NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Car has been in and out of various VW dealers since purchase at the end of August 2023. Car was purchased new. Immediately began receiving emergency “stop driving vehicle” messages on driver display. VW on call service advised if the car drives, I can operate it and no further action is necessary. Various Electical errors including charge 12V battery, infotainment screen going black or resetting while driving, no display while in reverse, car losing power on highway, car alarm going off while driving, if hazard lights are used, they do not shut off unless the car is off and driver is out of the car for at least ten minutes, interior lights flash on and off (this is a safety issue as is if incredibly difficult to see while driving at night, car has been in shop three times for this, no repairs, the car battery drains incredibly quickly; usually get about 2kWh in town driving, charging errors; charger not recognized, or car displays it is charging, but when complete, it didn’t charge, windows don’t respond to the controls, door handles don’t always work to open the doors; often have to access the car from passenger side (these have been replaced and still don’t work), emergency braking system doesn’t function, car ghost breaks (no objects ahead, clean sensors, driving and brakes slam on), multiple leaks in vehicle including headlights, rear driver tail light, and the light on top of the back hatch, car loses connection to emergency system, infotainment screen doesn’t respond to finger touches and must be reset, to initiate OTA updates, fuse needs to be pulled. I barely drive the car, and it’s my only vehicle. It’s not safe (lighting issues ongoing, alarms, safety features don’t work, can’t get into the car) and not reliable for travel as charging is hit or miss (at commercial charging stations and home charging station), and the battery life is extremely short, even in perfect conditions using cruise control in eco mode, the car only travels about 130 miles.
I was charging at Electrify America charging station for approximately 20 minutes when suddenly I felt the ID.4 shaking and then seconds later I was surrounded by smoke coming from outside and beneath the ID.4. The ID.4 was not turned on and was completely stationary. I unplugged the vehicle. During this time I made a best effort to not inhale but it happened so quickly that it was unavoidable. The smoke smelled really toxic and tasted like chemicals. I felt nauseous and woozy afterwards. I called 911 to report the smoke coming out of my ID.4. Call was made at 6pm, seconds after the smoke started pouring out. The vehicle was releasing extreme amounts of cloudy thick white smoke and it completely engulfed the ID.4 itself. There was also an orange/pink-like liquid pouring out of the left side of the vehicle from the bottom. The fire department came and from what they told me, they cut a "cut loop" to prevent the battery from continuing to get more power. They told me the cells in the battery were continuing to release energy and heat to the point that it was melting the carpets in the ID.4's floor. They hosed it down for over 2 hours until the battery was cooled off enough and safe to be towed to a safe area. There had been no warning leading to this. The car did not alarm of any issues.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that while charging the vehicle at a charging station, the charging port started smoking. Upon removing the charger, the contact became aware of a loose pin and melted plastic. The vehicle was driven to a dealer, but the dealer declined to service the vehicle without providing a reason for declining to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.
Request for Investigation: Volkswagen is intentionally ignoring a widespread GPS/SOS module failure and leaving thousands of battery fire hazards on the road, while its dealers exploit safety service visits to extort customers. I urge the NHTSA to launch a formal investigation into VW’s failure to recall the defective GPS modules and their systemic practice of offering cash settlements to suppress safety defect reporting. Thank you for your attention to this urgent public safety matter. I stand ready to provide all supporting documentation, including the dealer’s fraudulent invoice and VW’s settlement communications, upon your request. I respectfully urge the NHTSA to act swiftly and decisively to prevent another corporate cover-up like Dieselgate, and before these unaddressed safety defects result in a fatal tragedy—as we recently saw with Hyundai's delayed recall following a child's death.
The vehicle lurched forward as I was parking and hit a parked vehicle in front of me; it accelerated forward even though my foot wasn't on the accelerator. I have contacted VW and was told to take the vehicle to a VW dealer to be inspected; that is happening next week. I did not notice any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the accident. I had just installed the VW recommended software update 2 days prior.
