly turn on the emergency brake, roll down the windows, and start flashing all of the lights. We were told it is a door wire harness issue. We have been waiting on the replacement part for 5 months now with no end in sight. The”
NHTSA complaint #11455989, filed 2022-03“The Passenger DRL strip light went out. My car has approximately 75,000 miles on it. I bought it used. No warranty for this. I understand this is a common issue with this model.”
NHTSA complaint #11762990, filed 2026-09“Hello, I am filing a complaint regarding a safety issue with my vehicle. The daytime running light has ceased functioning. It began dimming last week and is now completely out. The vehicle is available for inspection. Daytime running lights are essential for visibility during the day, contributing to overall safety and accident prevention. This problem appears to be common among VW Atlas owners after approximately 50,000 miles. The assembly has been examined, and since it cannot be disassembled, the issue is attributed to a faulty manufacturer component. …”
NHTSA complaint #11605386, filed 2024-07Related service bulletins
- 11032219Apr 2, 2026Condition is normal due to cold fresh air and humidity
- 11030845Mar 30, 2026Moisture Accumulation
- 11021373Jul 14, 2025What to do if customer mentions water droplet within tail lights.
- 11011375Nov 27, 2024moisture witin rear tail lamp assembly
- 11005830Jul 15, 2024Phyical condensation within Taillamp cluster is an optical phenomenon and does not affect the function of the taillights.
- 10230859Jan 5, 2023Headlight Variants and Identification, update to model year applicability.
Exterior lighting: other model years
Other parts of the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
54 complaintsAir bags
37 complaintsBrakes
36 complaintsEngine
33 complaintsForward collision avoidance
28 complaintsOther or unknown
25 complaintsFuel system
17 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaintsLane departure
4 complaintsSteering
4 complaintsSuspension
4 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology