FaultScore

2023 Volkswagen ID.4 acceleration problems

55 of the 840 complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 are about the throttle and cruise control — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 13,000 miles.

F

55

Complaints

21

Crashes

0

Fires

6

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 54 98.2%
Cruise Control 1 1.8%

Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Volkswagen ID.4 year

2021 33 30.6%
2022 20 18.5%
2023 55 50.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Ann Arbor, MI Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Sudden acceleration while parking in my garage. Very low speed,then sudden “explosive “ acceleration smashing the front end and garage contents

NHTSA complaint #11752981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pawtucket, RI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

My 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD (approximately 40,000 miles) has a persistent GPS navigation system failure where the vehicle displays an incorrect location. This is a safety concern as the navigation system cannot be relied upon for accurate directions or location awareness. The following repair attempts have been made at the dealership: - TSB 91-24-05 was performed and was unsuccessful - The OCU (Onboard Communication Unit) was fully replaced and was unsuccessful - A VTA (Volkswagen Technical Assistance) case was opened VW Customer Care, Car-Net, and two separate dealerships have been unable to resolve this issue. I was told by multiple VW representatives that there is currently no available fix and that Car-Net will contact me when a resolution is available — which has not happened despite months of waiting. I am currently within my 4 year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Volkswagen has been unable to fulfill their warranty obligation to repair this known defect. This GPS failure affects safe navigation and represents a safety concern for the driver."

NHTSA complaint #11752208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oceanside, CA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

7/14/26 my wife attempted to park our 2023 VW ID.4 Pro S AWD. She pulled into the spot with two hands on the steering wheel, her foot off of the accelerator, with the car being slowed by regenerative braking, and the car suddenly accelerated and crashed through a fence and hit a cement barrier. The air bags did not deploy. After the accident that most likely totaled the car, my wife's foot was on the brake. The two challenges we noted were 1. The car should have not accelerated on its own and 2. The air bags should have deployed given the violence of this crash.

NHTSA complaint #11750458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Riverside, CA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I was parked in front of my townhouse I have a witness who saw me at a stop. Next thing I know car accelerates and hits my townhouse. I did not accelerate I was not speeding and I have a witness who saw me stopped

NHTSA complaint #11746297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Castle Pines, CO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Gps module is non functioning after software update 3.8.11 Gps module consistently shows wrong location and speed in addition to constantly pinging the driver visually and audibly which distracts the driver and covers the main display with a message that it is unavailable. It also affects the semi autonomous driving function, making it randomly brake and behave erratically because it doesng know where it is. This will cause an accident. Consistently showing hundreds of miles off and has been reported by other users as being an issue VW is aware of but refuses to address.

NHTSA complaint #11738778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

On the day of the incident, I was driving my vehicle at a very low speed while approaching a red traffic light. I applied the brakes normally behind another vehicle that was already stopped. It should be noted that it had rained earlier and the road surface was wet. After stopping, the vehicle’s “Auto Hold” or automatic brake hold system activated properly, as it normally does when the vehicle comes to a complete stop. However, unexpectedly, the vehicle accelerated on its own. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes in order to avoid a collision, but I was unable to stop the vehicle in time, resulting in a minor impact with the vehicle in front of me. I believe there may have been a mechanical or electronic malfunction related to the vehicle’s acceleration, braking, or automatic assistance system. I cannot identify with certainty the exact component that failed; therefore, the specific cause is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request. The situation placed both my safety and the safety of the other driver at risk, as the vehicle moved unexpectedly despite previously being stopped with the brake hold system engaged. At this time, the issue has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealership or independent repair shop. I am also not aware of any technical inspection performed by the manufacturer. However, the incident was reported to the appropriate insurance company. Before the incident, I did not observe any warning lights, dashboard messages, or obvious signs of a mechanical or electronic problem. The sudden acceleration occurred unexpectedly and without prior warning. The collision was minor. The airbags did not deploy, and neither I nor the other driver suffered physical injuries. However, both vehicles sustained property damage, especially my vehicle, which suffered visible front-end damage because several exterior components are made of low-resistance plastic material.

NHTSA complaint #11737224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Diego, CA Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The driver of my vehicle stated that my car suddenly lurched forward striking a cross passing vehicle. He did not accelerate and the emergency brake system failed to engage in advance of an obvious and avoidable crash.

