Volkswagen's Fix for 177,000 Fire-Prone Cars Is Ridiculously Simple

The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport have been recalled for problematic—and unnecessary—engine covers.

By: Christopher Smith

Mar 7, 2025 at 11:00am ET

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Volkswagen has recalled 177,493 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs, all from the 2024 and 2025 model years. There's a problem with the plastic engine cover that could possibly cause it to contact hot areas on the engine. This can lead to melting in certain locations and, in some cases, start a fire.

Recall documents at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describe engine covers possibly shifting position after service work has been performed. Details on how or why the plastic covers move aren't provided. Apparently, it's related to how the covers are reinstalled. Per the recall:

If the engine cover is not installed properly after vehicle service, the engine cover may come loose and come into contact with extremely hot surfaces in the engine compartment.

An improperly installed engine cover may come into contact with hot surfaces in the engine compartment. This may lead to melting of the cover material. Melted material that may come in contact with extremely hot surfaces (such as the exhaust turbo charger) could lead to a fire in the engine compartment. If this occurs, owners may notice a burning smell coming from the engine compartment or when opening the hood, or they may recognize that the engine cover has been moved out of its proper position.

There have been some fires reported because of this problem. VW states the first "potentially relevant" fire occurred in October 2023, but the actual cause couldn't be determined. Over the following 13 months, three engine fires were confirmed to have resulted from improperly installed engine covers. An investigation determined that, based on numerous factors, additional covers coming loose could not be ruled out, hence the recall.

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Here's the plot twist. For now, VW's fix is to simply remove the cover. That could be a permanent solution if Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport owners so choose; a VW spokesperson told Motor1 that at some point in the future, a service bulletin will "invite the customers back in to install a new underhood engine cover."

VW makes no mention of accidents or injuries related to this problem. Dealer notification of the recall has already started; specific owner notification will begin no later than April 18. It's worth noting that VW implemented a new engine cover for Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport production as of December 4, 2024. The recall applies to 2024 and 2025 models built before that date.