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro S, VIN [XXX] , which is subject to Manufacturer Recall No. 93EA / NHTSA Recall No. 26V030, issued on January 21, 2026. According to the recall, in rare circumstances, the high-voltage battery modules may experience thermal propagation, possibly resulting in a vehicle fire. The recall further states that customers may experience loss of range and/or performance if the recall condition exists in the vehicle. The stated safety risk is that the vehicle may catch fire due to battery-related thermal propagation. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for diagnosis and warranty/recall repair after learning of the recall. However, nearly two months after the recall was issued, the remedy is still not available. As a result, I remain in possession of and am expected to continue using a vehicle that is subject to a serious fire-related safety recall, without any available repair to correct the defect. This creates an ongoing safety concern. I do not feel safe continuing to drive or park the vehicle because of the possibility of a battery fire. My concern is heightened as warmer weather approaches, because heat may increase battery-related fire risks. Even if the event is described as rare, a fire risk involving a high-voltage battery is serious and presents an unacceptable safety concern for me as the driver and for others around the vehicle. The manufacturer has acknowledged the defect through the recall, but has not made a timely remedy available. I am asking NHTSA to note that consumers are being left without a repair for a serious recalled safety defect for an extended period of time. Vehicle information: •Year/Make/Model: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro S •VIN: [XXX] •Purchase/Lease Type: Leased •Delivery Date: December 7, 2023 •Recall Number: Volkswagen 93EA / NHTSA 26V030 I presented the vehicle to for repair, but no remedy is available INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Claim submitted to VW Customer Care on March 8, 2026. Current problems cited include: Doors malfunctioning; vehicle difficult to start and power off; steering and braking warnings; complete loss of power steering; compromised performance in significant lag between accelerator depression and vehicle response; electrical malfunction alerts (17); numerous dashboard warnings; distressing repetitive whining sound (not mechanical); persistent underperformance regarding vehicle range. On March 10, vehicle was towed to commence inspection at Bay Ridge Volkswagen Service & Parts – [XXX] . Further evidence of vehicle issues provided as accompaniment to VW Customer Care Claim via: [XXX] This current March 2026 concern follows on multiple service visits and loss of vehicle usage during April–August 2025 claims process. During this time, Brooklyn Volkswagen Service (now permanently closed) conducted an evaluation of the car, including documented video evidence of issues with the car – even beyond those which were the original cause for my concerns (e.g. they cited degradation of cables and wiring within the car’s hood due to their being made of edible soy wrappings). Link provided: [XXX] . Vehicle was ultimately released back to me with unresolved repairs (citing backorder of parts amongst other concerns that VW would not consent to resolving related to compromised bumper electronics) and interim repair offered to resolve compromise to vehicle airbag systems. The primary use of this vehicle is in transportation of my children. It is patently unsafe to drive. Given that the vehicle is subject to a federal safety recall without an available remedy I have requested a prompt determination of the vehicle repurchase / lease buy‑back and compensation for loss of use and incurred costs to support alternative transportation requirements until resolution under this claim. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The instrument panel in my car went completely dark, leaving me without any knowledge of my speed. This is a massive safety risk. I am taking it to the dealership tomorrow, but there are no issues that came up when this failed, it just failed to boot correctly, and nothing I could do would bring it back.