NHTSA complaint #11728935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carbondale, CO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1. The car accelerates erratically when it is charged to 90 to 100%. This just plain dangerous. 2. The battery is charging to 100% when it set to charge to 80%. I learned that there is a recall for this vehicle due to the battery overheating and possibly catching on fire. However as of yesterday, there are neither diagnostics available to show whether the recall actually applies to my car, nor is their a repair available. Given the nature of the recall, this puts me in the untenable situation of not trusting my car battery - to not overheat and to not catch fire. I brought the car into VW Glenwood Springs and asked them to diagnose the problems. VW Glenwood neither charged the car to 100% nor did they drive it other than around the block. Therefore they did not experience the problem - and of course could not give me any answers. They said that car is safe to drive! I can attest that this car is not safe to drive.

NHTSA complaint #11725970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reno, NV

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The instrument panel in my car went completely dark, leaving me without any knowledge of my speed. This is a massive safety risk. I am taking it to the dealership tomorrow, but there are no issues that came up when this failed, it just failed to boot correctly, and nothing I could do would bring it back.

NHTSA complaint #11722378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 28,000 miles Carbonville, CO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently accelerated. In addition, a message to take the vehicle to the dealer was displayed. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was charged to 90–100 percent. The contact stated that the vehicle did not drive safely and did not charge properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not yet been inspected. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V030000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

NHTSA complaint #11721681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, VA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

My 2023 VW ID4 has experienced multiple system failures/malfunctions (e.g., display, backup camera, climate controls, & speedometer failed) beginning in late November 2025. The following is a summary & an approximate timeline: Nov 4, 2025: “OUE7 – Software Update” email; dealer unable to complete (OTA update). Nov 7 & Nov 21, 2025: Weatherstrip repairs; maintenance inspections performed. Nov 30, 2025: Doors randomly unlocked; front, passenger door failed to latch; intermittent door popper issue. Door handles were previously replaced on Apr 2, 2025. Dec 14, 2025: Incorrect dynamic road signs/speed limits; vehicle mis‑positioned on maps; warnings: 1. “No data is available” 2. “Dynamic road sign display unavailable.” Dec 22, 2025: Major failures documented in photographs below: 1. Speedometer incorrect/no speed. 2. Brake/auto‑hold intermittent malfunction. 3. Multifunction display froze. 4. Defrost/climate controls unresponsive. 5. Backup camera failure. Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026: Vehicle at dealer for ~24 days; dealer unable to replicate issues above. Dealer documented CarNet/connected vehicle issues. VW requested switching CarNet carriers (from Verizon to T‑Mobile), not possible for 2023 ID4. Jan 14–15, 2026: Dealer stated “safe to drive”; vehicle picked up. Dealer said VW would contact once they have a resolution for the CarNet. Jan 17, 2026: Same failures (display, backup camera, etc.) above reoccurred; documented by service advisor/manager. Jan 27, 2026: Notifications of open recalls: High‑voltage battery fire risk (NHTSA Recall IDs 26V028, 26V030). Jan 17 – Jan 30, 2026: Vehicle at dealer additional ~13 days; 5F modules replaced. CarNet issues & recalls still unresolved. OUE7 update still appears to be incomplete. Jan 30, 2026: Dealer stated “safe to drive” again; vehicle picked up. Today, the CarNet app / connected vehicle issues & open recall remain unresolved. Continues to show doors open, windows down, & incorrect charge, location, & mileage.

NHTSA complaint #11715399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Antioch, CA Crash 3 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Date/Time of Incident: 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM Location: Small school parking lot Vehicle: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 On 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM, I was pulling out of a parking space at low speed in a small school parking lot in my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. As I began to move, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, the steering would not turn left, and the car did not respond to braking, moving at an abnormal rate of speed over a very short distance. Prior to this, there had been no warning messages or alerts, except a routine notification to service the car in 1,000 miles. The collision involved three vehicles: my VW, the main car I hit, and a rental car. My car spun and veered sideways, the parked SUV on the right was pushed sideways, forming a rough “H” pattern, and the rental car went up onto a rail ramp where children walk. My grandson observed the car’s tires spinning at impact, and he hit the seat behind me. Without the parked cars, the vehicle would have continued directly toward the school building, creating a very serious risk of fatal injuries to parents, staff, and children. Injuries: Myself — pain and emotional trauma; grandson — soft cast on foot/leg, crutches, pain; his mother — pain. The vehicle is awaiting Volkswagen guidance for inspection. Likely involved systems include Speed Control, Fuel/Propulsion System, and Electrical, but the exact cause is UNKNOWN. The incident has been reported to State Farm (claim #0596B819B), Volkswagen (Case #07294060), and police.

