2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Reliability Report

Most reports here describe the car lunging forward in a parking lot or at a stop while the steering and brakes stop responding. Five of 16 complaints involve crashes, and two involve injuries. Other reports cover sudden shutdowns that drop the car into neutral, lane keeping that steers toward a freeway barrier, and steering that goes loose on cruise control. A touch-sensitive cruise button can resume speed when it gets brushed while turning the wheel. A thumping noise from the front wheel wells in wet weather also shows up.

Sudden loss of drive power is the main complaint. A warning says the electrical system is not working, sometimes along with 12-volt battery errors, and the car coasts to a stop on highways and busy streets. Some cars stay stuck in park for up to 30 minutes until their systems reset. Other reports describe power cutting out when accelerating from a stop, a front motor failure at about 72,000 miles, shifting out of park without pressing the brake, and a parked car rolling away. Dealers often cannot find the fault.

Brakes grab hard just before the car comes to a stop. Some owners link this to a recent software update and to wet roads. Stability control also brakes individual wheels on dry curves and highway ramps with no loss of grip, which slows the car unexpectedly. Other reports describe a brake pedal that goes stiff or fails to stop the car, a parking brake that stops working, and the car rolling back on hills. Two complaints involve crashes.

Unintended acceleration at low speed is the main pattern and the most serious one. Cars lurch forward while parking or in drive-through lines, even with the brake pressed. Of 14 complaints, 8 involve crashes, with 6 injuries. Some cases involve the touch-sensitive cruise control button getting bumped while turning the wheel. Other reports describe adaptive cruise control dropping out at highway speed, displays rebooting while driving, stability control cutting power on moderate corners, and the accelerator briefly not responding.

Power cuts out briefly when accelerating from a stop, most often in B mode. It comes back after the pedal is released and pressed again. Dealers have not been able to reproduce it. One complaint describes a fire that started in a battery module on the freeway and injured the driver. Other filings cover delays in high-voltage battery repairs, including a dealer without a certified technician. A charge port door that locks shut and rolling back on hills also appear.

Airbag warning lights stay on. Dealers either cannot fix them or confirm a passenger airbag fault but have no repair. One report describes a curtain airbag deploying at 35 mph after the doors locked and unlocked on their own, which led to a crash and a burn injury. The passenger seat sensor also sets off the seat belt chime when a laptop or heavy bag sits on the seat.

Automatic emergency braking kicks in with nothing ahead. One owner was rear-ended after the car braked hard from highway speed. When reversing, shifting weight in the seat to look over a shoulder can trigger an abrupt stop. Other reports describe adaptive cruise and lane keeping switching off on curves with no audible warning, and sudden acceleration when the touch-sensitive resume button is brushed. In another report, all gauges and the backup camera go blank.