1. The car accelerates erratically when it is charged to 90 to 100%. This just plain dangerous. 2. The battery is charging to 100% when it set to charge to 80%. I learned that there is a recall for this vehicle due to the battery overheating and possibly catching on fire. However as of yesterday, there are neither diagnostics available to show whether the recall actually applies to my car, nor is their a repair available. Given the nature of the recall, this puts me in the untenable situation of not trusting my car battery - to not overheat and to not catch fire. I brought the car into VW Glenwood Springs and asked them to diagnose the problems. VW Glenwood neither charged the car to 100% nor did they drive it other than around the block. Therefore they did not experience the problem - and of course could not give me any answers. They said that car is safe to drive! I can attest that this car is not safe to drive.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V344000 (Back Prevention, Equipment, Electrical System); and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was performed; however, the vehicle failed to start and became inoperable after the repair. The dealer determined that the emergency call module needed to be replaced but at the vehicle owner’s expense. The contact declined to pay for the repair and contacted the manufacturer, who referred the contact to another dealer for a second opinion. The vehicle remained with the first dealer because the vehicle was undrivable, and because the second dealer was 2 hours away. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer offered no help in covering the cost of the repair. The contact stated that the recall repair had failed to prevent the failure and caused the vehicle to become inoperable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Abnormal inside tire wear leading to blow outs and flats. TSB 42M6 available for alignment, adjustment bolts and camber adjustments but it was not sent to my car and I've had to replace 2 sets of rear tires due to uneven wear. Mileage currently is at 35k. Dealer states no issues with suspension or alignment but can't explain the uneven wear. First time was in October 2024 and then this time February 2026. Car was newly driven January 2023. Dealer is asking me to pay each time for new tires. Money or tire sales for them over my safety and the safety of others on the freeway shouldn't be the priority. I could've been in an accident or a rollover twice now. Fixing the actual issue is being neglected. The TSB should include my vehicle and should be a safety recall.
I am advised by VW to not charge this vehicle using the L3 super chargers along with not to charge it "inside" a garage. However, there is no way to charge the vehicle then without spending thousands to have an electrician move the plug outside. So I am forced to have this vehicle not usable and VW offers zero fix. I have written them a formal demand letter over 3 weeks ago requesting a fix or buy back and they ignore it. They have sold a vehicle which is clearly unsafe, however offer no fix
Car is inoperable. The display states a number of issues: Display states that: 1. "Error: Drive System. Please service vehicle." 2. "Unable to Start. Please Remove the Charging Cable": Vehicle is unable to start due to the fact that the charger cable is still attached. The vehicle is not plugged in, and cannot be moved because of this. 3.Display states that "Range Cannot Be Calculated" 4."Electrical System Not Working Correctly! Safely Stop The Vehicle." This car has many issues, but these are new and are keeping the vehicle from being able to be operated
VW has informed me that my 2023 ID4 has a faulty battery that is at risk of catching fire. The VW corporate representative told me not to charge at fast charging stations and to keep it clear from my property because of the risk of it catching fire. VW has not issued the recall yet as they dont have a solution, but warned me about the dangers. They said they don't expect to issue the recall until mid march. I also talked to a VW dealer and they said when the recall comes out that the wait time to fix will be significant. In the meantime, I feel very unsafe driving , charging, parking this car.
This vehicle is a total safety hazard due to two distinct failures: 1. Unresolved Door Defect (14+ Months): For over 14 months, the vehicle has suffered from 'Self-Opening Door Handles.' Despite 4 repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to fix this, posing a risk of doors opening while driving. 2. Fire Risk & Use Restriction (Current Recall 26V-028): Currently, the vehicle is under a 'High-Voltage Battery Fire Risk' recall. The manufacturer has no remedy available and advises to 'Park Outside' and 'Away from Structures,' while also advising against fast charging. Conclusion: I am stuck with a car that has doors that open on their own and a battery that might catch fire. The manufacturer refuses to repurchase this unsafe vehicle. I request an immediate investigation.
The high-voltage battery in my two leased Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles are subject to NHTSA recall 26V030 (VW campaign 93EA, Jan 2026) for potential overheating and fire risk due to missing Self-Discharge Detection (SDD) software updates. This can cause thermal propagation even when parked. No failure or fire has happened in my vehicles yet; the battery remains available for inspection. However we do have warning lights, messages, range loss, and other electrical symptoms that have appeared before the recall notice. The defect creates a serious safety risk for my family. Both vehicles normally charge indoors in the garage directly under my toddler's bedroom. A fire during charging could endanger my young child and home. Recall guidance requires parking outdoors, no indoor/overnight charging, 80% max charge, and no Level 3 (DC fast) chargers until fixed (remedy starts ~March 2026). These restrictions make safe, practical use impossible: outdoor charging in Philly winter is impractical and risky (damage/theft), and no fast charging limits daily family mobility severely. The issue hasn't been reproduced or inspected by a dealer in my case—it's precautionary based on other vehicles' incidents. No manufacturer, police, or insurance inspection has occurred for my cars. VW denied buyback or relief, saying it's covered under warranty. Combined with prior recalls (door handles, software glitches needing repeated visits), this substantially impairs safe use. The fire risk forces unsustainable charging changes with young kids at home.