NHTSA complaint #11715038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mercer Island, WA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

On October 04/2025 The vehicle was parked and stationary when it suddenly accelerated forward on its own. The brakes were completely unresponsive. I had a passenger in the front seat, and both she and I are certain that I was pressing the brake, but the car did not slow down at all. Within a few seconds, the vehicle gained speed, and I lost control. There was no space to maneuver, and I could do nothing but brace myself against the seat and watch my rear passengers. The vehicle continued forward and crashed into a tree directly in front, causing damage to the right side of the bumper, and a large rock in front also received the impact. The airbags did not deploy. The two rear passengers struck their heads during the impact and sustained bumps, and my dog was also affected in the collision.This accident occurred despite the car having a recent annual inspection and software update. The sudden acceleration is not the only issue I have experienced with this vehicle. I have had additional safety concerns. The doors would lock, unlock and open by themselves while driving on the freeway. On May 2024, my dog was trapped inside when the doors locked automatically with my keys inside the car. I had to ask a police official in my neighborhood for a phone to call roadside assistance, and it took several hours to get my dog out of the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11693946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Los Angeles, CA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I was turning into a parking space on the street. I let my foot off the gas in order to brake.... as I did so the car LURCHED forward on its own about 2-3 feet running into the curb and damaging the wheel, the rim and the tire. I stomped on the brake, turned off the car, and restarted the car in order to finish parking (get out of traffic) and assess the damage. Thankfully nobody was hurt, although I am quite shaken up, losing confidence in the car... I have no idea what system malfunctioned.. the car went forward on its own with my foot off the accelerator. I've never experienced this before with this car or any other car. I drove the car directly to the service department at the dealership where they said they would inspect it and report it as well. I have not called the police. I have not alerted the insurance company. There were no warning lights before or after this incident.

NHTSA complaint #11686025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,000 miles Spanish Fork, UT Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID4. The contact stated that while driving into his driveway at 20 MPH, his jacket brushed against the resume button for the cruise control, and the vehicle launched forward, causing him to crash into the curb on two occasions. While at a car wash, the contact brushed against the resume button, and the vehicle lunged forward, startling the car wash worker. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who dismissed his concerns and informed him that the type of failure was not possible. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.

NHTSA complaint #11686040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Buttons on steering wheel can be accidentally activated when you move your hand over buttons. Very dangerous.

NHTSA complaint #11681473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marana, AZ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

It is very easy to inadvertently touch the "SET" button for the cruise control. The button is capacitive so a very light touch activates the button, and it is on the outer edge of steering wheel spoke, meaning a light brush while turning the wheel activate the button. When maneuvering at slow speeds (such as in a parking lot) this results in the car accelerating, uncommanded, and without warning, up to the minimum speed of the cruise control.

NHTSA complaint #11679962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 26,000 miles Oberlin, OH Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID-4. The contact stated while pulling into a parking space at barely 2 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into the rear of a building. The contact stated that while reversing from the scene, the failure recurred, and the vehicle failed to stop upon depressing the brake pedal and was uncontrollable. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed into a big concrete and iron post and stopped. A nearby auto body shop technician informed the contact that the vehicle was a total loss. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the automatic emergency braking system failed to engage as designed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The vehicle was towed to the police impound lot. The insurance company then towed the vehicle to IAA, a salvage vehicle auction lot, but the insurance company had not confirmed that the vehicle was a total loss. There was was property damage. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

NHTSA complaint #11678664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

El Paso, TX

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Cruise control / resume cruise can inadvertently be activated due to the haptic touch pads on the steering wheel. On multiple occasions when exiting a highway after using cruise control and while turning the steering wheel, my hand inadvertently brushes against the RESUME haptic touch pad, causing the vehicle to immediately speed up to my last preset cruise speed. This is a constant issue as I use my vehicle daily for work purposes, and has caused multiple near-accidents. Per my dealer, Volkswagen does not have a fix for this. This is a non-issue in my other VW vehicle, as it has button instead of haptic touch on the steering wheel. Haptic touch should not be on a steering wheel.

NHTSA complaint #11678548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carrboro, NC

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The speed indication that syncs with posted speed limits does not work, it either posts an incorrect speed or no speed at all. VW indicated this only affects some vehicles and they have no fix. It’s extremely dangerous if I see the limit as 70 mph on the car and then 1 mile later see a sign indicating I’m in a 35 mph zone

NHTSA complaint #11676352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Watertown, MA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

When driving at low speed in a parking log, vehicle began to accelerate suddenly. Driver was able to brake to avoid collision. Seemed to be due toaccidental touch of capacitive touch RES button on left side of steering wheel, which resumed previous ACC speed. ACC had not been use for several days prior, but system remembered previous high speed and tried to resume.

