98 of the
1,779 complaints filed about the Volkswagen ID.4
are about the braking system —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2023.
After periods of rain or driving in wet conditions, when parking on an incline, the vehicle will not release the automatic parking brake without hard physical input to the accelerator causing a loud bang from the rear axle - this has happened numerous times over the past year
NHTSA complaint #11758693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have experienced braking issues with my 2023 ID.4. It would randomly require me to put press the brake pedal all the way to the floor and would still roll past stop lines, and near miss with cars in front of me. It happens more often when the road is wet and raining weather. I was told by two VW service centers that my breaks were normal and they found nothing wrong with the car as they couldn't replicate the issue. After doing some digging online I found out other ID.4 owners had to go to multiple service centers working with offsite EV team to have a proper diagnosis for the problem. They found that the ABS module was offline so the Brake Booster was not functioning. The scary part is that there was NO lights or errors indicating this. The biggest issue at the VW service centers are lack of EV knowledges, tools for proper diagnosis, and overwhelm by too many complaints from owners. My lease was ended and I returned the vehicle to VW informing them of faulty part/breaking issues with no warnings. The scary part is that there could be many people driving these cars that can have this happen randomly without ANY warning. I was lucky that I did not cause harm or liable for any loss during my 3 years of ownership. I am sure the issue is known from corporate level and just got ignored.
NHTSA complaint #11757162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 6/29/2026, While engaging the brakes on my leased ID.4, I was slowing down approaching another car, and suddenly the vehicle surged forward with full acceleration. It then suddenly re-engaged the brakes just before the vehicle in front of me. On 7/1/2026, I was stopped in traffic near Englewood City Center on I-285. Then with brakes engaged the ID.4 surged forward twice (2x's) striking the late model Chevy pickup in front of me both times. This resulted in a four (4) car chain reaction accident. To date, no one has claimed injuries, but the Chevy pickup was damaged. I received a summons to appear in court. Case yet to be adjudicated. On 7/2/2026, while taking the ID.4 to the dealership where I lease it to look into the problem of the previous two (2) days; the ID.4 again accelerated while slowing down at a stop light. This time no one was in front of me. At the dealership the service people have been unable to locate the issue nor have they been able to replicate it. I have left the vehicle with the dealer because of the dire safety issue this failure poses. Now, they say it is a Volkswagen (company) issue, and they have opened a case. They instructed me to contact Volkswagen USA. To date, I have not had any results from Volkswagen USA, the ID.4 is still a safety issue, I have a court date with no evidence of vehicle malfunction, and now the dealership is telling me that I have to come and remove the ID.4 from there premises. I have sent four (4) letters to dealership and to Volkswagen, and agreed to continue paying on my Lease until a definitive solution is found. On further investigation, there are numerous similar cases of the same/similar issues with 2025 and 2024 ID.4's. There are lawsuits and deaths from similar failures, but no one from Volkswagen mentions this. Until the issue is solved I do not feel this vehicle should be driven for my personal safety and for the safety of the public at large.
NHTSA complaint #11753066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While stopped at traffic light, and with foot depressing brake pedal, vehicle started to move forward on its own. Foot was fully depressed on brake and vehicle still rolled forward, almost causing accident. Extremely dangerous and seems to be a very common issue with this vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11751055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While attempting to park in my driveway, the vehicle experienced a complete loss of braking. The brake pedal did not stop the vehicle, and pressing the electronic parking brake switch had no effect. The vehicle continued forward and crashed through my closed garage door. The only reason it stopped was because it struck another vehicle parked inside my garage. That impact pushed the parked vehicle into my garage refrigerator, which then damaged the drywall on the garage wall adjacent to my bedroom. None of the safety systems functioned as expected. The parking sensors did not activate, there were no proximity warnings, and the automatic emergency braking system did not engage. After the crash, I exited the vehicle, but it remained powered on instead of shutting down automatically. It only turned off after I got back into the vehicle and exited multiple times. This incident involved a total loss of hydraulic and regenerative braking, an unresponsive electronic parking brake switch, failure of the parking sensors and automatic emergency braking, and failure of the high-voltage shutdown sequence upon driver exit, resulting in a structural collision. The vehicle has been towed to the dealership and is available for inspection. I am awaiting the dealership's diagnosis and have also reported the incident to my insurance company. No warning lights or messages appeared before the failure. This malfunction created a serious safety hazard and could have resulted in severe injury or death if anyone had been in the vehicle's path.