Date/Time of Incident: 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM Location: Small school parking lot Vehicle: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 On 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM, I was pulling out of a parking space at low speed in a small school parking lot in my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. As I began to move, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, the steering would not turn left, and the car did not respond to braking, moving at an abnormal rate of speed over a very short distance. Prior to this, there had been no warning messages or alerts, except a routine notification to service the car in 1,000 miles. The collision involved three vehicles: my VW, the main car I hit, and a rental car. My car spun and veered sideways, the parked SUV on the right was pushed sideways, forming a rough “H” pattern, and the rental car went up onto a rail ramp where children walk. My grandson observed the car’s tires spinning at impact, and he hit the seat behind me. Without the parked cars, the vehicle would have continued directly toward the school building, creating a very serious risk of fatal injuries to parents, staff, and children. Injuries: Myself — pain and emotional trauma; grandson — soft cast on foot/leg, crutches, pain; his mother — pain. The vehicle is awaiting Volkswagen guidance for inspection. Likely involved systems include Speed Control, Fuel/Propulsion System, and Electrical, but the exact cause is UNKNOWN. The incident has been reported to State Farm (claim #0596B819B), Volkswagen (Case #07294060), and police.
The driver of my vehicle stated that my car suddenly lurched forward striking a cross passing vehicle. He did not accelerate and the emergency brake system failed to engage in advance of an obvious and avoidable crash.
After spending the past 3 hours with VW's customer care department I have a serious problem with their decision to close my case until VW determines a recall action plan even though... VW has instructed me not to park in my garage or charge overnight due to fire risk VW has no parts and no timeline Vehicle range is materially reduced from stated 290 miles to 160 in winter / 225 in summer VW refuses lease relief and refuses long term loaner car VW closed the case while the recall remains open
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a failure related to the high-voltage battery, which prevented the vehicle from charging properly. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V836000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
My 2023 VW ID.4 AWD Pro S is subject to Recall 93EA (NHTSA 26V030) for battery fire risk. I must: park outside only (no garage), avoid all DC fast charging, and limit charge to 80%. These restrictions substantially impair use: Cannot park in my garage due to fire risk. Cannot travel beyond ~100 miles (no DC fast charging for longer trips). Reduced range from 80% charge limit. On 1/29/26, I contacted VW Customer CARE requesting repair timeline and accommodations since my lease ends 5/26/26. VW responded: "No fixed timeline for parts availability or repair" "No special lease-end accommodations" "Not processing buybacks at this time" I am paying $750.77/month for a vehicle I cannot fully use, with no repair timeline. My confidence in timely repair is further diminished because this vehicle also has an unfulfilled door handle recall (VW 57J9 / NHTSA 24V651, dated 9/4/24)—over 16 months without resolution. If VW cannot source door handles in 16 months, battery modules will not be available before my lease ends. Filing to document: Substantial impairment from recall restrictions. VW's inability to provide repair timeline. VW's refusal to accommodate affected customers. Pattern of unfulfilled recalls (door handle 16+ months). Request NHTSA monitor VW's recall remedy timeline and ensure affected owners receive timely repairs or appropriate alternatives.