NHTSA complaint #11671183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Escondido, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

While driving between 45-50 mph the internment cluster went out and the center console did a reboot. I could not see the odometer and the brake worked but the excoriator did not seem as responsive as it normally is. This issues has occurred 2 other times and was taken to VW for service. There has also been instances of the car lunging forward spontaneously usually in a drive through or close follow traffic conditions. The technician said we needed to record it happening.

NHTSA complaint #11650013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Las Vegas, NV

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

After NHTSA 919A been applied for my VW ID4, NHTSA Recall ID Number 24V875 was not properly addressed. 1 week after the recall completed by Centenial VW, I still have computer crash and blackout in the main dash and infotainment systems. I've shown these photos to David Lucero at Centenial VW service and he claims it was done properly. Attached is the photos.

NHTSA complaint #11643767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Millsboro, DE

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Malfunctioning electrical and software in the vehicle. Vehicle's speedometer gauge display will occasionally go blank while driving. Longest video recorded event was 15 minutes of continuous operation with no displays on the speedometer or the infotainment screens. Infotainment system will also periodically reset. Dealer has tried many times to fix the issue, replacing infotainment screen multiple times and other control modules. At one point the infotainment system was resetting every 5 mins on the dot. Having issues with the backup camera staying on as well. Many times it will not be on steady, flickering on and off while in reverse. First reported occurance at 10,000

NHTSA complaint #11634810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Britain, CT

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

For the second time in this car, I experienced sudden acceleration while parking (turning right). I had to slam the brakes to prevent hitting a parked vehicle, causing whiplash. No warning or safety features engaged. See NHTSA crash incident report 11593929. There are sufficient similar reports to warrant an investigation and hold VW accountable.

NHTSA complaint #11632402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Salt Lake City, UT

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Both main panel and infotainments system of the vehicle are inoperable. No information on the vehicle is available when operating it such as speed/charge remaining/safety information such as engine lights/cameras, etc.

NHTSA complaint #11629051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Livermore, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

While driving on the freeway at approximately 65 MPH using adaptive cruise control (ACC) the steering column display changed from MPH to kilometers per hour (KPH). See attached photo and description. The change of cruise control setting distracted the driver and caused confusion since the ACC speed setting changed from 65 MPH to 104 KPH. It took a minute for the driver to realize the units of measure caused this change. The dealer has not confirmed this failure, since it is intermittent and has provided not resolution. Several communications to Volkswagen customer service provided no solution.

NHTSA complaint #11628122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, MA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

After six months, VW still doesn't have a repair for recall 24V344. My speedometer, backup camera, climate control, and all other functions controlled via the display screens malfunction. Both the dealer and and VW customer service have confirmed that no repair is available and they also will not provide a refund or replacement. My only option is to continue driving the car with malfunctioning key systems.

NHTSA complaint #11625456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bloomington, IL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Whole assist package malfunctions on daily basis making the cruise, lane assist, front collision warning, sign recognition not possible to use.

NHTSA complaint #11624905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kendall Park, NJ Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I left my office at about [XXX] on [XXX] Thursday for home, traffic was moderate, approaching the long weekend. I reached home at 5:29 pm, opened the garage and started parking the vehicle inside the car. All of a sudden, the car just took off and randomly accelerated and the next thing I found was that the vehicle landed and stopped right inside the house on the small island by the garage entrance, which is about 9” higher than garage floor, into the house with the front metal door and right side of the wall and bathroom door all shattered in front! On my left, I saw my wife in (by kitchen stove) in total panic and my [XXX] mother- in- law shouting to my wife. “What happened?!”, and my [XXX] grandson crying and closing his ears from the loud sound! Instinctively, as I realized I would not be able to exit the vehicle from where it was lodged, I reversed the vehicle back into garage where I could come out. As I switched into reverse gear (which this vehicle requires you to press the brake to be able to switch from drive to reverse), the vehicle again just accelerated with force. This time, damaging the garbage can in the garage, left garage door vertical track, drywall and outside brick wall, as the brakes were not engaging. If I had not steered my car right or left, I would have landed in the living room of the house across the street. Therefore, I steered to the right to remain on the street (in hindsight, this may not have been the best choice – in case there was another vehicle or resident walking on the street). As my vehicle was in reverse, going towards the street perpendicular to mine, it knocked down the street sign pole onto my property, ran over the curb, grass, and landscaping stones on my lawn. Finally, the vehicle stopped two feet away from my living room window and 3-4 feet above street level, under a tree on my front lawn, crashing against a big landscaping rock. When the vehicle stopped, it took me at least 30 seconds to rea INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FO

NHTSA complaint #11624250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 problems

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