High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
Subject: Serious Safety and Electrical Problems – Request for Buyback or Replacement Dear [Manufacturer Name or Dealer Name], I leased my vehicle in January 2025, and since the very beginning I have experienced multiple serious problems. Right after taking the car from the dealership, it had an electrical failure — it completely shut down and had to be towed by a tow truck. After that incident, the vehicle has constantly shown computer warning messages such as “switch control deactivated,” “key not recognized,” “rear motor malfunction,” and other system errors. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership several times, and they always said it was due to a recall, but they never gave me a permanent solution. They kept telling me the vehicle was safe to drive. However, on Saturday, November 8, 2025, while I was driving with my family, the vehicle suddenly stopped, started jerking violently, showed a “battery overheating” error, and then accelerated by itself. I immediately called the dealership and took the car there. It is currently in their possession. This vehicle is extremely dangerous for me and my family. I am requesting that the manufacturer or dealer take full responsibility for this issue and proceed with a buyback or replacement under the Lemon Law and warranty protection.
Subject: Serious Safety and Electrical Problems – Request for Buyback or Replacement Dear [Manufacturer Name or Dealer Name], I leased my vehicle in January 2025, and since the very beginning I have experienced multiple serious problems. Right after taking the car from the dealership, it had an electrical failure — it completely shut down and had to be towed by a tow truck. After that incident, the vehicle has constantly shown computer warning messages such as “switch control deactivated,” “key not recognized,” “rear motor malfunction,” and other system errors. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership several times, and they always said it was due to a recall, but they never gave me a permanent solution. They kept telling me the vehicle was safe to drive. However, on Saturday, November 8, 2025, while I was driving with my family, the vehicle suddenly stopped, started jerking violently, showed a “battery overheating” error, and then accelerated by itself. I immediately called the dealership and took the car there. It is currently in their possession. This vehicle is extremely dangerous for me and my family. I am requesting that the manufacturer or dealer take full responsibility for this issue and proceed with a buyback or replacement under the Lemon Law and warranty protection.
GPS/navigation cannot determine position. ACC/driver-assist features are sometimes disabled, but then reactivate with no warning. Car will automatically brake for no reason on interstate since navigation suddenly indicates it has has entered, say, a 30 mph zone 100 miles to the east. Automatic distance keeping from vehicle in front turns off/on at random. VW dealer and Corporate are aware of the problem but state there is no known fix.
GPS/navigation cannot determine position. ACC/driver-assist features are sometimes disabled, but then reactivate with no warning. Car will automatically brake for no reason on interstate since navigation suddenly indicates it has has entered, say, a 30 mph zone 100 miles to the east. Automatic distance keeping from vehicle in front turns off/on at random. VW dealer and Corporate are aware of the problem but state there is no known fix.
GPS/navigation cannot determine position. ACC/driver-assist features are sometimes disabled, but then reactivate with no warning. Car will automatically brake for no reason on interstate since navigation suddenly indicates it has has entered, say, a 30 mph zone 100 miles to the east. Automatic distance keeping from vehicle in front turns off/on at random. VW dealer and Corporate are aware of the problem but state there is no known fix.
GPS/navigation cannot determine position. ACC/driver-assist features are sometimes disabled, but then reactivate with no warning. Car will automatically brake for no reason on interstate since navigation suddenly indicates it has has entered, say, a 30 mph zone 100 miles to the east. Automatic distance keeping from vehicle in front turns off/on at random. VW dealer and Corporate are aware of the problem but state there is no known fix.
I was driving my 2024 ID.4 S when an error popped up stating that I needed to “clean front parking sensors” and “maneuver braking is unavailable.” At my earliest convenience I attempted to clean the sensors but the issue persisted. Upon consult with the dealership I was informed that the sensors have a tiny rock knick and my front sensors need replacing. This was a $1700 repair. The vehicle is only a year old and has been driven very carefully. My concern is that. Volkswagen Auto Group uses cheap sensors print to failure and as a result my emergency maneuver braking feature is at risk of not working.
I was driving my 2024 ID.4 S when an error popped up stating that I needed to “clean front parking sensors” and “maneuver braking is unavailable.” At my earliest convenience I attempted to clean the sensors but the issue persisted. Upon consult with the dealership I was informed that the sensors have a tiny rock knick and my front sensors need replacing. This was a $1700 repair. The vehicle is only a year old and has been driven very carefully. My concern is that. Volkswagen Auto Group uses cheap sensors print to failure and as a result my emergency maneuver braking feature is at risk of not working.
The car's position as shown on the navigation screen and as determined by the car's internal GPS was off by several hundred miles. While driving on the highway using adaptive cruise control, the car would frequently decelerate rapidly from 60+ mph to 30 or less. When it did this, it would display a message like "turn ahead - maximum 24 mph". Of course, there was no tight turn ahead as I was on an interstate highway in New York - the ACC was receiving messages to slow down because the location data was inaccurate. On two occasions this nearly caused a rear-end collision before I was able to disable the feature in ACC that would cause the car to decelerate because of small radius roadway curvature. During this time, the car's navigation system would continuously try to re-route, and the SOS functionality did not work.
The car's position as shown on the navigation screen and as determined by the car's internal GPS was off by several hundred miles. While driving on the highway using adaptive cruise control, the car would frequently decelerate rapidly from 60+ mph to 30 or less. When it did this, it would display a message like "turn ahead - maximum 24 mph". Of course, there was no tight turn ahead as I was on an interstate highway in New York - the ACC was receiving messages to slow down because the location data was inaccurate. On two occasions this nearly caused a rear-end collision before I was able to disable the feature in ACC that would cause the car to decelerate because of small radius roadway curvature. During this time, the car's navigation system would continuously try to re-route, and the SOS functionality did not work.