door-handle safety recall had previously been completed on this vehicle. While driving at normal city speed, the front passenger door opened unexpectedly while a passenger was seated inside, creating a serious safety risk. The passenger was restrained by a seat belt, preventing ejection. The vehicle was taken to a Volkswagen dealership, which inspected the vehicle and documented that multiple door latch bolts were missing and another bolt was loose following a Volkswagen-authorized door-handle repair. The dealership stated the condition was related to prior repair workmanship. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. Due to safety concerns, the vehicle was towed rather than driven after the incident. The vehicle remains available for inspection.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V836000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact requested vehicle rental assistance and a place to park the fire risk vehicle; however, the request was denied. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Problem Description The core issue stems from a production fault in the battery cells that can cause increased self-discharge. In a high-voltage battery pack, which operates like a chain of interconnected modules, a single faulty module with elevated self-discharge becomes the “weakest link.” This leads to: • Degradation of the overall usable capacity. • Reduced driving range and power limitations. • Potential cascading failures affecting additional modules over time. • Warning indicators, such as a yellow electrical system fault in the instrument cluster (fault code P0BBD00: Hybrid Battery Pack Voltage Variation Exceeded Limit). • Infotainment messages like “Electronic system does not work correctly. Please go to workshop.” • In severe cases, unexpected shutdowns or failure to pass technical inspections, potentially rendering the vehicle non-roadworthy under local regulations. The fault is linked to specific battery module part numbers from LG, including: • 0Z1.915.592.G/H/J • 0Z1.915.599.G/H/J/P These were produced through the end of 2023 (up to December 4, 2023) and include configurations like 12S2P (small capacity) and 8S3P (large capacity), meaning all MEB battery setups could be impacted. Volkswagen does not publicly disclose full VIN ranges, exact affected counts, or the precise technical cause of the manufacturing fault, but internal escalation procedures exist to identify additional defective batches.
the car battery is recalled and I am unable to use DC fast charging and must limit charging to 80%. These limitations substantially impair the vehicle’s intended use, value, and practicality—especially for long-distance travel, which was a primary reason for my purchase.
My 2023 VW ID4 has experienced multiple system failures/malfunctions (e.g., display, backup camera, climate controls, & speedometer failed) beginning in late November 2025. The following is a summary & an approximate timeline: Nov 4, 2025: “OUE7 – Software Update” email; dealer unable to complete (OTA update). Nov 7 & Nov 21, 2025: Weatherstrip repairs; maintenance inspections performed. Nov 30, 2025: Doors randomly unlocked; front, passenger door failed to latch; intermittent door popper issue. Door handles were previously replaced on Apr 2, 2025. Dec 14, 2025: Incorrect dynamic road signs/speed limits; vehicle mis‑positioned on maps; warnings: 1. “No data is available” 2. “Dynamic road sign display unavailable.” Dec 22, 2025: Major failures documented in photographs below: 1. Speedometer incorrect/no speed. 2. Brake/auto‑hold intermittent malfunction. 3. Multifunction display froze. 4. Defrost/climate controls unresponsive. 5. Backup camera failure. Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026: Vehicle at dealer for ~24 days; dealer unable to replicate issues above. Dealer documented CarNet/connected vehicle issues. VW requested switching CarNet carriers (from Verizon to T‑Mobile), not possible for 2023 ID4. Jan 14–15, 2026: Dealer stated “safe to drive”; vehicle picked up. Dealer said VW would contact once they have a resolution for the CarNet. Jan 17, 2026: Same failures (display, backup camera, etc.) above reoccurred; documented by service advisor/manager. Jan 27, 2026: Notifications of open recalls: High‑voltage battery fire risk (NHTSA Recall IDs 26V028, 26V030). Jan 17 – Jan 30, 2026: Vehicle at dealer additional ~13 days; 5F modules replaced. CarNet issues & recalls still unresolved. OUE7 update still appears to be incomplete. Jan 30, 2026: Dealer stated “safe to drive” again; vehicle picked up. Today, the CarNet app / connected vehicle issues & open recall remain unresolved. Continues to show doors open, windows down, & incorrect charge, location, & mileage.
The navigation system does not work. It places the vehicle in places where it is not and shows erroneous speed limit displays and erroneous messages about traffic conditions which do not exist where the vehicle is actually located. The Volkswagen dealer says they have no fix for this and that many of their models have this problem.
My car failed to connect/stay connected to a charger. When a successful charge started, within 5 minutes , my dash lit up with warning messages to stop moving the car. Place car in park. Battery needs to be replaced. My car was in park at the time. Then the charging session ended and wouldn't reconnect. My car wouldn't start either. Leaving me stranded at the charging station . I called for towing service for which I was charged $122.88 for the tow. Then $479 for a new 12v battery. This didn't fix the issue. My car has been at Hawk since then waiting for a main battery. This is an unreasonable amount of time.
