The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·23V312000·Announced 2023-05-03

Volkswagen ID.4 Door Handles May Open Unexpectedly Due to Water Intrusion

Certain 2021-2022 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles have door handles that may allow water to enter the circuit board assembly, potentially causing doors to open unexpectedly while driving. Volkswagen will update vehicle software and inspect door handles at no cost to owners.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This is a structural vehicle defect where doors may open unexpectedly during driving. Although the hazard is serious, the source reports no injuries, and the condition requires specific circumstances (high lateral forces at low speeds); under the rubric, risk-of-harm products without reported injury score as High (3).

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen is recalling certain 2021 and 2022 ID.4 vehicles due to a defect in the exterior door handles. The affected handles may allow water to enter the circuit board assembly.

When water enters the circuit board assembly inside the door handle, it can cause the door locking system to malfunction. Under certain conditions—specifically when the vehicle experiences high lateral forces at speeds below 9 miles per hour—this defect may cause the doors to open unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion. An unintended door opening while driving increases the risk of injury to occupants.

Volkswagen will remedy this defect by updating the vehicle's software and inspecting the door handles for water damage, at no cost to the owner. Owner notification was mailed on March 19, 2023. Owners should contact their local Volkswagen dealer or call Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 to schedule an appointment. For additional assistance, owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
Brand
VOLKSWAGEN
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle
Hazard
  • unexpected-door-opening
  • water-ingress
  • electrical-failure
Affected units
35,325

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • ID.4

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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