2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: November 2, 2026 · Filed: November 2, 2026

Update to my NHTSA complaints 11772122 (battery, October 19, 2026) and 11771852 (door handle recall, October 17, 2026) for my 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. What failed: the high voltage battery and charging. On November 1, 2026, the vehicle either did not charge or stopped charging with about 38 miles of range. On November 2, 2026 at 9:32 AM it showed 8% and 15 miles while charging. Cause: UNKNOWN. Confirmed by a dealer: yes. On October 16, 2026, a Volkswagen dealer's diagnostic found fault codes P0BBD00 (battery pack voltage variation exceeded limit) and P0AA600 (high voltage isolation fault, sporadic) and uneven cell voltages in battery module 6, which it said needs replacement. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. Warning lamps: an amber warning triangle and a yellow vehicle warning symbol are on. They were already on in my October 11, 2026 photo. When they first appeared is UNKNOWN.

Incident: October 26, 2026 · Filed: October 28, 2026

While driving, the red "electrical system not working" error message displayed. The car lost control of acceleration and was non responsive. Loss of vehicle control while driving at freeway speeds is a safety risk to myself and others. The dealer (kearny mesa vw) says that it can not replicate the code, but sent me an estimate with error code 1208 battery and hardware with a $5, 000 replacement fee. When I asked for error codes and a detailed printout of required service, they then messaged me that it is covered under the vw pre-owned service contract for only the $50 deductible. I only have a text message from a service representative, nothing written. The red error message first appeared 48 hours ago while driving and subsequent loss of vehicle control. It appeared again while pressing the brake pedal. I did not drive it then, per instructions, and had it towed to the vw dealer. They don't know when the parts will arrive or when the car will be ready.

Incident: October 16, 2026 · Filed: October 19, 2026

This is related to my earlier NHTSA complaint 11771852 for the same vehicle. On 10/16/2026 a Volkswagen dealer ran a diagnostic on a yellow dashboard electrical warning light on my 2021 ID.4 and reported fault codes P0BBD00 (hybrid battery pack voltage variation exceeded limit) and P0AA600 (high voltage battery voltage system isolation fault, sporadic). The dealer found that battery module 6 has uneven cell voltages and needs replacement, and stated that other modules or components may fail in the near future. The warning light remains on, and the displayed range for a given charge level has dropped. Dashboard photos: 10/11/2026 8:03 AM, 65% charge, 109 miles; 10/17/2026 8:09 PM, 73% charge, 86 miles; 10/18/2026 9:41 AM, 85% charge, 88 miles. Between the last two, the charge rose 12 points but the displayed range rose only 2 miles. I understand range is an estimate and I am not stating a cause. I am concerned about the safety of driving with a failing high voltage battery. The vehicle also has an open door handle recall, 24V-651, that has not been completed.

Incident: October 16, 2026 · Filed: October 17, 2026

My 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is subject to open NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-651 (Volkswagen recall 57J9) for the exterior door handles. The recall states that water can enter the door handle electronics and cause a door to open unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion, which increases the risk of injury to occupants and others. On 10/16/2026 I took the vehicle to a Volkswagen dealer in Tracy, California, specifically to have this recall performed at no cost. The dealer’s own check-in estimate recorded the recall as “verified open.” The dealer kept the vehicle from 7:43 AM until about 11:00 AM and returned it without performing the recall. Recall parts were reported as not available, and the recall job no longer appears on the final invoice. As a result, the recall remedy for a door that can open unexpectedly while driving has still not been completed on my vehicle. I ask NHTSA to note that the remedy was not completed at this dealer visit, and I ask Volkswagen to provide the parts and a free recall appointment as soon as possible. The door handles are available for inspection on request.

Incident: July 31, 2021 · Filed: October 5, 2026

High voltage battery modules fail often and continuously. I am on my third battery module replacement of the year taking up to two weeks for repair. There is also a lighting failure when the weather is hot. All lighting system fail and dont turn on until car is driven for a while and the system cools down. This happens often as I am located in florida. During the summer its almost every day. Dealer hasnt been able to fix. All they have said was that VW told them that is due to the UV of the sun. Nothing they can do. I have never had a car fail its whole lighting system when its hot outside. This is extremly important as front lights wont display turn signals while the system is in this state. Only when the system cools down does the turning signals work again. Dealer has confirmed this but never given me a resolution. The whole dashboard displays light system, sounds system, and turn signal unavailable while the issue is present.

Incident: March 6, 2026 · Filed: September 26, 2026

The SOS/ GPS system in my car failed a few days after the warranty expired. So my car no longer knows where it is and if I press the SOS (Emergency Call) button (or if it was automatically triggered after an accident), it does not work and it does not summon help. I asked VW to cover all or part of the cost as "goodwill" for an important safety system and they refused. Failure of the SOS system (either the battery or the communication module) is a known common failure on VWs and on the ID.4 in particular. VW should recall these vehicles so that this important safety system works.

Incident: August 1, 2026 · Filed: September 25, 2026

For approximately the past month, the steering-wheel controls for the vehicle’s Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) have intermittently become completely unresponsive while driving. When the vehicle is first started, the buttons work normally and can be used to activate ACC, adjust the set speed, and change the following distance. However, after several minutes of driving, the steering-wheel ACC controls suddenly stop responding. When this occurs, the driver is unable to reduce the ACC set speed or increase the following distance using the steering-wheel controls. This creates a potentially dangerous situation because the vehicle may continue traveling at a speed or following distance that is no longer appropriate for changing traffic or road conditions, while the driver has lost immediate access to the controls intended to safely adjust ACC. The problem is intermittent but has occurred repeatedly over the past month. Because the failure occurs while the vehicle is in motion and disables the driver's ability to make critical ACC adjustments, I believe this represents a significant safety concern that warrants investigation. Here's a link to a video of this occuring: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: September 16, 2026 · Filed: September 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. While stopped at a light, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The contact frantically depressed the brake pedal with excessive force, but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The contact veered to the right to avoid the vehicle stopped ahead but crashed into the rear passenger’s side bumper. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The contact sustained injuries to the left shoulder and arm. The driver in the other vehicle sustained unknown injuries. Both drivers required medical attention. The insurance company representatives were scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was 83,000.

Incident: September 7, 2026 · Filed: September 10, 2026

Incident Summary VW ID.4 Loss of Power/Stall Date: Monday, September 7, 2026 Location: Highway (3-lane), traveling ~45 mph Vehicle: Volkswagen ID.4 Sequence of events: While driving at approximately 45 mph, multiple warning messages appeared in rapid succession: ESC Error "Electrical system not working correctly" "Front Assist is not available" Error Rear Traffic Alert Error "12V power supply. Safely park the vehicle! See owner's manual." The vehicle lost accelerator power and came to a stall on the highway. Driver performed a reset/restart of the vehicle. Vehicle moved approximately 100 meters before stalling again, with the same set of error codes reappearing. Prior history: Safety concern: Loss of propulsion and multiple critical system failures (ESC, electrical, driver-assist systems, 12V supply) occurring simultaneously while in highway traffic represents a significant safety hazard — both from the stall itself and from the affected safety systems (ESC, Front Assist) being disabled.

Incident: March 1, 2026 · Filed: September 7, 2026

Faulty sensor under passenger seat will cause the airbags to go off while someone is in the passenger seat, buckled. Will go on and off intermittently. Alert on dash will illuminate and overhead notification of passenger airbag shutting off flashes.