Volkswagen Atlas Settlement Resolves Lawsuit Over Alleged Seat Latch Defect in 2018-2024 Vehicle Models

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Volkswagen Group of America has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged a defect in the second-row seat latching mechanism in certain Atlas vehicle models prevents the seats from latching properly to their base, posing serious safety risks.

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The court-approved website for the Volkswagen Atlas class action settlement can be found at AtlasSeatLatchSettlement.com.

The deal covers all current or former United States owners or lessees of a model year 2018-2024 Volkswagen Atlas that was imported and distributed by Volkswagen in the U.S. or Puerto Rico.

The Volkswagen Atlas settlement covers models with specific vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Class members can look up whether their vehicle is covered by the deal by entering their VIN on this page.

According to the official Volkswagen Atlas class action settlement website, eligible class members who submit a timely, valid claim form may receive full reimbursement of the past paid and unreimbursed parts and labor cost of one repair or replacement of a failed or malfunctioned second-row seat latching mechanism in a qualifying vehicle that was performed and paid for prior to May 21, 2025 and within 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurred first, of the car’s in-service date.

Per the settlement website, if the past repair or replacement was not performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer, the reimbursement amount is capped at $645 for repair or replacement of a seat latch and/or seat latch cover, or $1,700 for repair or replacement of a second-row seat and/or seat frame.

Alongside a Volkswagen Atlas settlement claim form, consumers are also required to submit proof of repair expense documentation, including proof of payment for the repair and a repair invoice or record listing the class member’s name, the name and address of the dealer service center that performed the repair, the date of repair, the covered vehicle’s mileage at the time of repair, a description of the work performed, the amount charged for the repair, and the car’s make, model and VIN.

Consumers may also need to provide proof that they are a class member and that their vehicle is covered by the deal, the website says.

According to the site, reimbursements to eligible claimants will be reduced by the amount of any “payment, concession, goodwill accommodation, or discount(s)” already received from Volkswagen, an authorized dealer, insurer, service contract provider, extended warranty provider or any other source for all or part of the qualifying repair cost.

The reimbursement benefit does not cover repair or replacement work performed at an independent service center and any repairs linked to misuse, accident, lack of maintenance or damage caused by an external source, among other things, the website adds.

To be eligible for reimbursement of past out-of-pocket VW Atlas repair expenses, class members must submit a claim form and supporting documentation online or by mail by August 4, 2025.

Consumers can file a VW Atlas claim form online on this page. Alternatively, class members can download a PDF claim form or complete and mail in the paper copy enclosed in the settlement notice they received.

To submit a claim form online, consumers will need their unique ID and PIN, which can be found in their personalized settlement notice. If needed, class members can enter their VIN in lieu of this information.

In addition, as of May 21, 2025, the automaker has extended the New Vehicle Limited Warranty for qualifying vehicles to cover the cost of repair or replacement of a failed or dysfunctional second-row seat latching mechanism, diagnosed and performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer, within 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, of the car’s in-service date, the settlement agreement shares.

Per the agreement, the warranty extension is subject to the same terms and conditions as the original warranty and will not cover any second-row seat latching failures or malfunctions resulting from abuse, alteration, modification, collision or crash, vandalism or damage from outside sources.

Furthermore, the website states that Volkswagen has included in the class action settlement notice an owner’s manual insert containing instructions and warnings regarding second-row seat latching for owners or lessees of certain model year 2021-2023 vehicles with production dates between October 5, 2020 and February 18, 2022.

Per the site, the automaker has also provided an instructional video on VW.com that demonstrates how to properly latch the second-row seat and confirm it has been done correctly.

The Volkswagen Atlas class action settlement received preliminary approval from the court on February 10, 2025. Next, the court will decide whether to grant final approval to the terms of the deal at a hearing on August 27, 2025.

According to the settlement agreement, should the deal be ultimately approved, Volkswagen Atlas settlement checks will be issued to eligible class members within 150 days of the date their claim form and proof were received or the date the settlement goes into effect, whichever is later.

The Volkswagen Atlas class action lawsuit claimed that as a result of the alleged design defect, the second-row seats can lurch forward and slam into the back of the front seats during deceleration or in the event of a collision.

The class action suit alleged that Volkswagen intentionally concealed the apparent defect in the vehicles despite knowing that an improperly latched second-row seat could result in serious injury or death.

Did you know that some class action settlements require no proof to submit a claim? Check out the latest open class action settlements.