Volkswagen is recalling more than 143,000 sport utility vehicles because faulty wiring could prevent the front passenger airbag from deploying in a crash.
The carmaker is urging people not to let anyone ride in that seat until the issue has been repaired.
The vehicles being recalled include all model year 2018 through 2021 Atlas and model year 2020 Atlas Cross Sport SUVs.
According to documents VW filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem is sporadic.
Most passenger vehicles with airbags have weight sensors in the front seat to determine whether a passenger is large enough for an airbag to inflate safely because airbags can injure small children. If the sensors detect a small person in the seat, the system switches the airbag off.
In the recalled vehicles, the sensors are faulty and could deactivate the airbag even if an adult is sitting in the seat.
VW is still determining a fix for the issue. Vehicle owners will be notified by mail of the recall and will receive a second mail notification when a repair is available.
The repair will be performed free of charge.
Owners may contact Volkswagen’s customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or NHTSA’s auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 69FB.