Volkswagen issued a recall Tuesday of over 143,000 Atlas SUVs due to an issue with their front passenger airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warned the owners not to let anyone occupy the front passenger seat until the issue is fixed. The faulty wiring in the weight sensor deactivates the airbag even though someone is in the seat, thus increasing the risk of serious injury in a crash. Affecting about 3% of the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models in the U.S., it is no surprise that VW has initiated a voluntary recall of the vehicles.

At VW, there are no reported injuries due to the issue, although they are still in the process of developing a repair to solve the issue and will notify affected owners once the remedy is ready. Meanwhile, owners are urged to contact VW’s customer service line or check the status of their vehicle online. It is not the first time that the company has had to recall Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models, as they also recalled 246,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada over a wiring issue earlier in March 2022, and several types of sedans in 2019 and 2020 for risks of rolling away while parked and catching fire due to a fuel leak.

The company behind the recall, Volkswagen, is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers with over 70 years in production, creating a variety of vehicles from SUVs, sedans and sports cars. Known worldwide for their iconic design and maximum comfort, Volkswagen has committed to their cars’ safety and provide solutions for any recalls initiated for the vehicles.

Matthias Müller is the CEO of Volkswagen, leading the company since 2015. Known for his expertise in engineering, Müller worked his way up the ranks of the organization over a span of 40 years. In his current role, he is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the company, as well as developing strategies to expand and succeed in the competitive industry.