The navigation and GPS shows the car is hundreds of miles from where it actually is. In the event of an accident, the automatic emergency call will not show the proper location of the vehicle making any first responder assistance impossible. This is not a new problem for VW as several models including the ID.4 have had this problem as documented on several on-line owner groups. eg. https://www.vwidtalk.com/threads/navigation-and-sign-errors.13194/ The problem, as verified by my local VW dealer on Dec 30 2025, is the 5F module which controls the navigation and other functions that appear on the main screen (eg backup camera). This problem first happened in early December 2025. The navigation screen shows the car miles from where it actually is. The vehicle info screen will not display speed limit signs, or any gps related items (accidents, charging stations, etc). The car has been to the dealer twice to fix this problem. First time for 3 days and it is still there the second time, 4 days and counting. They seem to be either unable or unwilling to fix this problem.
23 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD (82 kWh LG battery, <25k miles). Vehicle has permanently lost ~25% of usable battery capacity in less than 2 years. At 80% state-of-charge the Guess-O-Meter consistently shows only 200–205 miles (full-range estimate 250–255 miles instead of EPA 275 / real-world 280–300 miles in similar conditions). Multiple dealer-recommended BMS recalibrations (discharge below 10%, sit overnight, slow-charge to 100%) have failed to restore range. Persistent charging faults: B17E0F0 (charge connector lock), P1BF100 (no AC voltage detected), P1CAF00 (zero current time exceeded). Dealer has repeatedly claimed the condition is normal and refused full HV battery capacity diagnostic. Defect has been reproduced on multiple occasions and documented with screenshots and DTCs. This creates a safety risk due to severely inaccurate range prediction and potential for stranding. Request NHTSA investigate premature high-voltage battery degradation and charging system defects in 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 models equipped with LG batteries.
My Volkswagen ID.4 experienced a sudden crack in the windshield followed by smoke and fire near the dashboard/A-pillar area. The manufacturer denied responsibility and claimed the windshield crack caused the fire, but glass cannot ignite or cause an electrical fire. This is a serious safety hazard because the fire originated where electrical components and sensors are located. The incident occurred without any collision or external impact. The vehicle is still under lease, and Volkswagen refuses to investigate further. I am reporting this in case this defect affects more vehicles and poses a risk to other owners.
My wife was involved in an accident where the car (2023 VW ID4) drove itself and crashed into six parked cars while she was attempting to apply the brakes and had no control of the steering (it drove itself). I had the insurance carrier pull down the EDR data (attached) and I have attached the Police Accident Report (attached) for your review. Thankfully, no one was injured and I have enough liability coverage to cover the property damage but would like to see this matter investigated realizing we were lucky the next person may not be.
Drivers side Door handle will often not open after Recalled handle was installed. Requires a great deal of force many times. Was told twice by dealer that we had to "relearn" how to open the door. This is a safety hazard if a firefighter or police officer tries to open door during an emergency
The mobile app will not connect, preventing charging monitoring or battery pre-conditioning in cold weather. Charging frequently fails to initiate or stops prematurely. Level 2 (slow) charging often stops after only 5–10% of charge is added but is unpredictable. Even when charging on a level 3 charger, the vehicle often charges to random levels below 80% (the level to which the vehicle is supposed to charge). DC fast charging is slow and often struggles to reach 40%-50% within a reasonable time. Charging equipment often reports significantly more energy delivered than vehicle displays. This has occurred at multiple charging locations (and multiple chargers). The vehicle’s range has been severely reduced. The vehicle’s range is dramatically less than it used to be. The battery is often drained and needs to be recharged in less than 100 miles. The vehicle often loses power. This is inconsistent, but when it happens, I am only able to get the vehicle moving at a very slow pace, which was not the case previously. I have contacted the selling dealer multiple times and Volkswagen directly. Charging-related issues have continued to worsen.
