2023 Volkswagen ID.4

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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)