ID.4 2024 Pro AWD (Canada) Cannot connect to CARNET (Since June 16 2024, for past 5 days), vehicle breaks suddenly on highway. Dash displays approaching intersection but there's no intersection. Traumatizing experience. 1. Vehicle was connected to Google map, but VW insists on trusting their own navigation system (even though it's not working). 2. No way for user to connect the car's network to be "online" using personal cellphone data. (Forcing user to buy CARNET package, otherwise safety is not guaranteed) 3. For a 2024 EV, vehicle should at least design safety measure for such scenario. If the driver's hands are detected on the steering wheel, and ACC is ON. The car will NOT auto break during intersection. (It doesn't break BEFORE the intersection any way!!!) In uploaded picture taken in an intersection. Connected to google map, but vehicle dashboard displays current road is 100 KM/H zone. (It's a 50KM/H zone). Driver safety cannot be promised!!!!
ID.4 2024 Pro AWD (Canada) Cannot connect to CARNET (Since June 16 2024, for past 5 days), vehicle breaks suddenly on highway. Dash displays approaching intersection but there's no intersection. Traumatizing experience. 1. Vehicle was connected to Google map, but VW insists on trusting their own navigation system (even though it's not working). 2. No way for user to connect the car's network to be "online" using personal cellphone data. (Forcing user to buy CARNET package, otherwise safety is not guaranteed) 3. For a 2024 EV, vehicle should at least design safety measure for such scenario. If the driver's hands are detected on the steering wheel, and ACC is ON. The car will NOT auto break during intersection. (It doesn't break BEFORE the intersection any way!!!) In uploaded picture taken in an intersection. Connected to google map, but vehicle dashboard displays current road is 100 KM/H zone. (It's a 50KM/H zone). Driver safety cannot be promised!!!!
I am filing this formal complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding a critical safety failure involving my 2024 Volkswagen ID.4. The incident, which occurred on [XXX], involved sudden and unintended acceleration while slowly parking at a Walgreens in Saco, Maine, resulting in a collision with the building. I delayed this submission until the official police report (Saco Police Crash Report #[XXX]) became available on April 21, 2025, to ensure accuracy and proper documentation. Incident Details: •Date/Time: [XXX] •Location: Walgreens Pharmacy, [XXX] •Vehicle: 2024 VW ID.4 (VIN: [XXX] ) •Conditions: daylight conditions, no contributing environmental factors. While shifting from Drive to Park with my foot fully on the brake, the vehicle surged forward twice without accelerator input. IQ Drive, Collision mitigation systems and Park Distance Control (PDC) failed to engage. All driver-assistance features were deactivated. No airbags deployed. Supporting Documentation (attached): •Saco Police Crash Report # [XXX] •Crash scene photographs Prior Warnings: •In August 2024, a powertrain warning appeared; VW service dismissed it as non-critical. •On the morning of the crash, the vehicle emitted an abnormal sound during initial startup Medical Context: At the time of the incident, I was recovering from major cardiothoracic surgery ([XXX]). Though belted, the sudden jolt near my surgical site raised post-operative risks and safety concerns. Request for Action: I respectfully request that NHTSA: 1.Investigate this incident for potential inclusion in a broader pattern of unintended acceleration in the VW ID.4 model. 2.Review related TSBs, consumer complaints, or internal manufacturer field reports. 3.Secure pre-reset data from the vehicle’s ECU and EDR. 4.Notify Volkswagen of its duty to report Thank you for your attention to this serious matter INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am filing this formal complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding a critical safety failure involving my 2024 Volkswagen ID.4. The incident, which occurred on [XXX], involved sudden and unintended acceleration while slowly parking at a Walgreens in Saco, Maine, resulting in a collision with the building. I delayed this submission until the official police report (Saco Police Crash Report #[XXX]) became available on April 21, 2025, to ensure accuracy and proper documentation. Incident Details: •Date/Time: [XXX] •Location: Walgreens Pharmacy, [XXX] •Vehicle: 2024 VW ID.4 (VIN: [XXX] ) •Conditions: daylight conditions, no contributing environmental factors. While shifting from Drive to Park with my foot fully on the brake, the vehicle surged forward twice without accelerator input. IQ Drive, Collision mitigation systems and Park Distance Control (PDC) failed to engage. All driver-assistance features were deactivated. No airbags deployed. Supporting Documentation (attached): •Saco Police Crash Report # [XXX] •Crash scene photographs Prior Warnings: •In August 2024, a powertrain warning appeared; VW service dismissed it as non-critical. •On the morning of the crash, the vehicle emitted an abnormal sound during initial startup Medical Context: At the time of the incident, I was recovering from major cardiothoracic surgery ([XXX]). Though belted, the sudden jolt near my surgical site raised post-operative risks and safety concerns. Request for Action: I respectfully request that NHTSA: 1.Investigate this incident for potential inclusion in a broader pattern of unintended acceleration in the VW ID.4 model. 2.Review related TSBs, consumer complaints, or internal manufacturer field reports. 3.Secure pre-reset data from the vehicle’s ECU and EDR. 4.Notify Volkswagen of its duty to report Thank you for your attention to this serious matter INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)