— Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport door wiring harness problems caused a 2022 recall, but seven days after the recall a class action lawsuit was filed about the harness failures.
Then another VW Atlas class action lawsuit was filed a week after the first lawsuit.
Those class action lawsuits (Sherrod v. Volkswagen and McMahon v. Volkswagen) were consolidated into one lawsuit which includes 2019-2023 Volkswagen Atlas and 2019-2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vehicles involved in recall 97GF.
The VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport front door wiring harness class action lawsuit settlement has now been granted final approval by the judge.
VW Atlas Door Wiring Harness Recall 97GF (March 2022)
According to Volkswagen Atlas recall 97GF, problems with the front door wiring harnesses could cause airbag failures and other issues. Volkswagen said the problems were caused by "excessive micromovement, leading to fretting corrosion of the door wiring harness terminal contacts."
Volkswagen dealers were told to check both front doors to determine if any diagnostic trouble codes specific to the affected wiring harnesses were present. The affected wiring harness would be replaced in that door if a fault code was detected.
Dealers also modified the door wiring harnesses with zip ties to secure the wiring, and a stabilizing compound was applied to the terminal ends of the front door wiring harness connectors.
However, the existing door wiring harness was modified with a zip tie to secure it and a stabilizing compound was applied to the terminal ends of the wiring harness connectors if no trouble codes were found.
VW Atlas Class Action Lawsuit Settlement
Volkswagen Atlas Door Harness Warranty Extension
Because the Atlas class action lawsuit wasn't filed until after Volkswagen had already recalled the vehicles to repair or replace the front door wiring harnesses, the extended warranty applies to the repaired or replaced harnesses.
The VW Atlas door wiring harness extended warranty went into effect October 10, 2024, to cover the cost of repair or replacement of a failed door wiring harness that was modified or installed during recall 97GF.
The warranty is for a period of up to five years or 60,000 miles from the date the VW Atlas recall repair was performed.
However, excluded from the Atlas door wiring harness warranty extension is "any failure of the Part resulting from damage, abuse, alteration, modification, collision or crash, vandalism, and/or other impact or outside sources."
Volkswagen Atlas Door Harness Reimbursement
The Atlas front door wiring harness settlement provides customers with reimbursements for "unreimbursed" out-of-pocket expenses. However, Volkswagen had already offered reimbursements through the door wiring harness recall before the first class action lawsuit was even filed.
The attorneys representing the plaintiffs will receive $1,950,000, and the following customers who filed the class action lawsuit will receive $2,500 each:
Dana Potvin, Lisa Bultman, Michael McKarry, David Wabakken, Mohammed Hassan, Christina Merrill, Eric Levine, Patrick Donahue, Debbi Brown, Carol Radice, Terrence Berry, Amanda Green, David Wildhagen, Katy Doyle Tashia Clendaniel, Hogan Popkess, Kory Wheeler, Harry O’Boyle, Joe Ramagli, Eric Kovalik, Charles Hillier, Labranda Shelton, Adam Moore, Tina Grove, Keech Arnsten, Scott Carter, Mike Sherrod, Christi Johnson, Mary Koelzer, and Mark Stevens.
The VW Atlas door wiring harness class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: Mike Sherrod, et al., v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Carella Byrne Cecchi Brody Agnello, P.C., Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Goldenberg Schneider, LPA, The Law Offices of Sean K Collins, and Lemberg Law.