This event occurred on the night of Saturday, October 25. The entire software system crashed while driving on the highway in downtown chicago. This blacked out both the HMI screens (the driver "cockpit" and the media / vehicle management screen). This rendered the speedometer, battery charge indicator, cruise control indicator, media center, and advanced sensors unusable. I still able to accel/decel, use turn signals, and steer the car as normal but I could not tell how fast I was going nor how much remaining charge there was. After 1-2 minutes, the system fully rebooted and worked fine the rest of the trip. This was the first blackout we'd experienced--and it was the first time the cockpit (speedometer and such) was affected. However, the media center HMI regularly locks up and glitches: loading menus not linked to the certain buttons, lockups when multiple devices are connected, inability to reach VW servers,...) Software is on the most recent version available for my vehicle trim, though versions with many issues fixed have since been released. (We are stuck on ID software version 3.5 despite the most recent version being around 3.8.)
At a stop, the car began rapid acceleration by itself, the auto emergency brake began but it bypassed it and began accelerating again causing me to rear end someone at a red light
The vehicle continues to unlock itself. The dealer has been able to reproduce the problem. First repair. They said it was because of a recall to do with the door handles, even though the recall didn’t state any of that cause they were able to reproduce the vehicle unlocking itself after the recall so they did a software update once I took the vehicle home was able to reproduce, and the issue of it unlocking itself continued. I returned the vehicle to the same dealer and which they had the vehicle for an additional 26 days with another software update and then they had to call in to the tech line where they had to replace the control module that still didn’t fix the issue then had to replace a key then they released the vehicle back to me as they exhausted all their options and the issue is still present unable to drive the vehicle due to security concerns
We took this vehicle in for a previous recall for defective exterior door handle. The previous one worked fine, but was replaced do the the recall. The new handle broke within days of being installed. We have requested to have it replaced numerous times by the dealer who says that parts aren't available. It has been more than six months. We are worried about it failing and being unable to enter or exit the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V651000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
On October 04/2025 The vehicle was parked and stationary when it suddenly accelerated forward on its own. The brakes were completely unresponsive. I had a passenger in the front seat, and both she and I are certain that I was pressing the brake, but the car did not slow down at all. Within a few seconds, the vehicle gained speed, and I lost control. There was no space to maneuver, and I could do nothing but brace myself against the seat and watch my rear passengers. The vehicle continued forward and crashed into a tree directly in front, causing damage to the right side of the bumper, and a large rock in front also received the impact. The airbags did not deploy. The two rear passengers struck their heads during the impact and sustained bumps, and my dog was also affected in the collision.This accident occurred despite the car having a recent annual inspection and software update. The sudden acceleration is not the only issue I have experienced with this vehicle. I have had additional safety concerns. The doors would lock, unlock and open by themselves while driving on the freeway. On May 2024, my dog was trapped inside when the doors locked automatically with my keys inside the car. I had to ask a police official in my neighborhood for a phone to call roadside assistance, and it took several hours to get my dog out of the vehicle.
Severe vibration starting at approximately 50MPH and gets worse at higher speeds.
I am writing to bring to your attention an issue we recently encountered with our 2023 VW ID.4. We began hearing a clicking noise and brought the vehicle in for a diagnostic inspection. The dealership has informed us that the rear drive motor has failed and that the vehicle requires a full motor replacement, estimated at nearly $5,000. Our ID.4 is only 2.5 years old with 62,000 miles. We have truly enjoyed driving it and chose Volkswagen because of its reputation for quality and reliability. To see such a critical component fail this early is very disappointing.
Vehicle has widespread software/electronic failures affecting driving and safety systems. Failures cause erratic, loss of information while driving, unintended systems activation, and loss of emergency services. While operating the vehicle during routine driving, multiple safety-related electronic systems malfunction. The instrument panel and center display intermittently go completely blank while driving, removing speed and warning information. The vehicle has shifted into Park on its own while stopped at traffic lights (with the driver seated and seat belt fastened). Cruise control activates without driver input. Voice control activates repeatedly without pressing the steering-wheel button. Intermittent, but significant loss of propulsion power has occurred while driving. The backup camera intermittently remains on while driving forward and backup sensors intermittently fail. GPS location is severely inaccurate, the dynamic road sign display does not function, and the Emergency Call (SOS) system does not function. Car will not connect to the app, leaving many functions unavailable, including the ability to condition the battery before driving in cold conditions. Many of these issues have occurred multiple times over the course of the vehicle's history, but Volkswagen was able to fix many of these issues for a time. The date I have input below represents the approximate time the issues started to reoccur. I have made multiple attempts to resolve these issues with both the dealership and directly with Volkswagen.
