Volkswagen ID.4 Complaints (2023)

466 consumer complaints on file.

#11737336May 12, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The infotainment system in my Volkswagen ID.4 is experiencing intermittent failures while driving. The issue primarily affects the vehicle’s connectivity with my mobile phone (Apple CarPlay / Android Auto), music playback, and the use of navigation applications such as Google Maps. In several instances, the central display has also gone completely black, temporarily becoming unresponsive without warning. The affected component is the vehicle’s digital infotainment system, including the central touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, and multimedia and navigation functions. This system is available for inspection upon request. While driving, the system randomly disconnects from my phone, which interrupts Google Maps navigation, music playback, and other phone-based functions. This is particularly concerning because I rely on Google Maps for daily navigation, as the vehicle’s built-in navigation system is not sufficiently accurate or reliable. In my experience, the factory navigation does not provide strong real-time traffic detail and sometimes routes me through significantly longer or less efficient paths. The only advantage of the built-in navigation system is that it displays information on the driver’s head-up/front display, which Google Maps does not support. These failures create a potential safety risk, as the sudden loss of navigation while driving can lead to distraction when attempting to reconnect the phone or restore system functionality. Additionally, interruptions in audio guidance and the occurrence of a completely black screen may further affect driving focus. The issue occurs intermittently and has happened multiple times during normal vehicle operation. It is not consistently reproducible. To date, the vehicle has not been inspected by a dealership, the manufacturer, police, or any insurance representatives in relation to this issue. In most cases, there are no prior warning lights or messages; the system simply disconnects or the display goes bla
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737224May 12, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
On the day of the incident, I was driving my vehicle at a very low speed while approaching a red traffic light. I applied the brakes normally behind another vehicle that was already stopped. It should be noted that it had rained earlier and the road surface was wet. After stopping, the vehicle’s “Auto Hold” or automatic brake hold system activated properly, as it normally does when the vehicle comes to a complete stop. However, unexpectedly, the vehicle accelerated on its own. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes in order to avoid a collision, but I was unable to stop the vehicle in time, resulting in a minor impact with the vehicle in front of me. I believe there may have been a mechanical or electronic malfunction related to the vehicle’s acceleration, braking, or automatic assistance system. I cannot identify with certainty the exact component that failed; therefore, the specific cause is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request. The situation placed both my safety and the safety of the other driver at risk, as the vehicle moved unexpectedly despite previously being stopped with the brake hold system engaged. At this time, the issue has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealership or independent repair shop. I am also not aware of any technical inspection performed by the manufacturer. However, the incident was reported to the appropriate insurance company. Before the incident, I did not observe any warning lights, dashboard messages, or obvious signs of a mechanical or electronic problem. The sudden acceleration occurred unexpectedly and without prior warning. The collision was minor. The airbags did not deploy, and neither I nor the other driver suffered physical injuries. However, both vehicles sustained property damage, especially my vehicle, which suffered visible front-end damage because several exterior components are made of low-resistance plastic material.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737131May 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was stopping by my house to quickly pick up something so I pulled into my driveway and clicked the Park button. I heard the reassuring click from the button which usually indicates that I had successfully clicked the button and that the parking brake was engaged. I let go of the brake and looked down at my phone but I felt like the vehicle was starting to creep toward. I looked up just in time to realize that I was rolling towards my opening garage door so I slammed on the brakes before any damage occurred. This was one of two scenarios where I experienced this issue. Another time I experienced the issue happened when I pulled into a supermarket parking lot. I clicked the Park brake and proceeded to undo my seatbelt and exited my ID4. I felt the vehicle slowly roll away but then I heard the parking brake engage (it was the ID4's safety feature to engage the parking brake when it detects that the driver has left the seat). Thankfully the ID4 had barely touched the curb so no damage happened. These incidents cause me to now click the parking brake multiple times to ensure that the vehicle has actually engaged the parking brake. I believe this might be a button issue that happens once in a blue moon because every time I try to recreate the scenario by clicking the button lightly, it had always properly engaged. I will inform my local dealer the next time this vehicle is due for maintenance but until this issue is fixed, I will spam the park button.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736787May 9, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
When I was backing from a parking space, another car drove behind mine and the car's maneuvering braking kicked in and decelerated the vehicle. When I stepped on the brake, the car then accelerated backwards and caused me to collide with the crossing vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11735544May 4, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
The failure involves the driver’s side door latch/lock assembly and emergency access system. Specifically, the mechanical emergency keys for the door did not function, and the door later did not fully close or seal due to two loose bolts near the lock. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This created a safety risk because I was unable to manually unlock the vehicle in an emergency when electronic systems could fail. Additionally, while driving, the driver’s door was not fully sealed and allowed wind into the cabin without triggering any warning alert, raising concern that the door was not securely latched. The issue was reproduced and confirmed by multiple authorized Volkswagen dealerships. In December 2025, a dealership confirmed that neither set of emergency keys worked. After replacement keys also failed, a faulty door lock cylinder was identified and replaced in March 2026. In April 2026, a new issue arose where the driver’s door was visibly not flush with the frame. A dealership technician identified and tightened two loose bolts in the door lock, which resolved the issue. The vehicle has been inspected by authorized Volkswagen service departments on multiple occasions. No inspection by police or insurance representatives occurred. There were no warning lights, alerts, or messages from the vehicle prior to or during either failure. The issues first appeared in December 2025 (emergency key failure) and again in April 2026 (door not properly sealing). Based on repeated failures and repairs involving the same door/lock, I believe there may be a defect related to the door latch/lock system or prior repair work that impacts safe operation and emergency access.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735491May 4, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
