Last updated: 2026-10-10
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Reliability Report
The 2023 Volkswagen ID-4 rates well below average among 2023 SUVs, with sudden forward lurches at parking speeds the most serious complaint.
Recalls
14
Complaints
402
Complaint Rate
N/A
Est. Repair Cost
N/A
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
The weakest scored ID-4 year, with more recalls than its neighbors and owner reports of lurching at parking speeds and charging-port fires.
Top Issues to Watch
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (176)
- STRUCTURE (34)
- POWER TRAIN (24)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2023 received a 2023 refresh update for the First generation (E21).
- Changes: New 62 kWh battery option; Redesigned center console; 12-inch infotainment system.
- Year 3 in this generation (2021–2024).
- 1st generation ID.4 (US).
What this means for buyers
Refresh years bring updates but can also introduce new issues. Check early recall data before buying.
2021: First generation (E21) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2023: This Model Year (Refresh)
2023 received a 2023 refresh update for the First generation (E21).
2024: Mid-Cycle Refresh
Updated features and styling tweaks.
Should You Buy the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4?
Among 2023 SUVs, this one sits well below average, and it is the weakest of the five scored ID-4 years. Owners filed 402 complaints and federal records list 14 recalls. The 2022 model rates better, with 126 complaints and 7 recalls. The 2024 also rates better, but it is newer and has had less time to collect complaints. Crash-test results are strong at 5 of 5 stars.
Unwanted motion is the biggest worry. Owners describe the car lurching forward from a crawl or out of Auto Hold into fences, trees, and parked cars. A light brush of the touch-sensitive cruise buttons on the steering wheel can send it toward the last cruise speed, and dealers told owners there is no fix. Several fire reports began at the charging port, and three recalls carry a park-outside warning. Doors can also open while the car is moving.
Ask for proof that every recall repair is finished, including the park-outside ones. A 2022 is worth pricing as well.
Compared to the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4, which scored 4 points higher. See also the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +5-star NHTSA crash rating
- +Well-established generation
Cons
- −Below-average reliability score
- −Above-average recall count
- −Above-average complaint volume
- −ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Sudden lurches at parking speeds are the most common serious report (176 complaints)
- −5 fire incidents reported in owner complaints
- −Safety recall: park-outside advisory issued
Compare 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 With
2023 Audi Q5
Reliability: 71/100
2023 Toyota bZ4X
Reliability: 73/100
2023 Lexus NX
Reliability: 77/100
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Reliability: 70/100
2023 Porsche Cayenne
Reliability: 61/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
LOW RISK- 14 manufacturer recalls issued
Other
HIGH RISK- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (176)
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER (52)
Recall Overview
14
recalls on record
The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 has 14 recalls on record, which is above average. A high count can flag multiple component concerns, though it also shows the manufacturer is actively addressing known issues.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
402
complaintsSafety Incidents
42
Crashes
5
Fires
27
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 5/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Recall Details
14 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 ID.4 vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
Consequence
A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the high-voltage battery software, and replace the high-voltage battery, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 20, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93EA. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 23, 2026.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. The high voltage (HV) battery cell modules may contain misaligned electrodes that can result in a battery fire.
Consequence
A vehicle fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging indoors overnight until the recall repair is complete. Also, owners are advised not to use Level 3 DC chargers and to limit the maximum charge of the battery to 80% until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will replace the high voltage battery cell modules as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93EW. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 23, 2026.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. The high voltage (HV) battery cell modules may contain misaligned electrodes that can result in a battery fire.
Consequence
A vehicle fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging indoors overnight until the recall repair is complete. Also, owners are advised not to use Level 3 DC chargers and to limit the maximum charge of the battery to 80% until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will replace the high voltage battery cell modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 11, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93EV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 5, 2025.
Showing 10 of 14 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
14 recalls and a score of 42 — check any 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 before buying
With a below-average reliability score, a VIN check is especially important. Uncover hidden accidents, title problems, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls that data alone can't show you.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 10.3%
Safety Technologies
Volkswagen ID.4Repair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
2Maintenance rating: 2 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Example Repair Prices
National average price ranges for common repairs. These are not model-year-specific failure predictions.
| Repair | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Tire Pressure Monitor Lamp Diagnosis | $182 – $268 |
| General Diagnosis | $140 – $206 |
| Noise Diagnosis | $182 – $268 |
| Vibration Diagnosis | $182 – $268 |
| No Start Diagnosis | $182 – $268 |
| Pre-Purchase Car Inspection | $253 – $371 |
| Engine Oil Light Diagnosis | $182 – $268 |
| Check Engine Light Diagnosis & Testing | $182 – $268 |
| AC Diagnosis | $140 – $206 |
| Air Conditioning System Leak Inspection | $140 – $206 |
Estimates based on national average repair costs. Actual costs may vary by location and shop.
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4.
Run the VIN for open recalls and confirm door-handle and high-voltage battery repairs are completed, not waiting on parts.
Open every door from inside and outside several times, and listen for unlocking or clicking sounds while driving.
Inspect the DC fast-charging port for scorching, melting, or burn damage.
Plug into Level 2 and DC fast chargers, and confirm charging starts, reaches its target level, and shows no warnings.
Ease into several parking spaces, including from Auto Hold, and confirm the car stops cleanly without lurching forward.
Have a dealer scan for high-voltage battery fault codes and report battery health before purchase.
Drive a marked highway with Travel Assist on and note any pull out of the lane or silent disengagement.
