Volkswagen recalls over 44,000 ID.4 electric vehicles in the US due to battery fire risks from manufacturing defects and missing software. Learn about the causes and safety measures.
© B. Naumkin
Volkswagen has announced a major recall of over 44,000 ID.4 electric vehicles in the United States due to potential fire risks with high-voltage batteries. The information was published in two separate notices from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Both cases involve relatively new vehicles and relate to issues within the battery system.
The first recall affects a small batch of 670 ID.4s from the 2023 and 2024 model years. According to Volkswagen, these battery modules may have a manufacturing defect: electrodes inside the cells could be misaligned, which under certain conditions increases the likelihood of overheating and fire. While the company prepares a final solution, owners are advised to limit charging to 80%, avoid DC fast charging, and park the vehicle outdoors after charging. Volkswagen will later replace potentially problematic modules free of charge.
The second recall is significantly larger, covering 43,881 ID.4 electric vehicles from the 2023–2025 model years. Here, the problem stems from missing battery monitoring software. The cars did not receive a "self-discharge detection" system designed to flag abnormal battery behavior. In rare cases, this can lead to thermal runaway—a dangerous process capable of causing a fire.
Volkswagen stated it will conduct diagnostics on the battery conditions, install updated software, and replace modules if necessary. The battery components are supplied by SK Battery America, a subsidiary of the South Korean company SK On. In the U.S., at least five cases of ID.4 battery overheating have been reported in 2024–2025, with investigations linking the incidents to hardware deviations and electrode misalignment.
The ID.4 remains Volkswagen's best-selling electric vehicle and a key model in the brand's electrification strategy. In 2025, global sales of the ID.4 and coupe-like ID.5 reached 163,400 units, showing growth of nearly 27%. However, this recall could seriously impact the model's reputation amid increasing competition in the electric car market.