NHTSA complaint #11748156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 (VIN [XXX] ), purchased new [XXX]; now ~20,000 miles. Since the first months of ownership it has had recurring, intermittent electrical/software/capacitive-control and safety failures: the center infotainment screen and instrument cluster go blank while driving (loss of speedometer); the power windows operate opposite to the control input or fail to respond (about 1 in 4 drives); the vehicle intermittently fails to detect occupants and enters standby while people are inside, including while charging; door handles malfunction; and the high-voltage battery has recently been overheating. It is subject to recalls 919A/24V-344 (display software), 57J9/24V-651 (door handles), and 93EA/26V-030 & 26V-028 (battery fire risk), yet the defects persist after these remedies. Dealers repeatedly recorded "could not duplicate" - at times despite video I provided - but a second dealer verified the display and window faults and replaced the J685 display unit and the driver's-door master window switch ([XXX], May 2025). VW's own recall filing (24V-344) states a "definitive root cause could not be established." Dealers also clear the CAN bus / fault memory during recall service, erasing the intermittent codes and making the defects hard to document. These failures create genuine crash and fire risk. No crash or injury to date. Dated video and repair-order documentation available - some provided in packet below. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11740971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Recurring Defects – 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S Vehicle * Year/Model: Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S * Ongoing recurring defects across software, electrical, interior, safety, and mechanical systems. Aesthetic / Interior Defects Interior Trim and Structural Noises * Fading light bar panel. * Excessive interior plastic creaking during cold weather. * Roof creaking noises in cold temperatures. Software / Electrical / Safety Defects Infotainment System Failures * Infotainment center becomes laggy or unresponsive. * Touchscreen and touch-sensitive buttons frequently fail to respond. * Infotainment screen intermittently shuts down completely and remains black until the vehicle is powered off and restarted. Door Locking / Unlocking Malfunctions * Doors unlock randomly while driving. * Vehicle locks itself while key fob remains inside vehicle. * Trunk may remain unlocked while doors lock. Seatbelt Detection and Warning System Failures * Rear passenger seatbelt warning light activates while passenger is properly restrained. * Warning light cycles on and off intermittently while passenger remains buckled. * Rear seatbelt sensor eventually stopped functioning entirely. * Driver seatbelt warning now intermittently activates while driving at freeway speeds despite seatbelt being engaged. * Audible seatbelt alarm activates randomly while driving. Major Electrical System Failure While Driving Incident occurred while: * Driving uphill at approximately 35 mph. * Sitting stopped at a traffic light on city streets. Symptoms included: * All dashboard warning lights illuminated simultaneously. * Horn activated repeatedly (“beep beep beep”). * Hazard lights activated without driver input. * Turn signal sounds activated unexpectedly. * Event lasted approximately 2–3 minutes. * Vehicle then emitted a power-down sound. * Entire system shut off and later resumed normal operation. Navigation / Connectivity Failures * Satellite/navigation system unable to locate vehicle. * Maps and connected navigati
NHTSA complaint #11739806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While reversing out of a parking space, my 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 automatically braked and stopped abruptly. Immediately afterward, the vehicle accelerated forward unexpectedly. I pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not respond and crashed into a retaining wall. A forensic analysis of the vehicle’s event data showed the accelerator was at 100% and the vehicle was traveling approximately 22 mph at impact. The airbags deployed, the vehicle was totaled, and both occupants sustained injuries. I believe the vehicle experienced a serious malfunction involving the braking and acceleration systems.