We bought our car in April, 2024 from Wellesley Volkswagen, [XXX] . The car has a problem with the windshield wiper Control (safety standard 101?). The car’s windshield wiper stalk is on the right side of the steering wheel. Moving the stalk up or down activates the front wipers. Pulling the stalk will activate the front wiper washer. Pushing the stalk away will activate the rear wiper and washer. Moving the stalk up from the off position will provide 1 wipe. Moving the stalk down from the neutral position will first activate rain sensing/interval wiping then slow continuous wiping and finally fast continuous wiping. There is also slider button on the stalk to vary the sensitivity of the rain sensing/ interval wiping mode. The first wiping position can be configured to operate at either interval wiping or rain sensing through the car’s customization setting (screen interface). We have the wipers set for rain sensing. The rain sensing is triggered by the stalk being in the first position and rain being “seen” by the sensor (camera) at the top center of the windshield. The slider adjusts the sensitivity so that it activates occasionally or aggressively depending on the rain level and the driver’s preference. From the time we bought the car to present day, we find the rain sensing will not work about 25% of the time: the wipers will not turn on when in the sensing position and it is raining. On one recent occasion during a light rain, the wipers went on full speed in the sensing position, and I had to move the stalk to the 2nd position (continuous slow wiping). There was nothing blocking the sensor which would cause this behavior. After a couple minutes I move it back to the sensing position and the sensing performed normally. I brought it to the dealer’s attention a few times over the past 2 years, but made them officially write it up and check on how to fix this at the April 13, 2026, 2nd year service with no resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734957April 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Hello, My name is [XXX] , and I have been experiencing loss of battery driving range and performance since I purchased my preowned VW ID.4 Pro in February 2025. When I charge the battery to 80% at home and then drive(normal) to a location 20 miles away, I observe losing approximately 40-60 miles, regularly. I use the regenerative braking as much as possible to help restore some of that mileage loss. But this should not be happening. I cannot rely on my vehicle for long trips without charging too many times before reaching my destination. And now we are being advised to not use level 3 public fast charging for concerns of potential fire. And to NOT park in our home garages after charging our vehicles. This recall seems pretty serious. On my first service in December 2025 with Coachella Valley Volkswagon, I explained the issues I described to the service department and was told that it might be a software issue, which was updated. This was before I was unaware of an active Recall from Volkswagon. The very same problems and my concerns still exist currently. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734381April 28, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
UNKNOWN -- I was turning 90 deg from the street into my 30' driveway, going very slow as usual with foot on brake pedal to slow further before entering the garage (the door had just finished lifting). But as I was straightening the steering coming out of turn, the car suddenly accelerated, brakes and steering both were unresponsive and the car smashed into the garage. Slowed further by the impact, the car caromed into the garage stairs smashing them to pieces before coming to rest against the rear garage wall after I hit the OFF button (it's an EV). There was no alert from the onboard systems of a pending crash and the air bags did NOT deploy. I was uninjured. Posting my accident on a social media owners group, other owners have had similar experience of the electronics going out while driving. The car remains at a 45 deg angle inside the garage now 6 days later awaiting the insurance company to come and extricate it for their assessment of the damage to the car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734015April 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that while charging the vehicle at a charging station, there was an abnormal, exploding sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while in a drive-thru. The vehicle was safely driven to the residence. The dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment and informed the contact that there was no part available for the repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted and advised to reach out to another dealer for the recall repair. Tracy Volkswagen (2605 Auto Plaza Way, Tracy, CA 95304) was contacted and the contact was informed that there was no part available to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 19,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732232April 19, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731782April 17, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION, EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731530April 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730514April 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is a supplemental report to my previous filing regarding a 2023 VW ID.4 battery fire. On May 28, 2025, while being operated, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic thermal event. White smoke emanated from the front compartment followed by active flames. The vehicle was a total loss. Critical Safety Finding: A subsequent forensic examination conducted on October 29, 2025 (File 27739-01) by a certified fire investigator confirmed that after the initial fire was suppressed, the vehicle reportedly caught fire an additional time while being held at a tow/storage facility. Component Failure: The fire originated in the front compartment area. The failure is consistent with the "thermal runaway" risks identified in Recall 26V030, involving defective battery cell electrodes. Safety Risk: The multiple ignition nature of this failure poses a lethal risk to occupants, emergency responders, and tow/salvage facility operators. The fact that the vehicle reignited twice in storage, long after the initial suppression, suggests that current safety protocols or the scope of the existing recall may not fully address the volatility of this specific battery defect. Inspection Status: The vehicle was inspected by the manufacturer’s engineers and an independent forensic investigator. However, the manufacturer and the insurer are currently withholding the Photographic Report and Technical Field Report from the consumer. These records are vital to understanding the severity of the "multiple -ignition" event and should be subpoenaed or requested by NHTSA investigators to ensure the recall remedy is sufficient to prevent secondary fires in storage environments.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730396April 10, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Car is developing a paint chip even on the top of the hood since the car was purchased. According to google search, some of white and gray colored made in the USA Id4 card have the paint issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730304April 10, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729717April 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part 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 stated that the vehicle had experienced reduced range and reduced performance due to a failure associated with the recall, and the vehicle had stalled on several occasions and had to be towed to the local dealer. Additionally, while driving, the rear passenger’s side door erroneously opened while a passenger was seated next to the door, and the infotainment screen was unintentionally reset, and the screen went blank. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 9,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729274April 5, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728935April 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11727511March 27, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726757March 24, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Volkswagen ID.4