I am submitting this complaint as a follow-up to three prior NHTSA complaints regarding this same vehicle: Complaint #11714848 (submitted 2/1/2026) Complaint #11714852 (submitted 2/1/2026) Complaint #11716040 (submitted 2/5/2026) These prior complaints document a progression of serious electrical, charging, and vehicle control issues that have worsened over time. Initially, the vehicle experienced widespread software and electrical failures affecting core driving and safety systems, including loss of power while driving, unintended system activation, blank instrument displays, and failure of safety-related features such as the SOS emergency system. These issues escalated to include severe charging system failures, inability to reliably charge the vehicle, dramatically reduced range, and intermittent propulsion loss. On February 4, 2026, the vehicle became completely inoperable, displaying multiple critical warnings including “Drive system error,” “Electrical system not working correctly,” and inability to start or move the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealership on February 5, 2026 for repair. I have now been informed by both Volkswagen and the dealership that they have been unable to identify or implement a repair for these issues. Despite this, they plan to return the vehicle to me without performing any substantive repairs. I have been told that diagnostic fault codes have been cleared and that the vehicle is now considered “safe” to drive. However, no root cause has been identified, and no repairs have been made to correct the underlying defects that led to loss of power, system failures, and complete inoperability. The issues previously reported remain unresolved and include: Loss of power while driving Dashboard and infotainment displays going blank while driving Vehicle shifting into park unexpectedly Cruise control activating without driver input Charging system failures preventing reliable charging Repeated warnings indicating unsafe oper
While driving the infotainment system switched off entirely, the screen went black and after roughly 1 minute rebooted. I had both my hands on the steering wheel and was NOT operating the infotainment system. During this time, the right hand side of main clocks/dials in front of the driver inverted from black background to white background. Fortunately I was at a traffic light when this happened. I waited for the system to reset before I released the brake and drove on, it was not a very pleasant experience. I have already had software upgraded based on a previous recall to address this very issue. So clearly the recall did not address the issue.
To the left of the steering wheel, there is a button for “Max Windshield Defog”. When this button is pressed, the fan speed slows down and does not help clear visibility of a foggy windshield. Instead, the driver must navigate through several on screen menus to find and manually adjust for windshield defog, which is a safety concern while operating the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in the NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V434000 (SERVICE BRAKES, SUSPENSION), 24V651000 (STRUCTURE), 25V120000 (POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), and 24V344000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION, EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). After contacting the local dealer and the manufacturer, the contact was informed that parts to complete the recalls were on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced the failure.
I was turning into a parking space on the street. I let my foot off the gas in order to brake.... as I did so the car LURCHED forward on its own about 2-3 feet running into the curb and damaging the wheel, the rim and the tire. I stomped on the brake, turned off the car, and restarted the car in order to finish parking (get out of traffic) and assess the damage. Thankfully nobody was hurt, although I am quite shaken up, losing confidence in the car... I have no idea what system malfunctioned.. the car went forward on its own with my foot off the accelerator. I've never experienced this before with this car or any other car. I drove the car directly to the service department at the dealership where they said they would inspect it and report it as well. I have not called the police. I have not alerted the insurance company. There were no warning lights before or after this incident.
The built in GPS map on the touchscreen of the car positions the car roughly 50 miles east of its current location. Minimally this can result in distracted driving if I attempt to use the map for directions since it has an inaccurate starting point. The VW dealership has not been able to repair the problem. Ten days in the shop and Volkswagen has not provided a remedy for this dangerous malfunction. No end in sight for this repair.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026