NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
This page covers 19 recalls, 316 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2021 Volkswagen Id.4.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Electrical system complaints dominate the 2021 ID.4 owner report pool, covering a wide range of issues from charging and software faults to warning lights that illuminate without a clear cause. Owners frequently describe the vehicle losing propulsion unexpectedly, in some cases while in traffic, requiring the car to be pushed to safety. Forward collision avoidance and driver assistance systems draw the second-largest share of complaints, with owners reporting false alerts, unexpected braking responses, and systems that appear to activate without a clear trigger. A handful of owners also report unintended acceleration at low speeds during parking maneuvers, typically when transitioning between reverse and drive. Structural complaints round out the top three reported systems, though the narratives there are less concentrated around a single symptom pattern.
316
Total Complaints
25
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
13
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 has 19 recalls, the most serious involving the high-voltage battery system, where a software fault or internal battery defect can cut power to the electric motor while driving.
The powertrain concerns appear across several related issues: a software problem can cause the battery management module to restart or the inverter to shut off, and a separate battery defect can cause the motor to stop entirely, both of which leave the vehicle without drive power in traffic. There is also a steering concern on a small number of vehicles where a missing or misassembled component inside the steering gear can cause a loss of steering control. On the occupant safety side, some rear seatbelt retractors lack the automatic locking function needed to secure a child restraint properly, and on certain vehicles the front passenger airbag was folded incorrectly and may not deploy as intended in a crash. The door handles on certain vehicles allow water into the circuit board, which can cause a door to swing open unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving. Display and visibility issues round out the list: the instrument cluster and center screen can reset or fail to boot, losing speedometer readout and the rearview camera image when reversing, and the gear position indicator may not show when the vehicle is in neutral, creating a rollaway risk if the parking brake is not set. Headlights on some vehicles have caps installed on the wrong adjustment point, allowing the horizontal beam aim to be altered and increasing glare for oncoming drivers.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
The instrument panel may not correctly show which gear the transmission is in (Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive).
What the fix does
Dealers will update the brake control unit software at no charge to fix the display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent the Neutral gear position from showing on your instrument cluster, so you might not know when the transmission is in neutral. Without using the brakes or parking brake, the vehicle could roll away.
What the fix does
The brake control unit software will be updated at a dealership. Always use the parking brake when parked and confirm the parking brake indicator light is on.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can seep into the door handle circuit board, causing doors to open unexpectedly while driving or parked.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace door handles as needed, then update the vehicle software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can leak into the door handle, causing the door to open unexpectedly while driving. You may hear clicking sounds that resemble door locking or unlocking.
What the fix does
A dealership will inspect and replace the door handles if needed, and update your vehicle's software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The owner's manual incorrectly describes how the passenger airbag indicator light works.
What the fix does
Dealers will add a corrected insert to owner's manuals in unsold vehicles. New vehicles will include corrected manuals.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue can cause the instrument cluster and center display to malfunction or restart, preventing you from seeing the speedometer, warning lights, messages, and rearview camera image when in reverse.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will mail you instructions to bring your vehicle to a dealership, where technicians will update the vehicle's software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software problem causes the center and instrument panel displays to fail to start or reset unexpectedly, which can hide the speedometer reading or rear camera image.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the vehicle software at no cost to restore proper display operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can leak into the door handle, causing the door to open unexpectedly while driving at low speeds. You may hear clicking sounds from the door lock.
What the fix does
The dealer will inspect the door handles, replace them if needed, and update your vehicle's software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Door handles may allow water into the circuit board, causing doors to unexpectedly open during sharp turns at low speeds (below 9 mph).
What the fix does
Dealers will update your vehicle's software and inspect door handles as needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may cause the high voltage battery management control module to restart unexpectedly or the pulse inverter to stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the software in the high voltage battery management control unit and pulse inverter control unit at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may cause the high-voltage battery management module to reset or the pulse inverter to stop working, cutting power to the electric motor while driving. You may see a warning message on the dashboard.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will mail you instructions to visit a dealership for a software update to the high-voltage battery and pulse inverter control units.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger-front airbag may not be folded properly, which could prevent it from inflating correctly during a crash.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will replace the passenger-front airbag module.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger air bag may not be folded correctly, which could prevent it from deploying properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Volkswagen will replace the passenger air bag module at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Soldering errors in the flexible printed circuit inside the high voltage battery can create unreliable electrical connections.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the battery cell modules at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A high-voltage battery defect may cause the electric motor to stop working, resulting in loss of power to the wheels.
What the fix does
The dealership will replace the affected battery cell modules to restore proper motor function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering gear may be incorrectly assembled or missing its drive bushing, which could affect steering function.
What the fix does
A dealer will replace the steering gear at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear middle seat belt's automatic locking mechanism may stop working too early, preventing child car seats from being secured properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the middle-rear seat belt assemblies at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear outer seat belts may lack an automatic locking feature needed to secure child car seats properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rear outer seat belts at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Headlight aiming caps were installed on the wrong adjustment mechanism, allowing unintended horizontal beam movement instead of proper vertical alignment.
What the fix does
Dealers will move the caps from the vertical to horizontal aim adjustment at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