NHTSA complaint #11739175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
When I was backing from a parking space, another car drove behind mine and the car's maneuvering braking kicked in and decelerated the vehicle. When I stepped on the brake, the car then accelerated backwards and caused me to collide with the crossing vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11736787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Request for Investigation: Volkswagen is intentionally ignoring a widespread GPS/SOS module failure and leaving thousands of battery fire hazards on the road, while its dealers exploit safety service visits to extort customers. I urge the NHTSA to launch a formal investigation into VW’s failure to recall the defective GPS modules and their systemic practice of offering cash settlements to suppress safety defect reporting. Thank you for your attention to this urgent public safety matter. I stand ready to provide all supporting documentation, including the dealer’s fraudulent invoice and VW’s settlement communications, upon your request. I respectfully urge the NHTSA to act swiftly and decisively to prevent another corporate cover-up like Dieselgate, and before these unaddressed safety defects result in a fatal tragedy—as we recently saw with Hyundai's delayed recall following a child's death.
NHTSA complaint #11724884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
After rain or snow, vehicle will not release from park even when shifted to drive. After pressing accelerator a few times vehicle will make a loud bang from the rear (loud enough to sound as though something is coming apart) and then start to move. This happens in warm and cold weather
NHTSA complaint #11714389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle's emergency communication system (SOS button) and CarNet connectivity completely failed, disabling critical safety features. Repair History: First Attempt: The vehicle was at the authorized dealer (Volkswagen of Union, NJ) for 2 days. They replaced a communication module but released the vehicle to me with the SOS system still non-functional and without verifying the repair. Current Status: The vehicle has been back at the same dealership for over 14 days (Total cumulative days out of service: 16+ days). The dealer has failed to fix the safety defect and also refuses to address a persistent internal brake pedal noise, dismissing it without proper diagnosis. This vehicle is currently unsafe to drive as it cannot contact emergency services in the event of a crash
NHTSA complaint #11706702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since purchasing my vehicle in January of 2023 the front breaks have been squeaking. I brought this to the attention of the dealer where I purchased the vehicle, several times. I even asked them how I will I even supposed to know if I need new brakes because the start of the squeaking is typically a sign to get your brakes checked. Anyway, online auto forums are loaded with this squeaking brake problem!!! A few weeks ago I went in for service and VW told me my brakes were at 6mm, and suggested replacement of the pads. Yes, at 6 mm! So now all I can help but think that VW has known all along about this brake problem and at about year three, they feel that they can recommend a brake job. After leaving the dealership, I went to the garage near my house and they ordered new front pads and rotors. My problem has been resolved!! Squeaking gone!! The safety concern here is that driving this vehicle with the squeaky brakes for year will cause the driver to ignore the ongoing squeaking noise, which may result in them driving beyond the life of the brakes.
NHTSA complaint #11704857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and there was a loud revving noise coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle then independently accelerated at full speed. The contact stated that her husband depressed the brake pedal several times, but the vehicle did not slow down, and the steering wheel locked, preventing the driver from steering the vehicle to safety. The vehicle then crashed into the back of another vehicle that was either stopped or was moving extremely slow. The contact’s husband sustained back, and neck injuries but had not sought medical intention. The insurance company informed the contact the that the other driver had since sought medical attention. A Police report was filed but was not available. The other vehicle was driven from the scene; however, the contact’s vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
NHTSA complaint #11704680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle has difficulty coming to a stop and requires slamming the brakes in full which causes a loud churning noise, the braking is intermittent, sometimes it works well and sometimes it works terribly. It is a huge safety issue. Also the lane keep assist seems to not work so well as well, it will drift out of the lanes at times when it is on
NHTSA complaint #11688878 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car is stopped and still due to heavy traffic . All of a sudden, while stopping, it starts moving and rolling away by itself. I try to stop it using the break pedal but it doesn’t stop.
NHTSA complaint #11687326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.