Volkswagen ID.4 problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 5 model years (2021–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,011 owner complaints and 25 safety recalls for the Volkswagen ID.4. That averages 48.3 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 1.20 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Electric vehicles segment it ranks #7 of 10 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 50.8.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 110% above the 2021 and 2022 models (158 early complaints per model year versus 61).
The 2023 model year has the highest rate (121.9 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (17.6). The 2023 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 48.3 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2022 and 2024 run at least 40% below this model's average of 48.3 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (45.9% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (10.4%) and Body & structure (8.8%). Electrical complaints are 2.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 124 complaints (12.3%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 72 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 210 complaints versus 257 in the previous 12 months — down 18%. The 2023 model year generated the most recent reports (102). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 23 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 25 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2022 (6), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 2 NHTSA investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Inadvertent Door Opening” (recall query, opened 2024-05-16, closed 2024-11-04).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Chevrolet Bolt EV, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X and Ford Mustang Mach-E, but fewer than Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 336 | 58.1 | 1.44 | 53 | 11 | Electrical | View › |
| 2022 | 137 | 28.6 | 0.71 | 16 | 7 | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 ▲50%+ | 462 | 121.9 | 3.02 | 102 | 14 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 49 | 17.6 | 0.44 | 20 | 9 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 27 | 15.1 | 0.37 | 19 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 210 · Previous 12 months: 257 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Electrical ›
464 · 45.9% · 2.92 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
105 · 10.4% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Body & structure ›
89 · 8.8% · 0.97 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Driver-assist systems ›
62 · 6.1% · 1.07 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Transmission / powertrain ›
61 · 6.0% · 0.52 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Brakes ›
60 · 5.9% · 0.98 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Engine ›
53 · 5.2% · 0.24 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Wheels, tires & suspension
31 · 3.1% · 1.22 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
23 · 2.3% · 1.23 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
19 · 1.9% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
17 · 1.7% · 0.44 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
16 · 1.6% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
11 · 1.1% · 0.7 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 23 months
What owners report
On XXX, at about 10:22 PM, I was driving my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 southbound on [XXX] in [XXX], from [XXX] toward [XXX]. It was raining moderately, but the road and lanes were clearly visible. There was no vehicle, person or object in front of me.
Incident Summary & Vehicle Behavior: I am filing this safety defect report regarding a critical sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) incident in my 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 that resulted in a crash.
Dealer canceled my scheduled recall service twice arguing backlog. Indicated they have no solution but did not provide any alternative arrangements.
While driving the car, the electrical system failed and the car shut down with very little warning. It is then inoperable. Fortunately, this has happened while on residential streets, but it would have been catastrophic on the highway.
Vehicle Information: Year / Make / Model: 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: ~58,000 miles Affected Component(s): Electrical System, Power Steering, Structure: Door Assembly (NHTSA Recall 24V-651 / VW Recall 57J9) Incident Description…
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Electric vehicles
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Bolt EV | 544 | 14.8 | 0.37 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 13 | Electrical |
| 2 | Tesla Model S | 723 | 16.1 | 0.4 | Worsening | Falling | 31 | Unspecified or other |
| 3 | Tesla Model X | 752 | 17.1 | 0.42 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 33 | Unspecified or other |
| 4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 678 | 24.8 | 0.61 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 0 | Electrical |
| 5 | Ford F-150 Lightning | 551 | 33.4 | 0.83 | Improving | Falling | 2 | Electrical |
| 6 | Kia EV6 | 544 | 37.8 | 0.94 | Improving | Rising | 5 | Electrical |
| 7 | Volkswagen ID.4 | 1,011 | 48.3 | 1.2 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Electrical |
| 8 | Tesla Model 3 | 4,327 | 91.6 | 2.27 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 36 | Driver-assist systems |
| 9 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1,359 | 93.8 | 2.32 | Improving | Rising | 15 | Electrical |
| 10 | Tesla Model Y | 3,850 | 112.3 | 2.78 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 43 | Driver-assist systems |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 25
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 3
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2021 (11) · 2022 (7) · 2023 (14) · 2024 (9) · 2025 (2)
Investigations
- Inadvertent Door Opening Closed
On May 16, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Recall Query (RQ) RQ24010 to investigate the remedy and scope of recalls 23V-213 and 23V-312. The affected vehicles by these recalls included model years (MY) 2021 through 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles. ODI received reports of the vehicle’s doors opening while the vehicle was in motion post recall remedy. ODI, also, received simil…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…