With smart seat on, have a passenger exit and watch whether the front seat reclines on its own.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Common Problems by Component
402 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
176 complaintsSafety-relatedID.4 electrical problems across all model years
Sudden lurches at parking speeds are the most common serious report. Cars surge forward from a crawl or out of Auto Hold and hit fences, trees, and parked cars, and 6 complaints involve crashes. Fires are the other major risk. Of the 4 fire reports, several began at the charging port during DC fast charging or while charging at home. Some owners say they were told to park outside, avoid fast charging, and cap charging at 80% while repair parts had no timeline. Other reports include doors that won't open, front seats that recline on their own, and screens that go black.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
52 complaintsSafety-relatedUnintended acceleration at low speed drives most of these reports. Drivers describe the car surging while parking or in a drive-thru and hitting posts, walls, and other cars, often with no automatic braking. Seven involve crashes. Another report has a car slipping out of Park on a hill and rolling backward. One describes a battery fire while driving that reignited days later at a tow yard. The built-in navigation often puts the car in the wrong place, sometimes 50 miles off, and shows wrong speed limits. Dealers report no fix.
STRUCTURE
34 complaintsSafety-relatedDoors open by themselves while the car is moving, or they won't open from outside, which leaves rear passengers to climb out over the seats. Most of these complaints are about waiting for a door-handle recall repair that dealers couldn't do because parts were back-ordered for months. Some owners also hear unlocking or clicking sounds from the doors while driving. In one case, a dealer found missing and loose door latch bolts after an earlier door-handle repair. A single crash report describes the car surging forward while held in Auto Hold in stopped traffic.
POWER TRAIN (24 complaints)
POWER TRAIN
24 complaintsSafety-relatedHigh-voltage battery and drive faults lead these reports. Owners cite fast battery wear, isolation and battery voltage fault codes, and repeated "Electrical system not working correctly" warnings. Charging stops early or quits at random levels, and DC fast charging is slow. One owner was quoted nearly $5,000 to replace a failed rear drive motor after hearing a clicking noise at 62,000 miles. Some cars die while backing up, then black out their screens and reboot. Others overheat in extreme desert heat or lunge forward from a stop.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (22 complaints)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
22 complaintsSafety-relatedAccidental cruise activation is the most consistent pattern. A light brush of the touch-sensitive RES or SET buttons on the steering wheel while turning sends the car toward the last cruise speed, even in parking lots and driveways, and dealers say there is no fix. Separate reports describe full-power surges while parking with brakes that don't respond, and 9 complaints involve crashes, some with airbag deployment and injuries. Owners also report power cutting out mid-turn and speed-limit readouts that are wrong or missing.
SERVICE BRAKES (14 complaints)
SERVICE BRAKES
14 complaintsSafety-relatedUnintended acceleration with the brake pedal pressed is the main crash pattern. Cars lunge into walls, fences, and light poles while pulling into parking spaces, and 6 complaints involve crashes. Phantom braking is the other common problem. The car slams on its brakes in reverse or at walking speed for things like leaves or trash bins and sometimes shifts into Park. Owners also describe the pedal sinking to the floor just before a stop, cars rolling back after being put in Park on a slope, and front brakes that squeak constantly.
STEERING (12 complaints)
STEERING
12 complaintsSafety-relatedLane-keeping and Travel Assist pull the car out of its lane: toward a center divider, off the road on uphill stretches, or into oncoming traffic at intersections. Drivers have to fight the wheel to stay in their lane, and one such event caused a crash with an injury. Other reports describe a failed steering column module that locked the column and disabled the car, and a dead 12V battery that killed power steering days after delivery. Some cars move opposite to the selected gear during tight three-point turns. Steering wheel wraps peel early.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (11 complaints)
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
11 complaintsSafety-relatedUnexpected driver-assist behavior shows up both ways. In some reports, adaptive cruise reengages while the driver is parking, or the car takes over in reverse and drives into houses or parked cars while the brakes have no effect. Four complaints involve crashes. In others, the car brakes hard for no reason, including stopping fully while merging and braking three times on one short drive. Travel Assist can switch off without a warning sound. Blackouts of the main screen can disable safety systems and the emergency call feature while driving.
SEATS (4 complaints)
SEATS
4 complaintsSafety-relatedThe front passenger seat sometimes reclines fully on its own as the occupant gets out, pinning the legs of children in the back seat and causing pain. Owners link this to the smart seat or memory function, and in one case the memory setting had changed to the fully reclined position. A separate report says the driver seat sensor shifts the car into Park when the driver moves slightly, including while reversing, and one of these events led to a crash. Owners also report seat play and creaking in the lowest seat position.
AIR BAGS (4 complaints)
AIR BAGS
4 complaintsSafety-relatedMost of these reports are sudden-acceleration crashes in which the airbags did not deploy. Drivers describe the car surging while pulling into parking spaces or after a change of gear. The brakes did not stop it, and in one case the steering locked. Three of the four complaints involve crashes. The one non-crash report describes an airbag warning light caused by a failed driver seat sensor, with the replacement part back-ordered for 3 months.
Best & Worst Volkswagen ID.4 Years
Best Volkswagen ID.4 Years to Buy
Based on reliability index scoreVolkswagen ID.4 Years to Avoid
2023
(Current Model)
Volkswagen ID.4 Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 46/100 | Mixed |
| 2022 | 49/100 | Mixed |
| 2023 | 42/100 | Mixed |
| 2024 | 46/100 | Mixed |
| 2025 | 59/100 | Mixed |
Volkswagen ID.4 Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2023 Volkswagen ID-4 reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Volkswagen ID-4?
Does the 2023 Volkswagen ID-4 have door problems?
Is the 2023 Volkswagen ID-4 a fire risk?
Is the 2022 or 2024 Volkswagen ID-4 better than the 2023?
Don’t buy a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 does best on recall impact (45/100) and worst on repair costs (40/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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