Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 36 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 36, in the owner's own words
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
I was pulling into street parking spot behind a parked car at a slow speed and braking to stop. I put my foot on the brake to bring the car to a complete stop but instead of slowing down the car accelerated straight into the vehicle in front of me. The rear end of the car in front of me was substantially damaged.
The vehicle accelerated without control and crashed into the wall between my garage and the adjacent laundry room. That day someone could have easily been seriously hurt or killed. The problem was investigated but could not been reproduced. The vehicle was inspected by a team of investigators from the Manufacturer, VW. No warning signs or abnormal situations prior the the incident. The vehicle was in our possession and driven for 3 years, about 55k miles, no issues ever. The driver at the time is an experienced driver and familiar with the vehicle operation for three years.
I believe Volkswagen has made a recent software change which causes the brakes to malfunction when operating in the rain. The problem began after I had a software update performed by the dealer in January 2025 and manifests itself when slowing down and approaching the last mile or two per hour when stopping, and suddenly the brakes slam on causing the car to come to a jarring stop. This is specifically tied to when it is either raining or the roads are wet. I have taken this to the maintenance department of my local VW dealer and their response has been that the car is "Operating as Volkswagen has designed it to." This is a recent change as I am the only owner of this car and have owned it for 4 years and have driven 60,000 miles without these symptoms. I also spoke with Volkswagen North America. They were sympathetic, but told me that it was a dealer issue.
1. Electronic brake system failure - the vehicle exhibited this issue and so far it appears Volkswagen does not have a resolution. Vehicle has been at the dealership for almost 2 months and they have not been able to fix. Several other reports show that this is a consistent issue with the ID4 (probably the first edition). Fixed are often temporary and the issues resurfaces again 2. Battery Module issue: it appears these vehicles have defective batteries. One module was fixed by Volkswagen - however the capacity only dropped further. I suspect there is a major issue with these batteries and pose a fire hazard (similar to Chevy Bolt) and Volkswagen is intentionally concealing this fact.
After installing the latest over-the-air software update few days ago, our car began exhibiting a serious braking issue. When coming to a stop, the brakes lock while the vehicle is still in motion, causing a sudden and dramatic jerk forward. This occurs nearly every time we decelerate to a stop, regardless of speed or road conditions. This problem has escalated to the point where we no longer feel safe driving the car, as it poses a risk to the occupants due to its forceful nature
I leased a car three years ago. This ID4 on May 15,2023 left me at a full stop in the middle of the highway. I then dropped it off to the dealer where they inspected it and saw it was a sensor/software issue, I think. They never actually disclosed the problem, nor held accountability. They insured me after almost two weeks of having to pay gas for a loaner car that they had fixed it and it was safe. After that incident and before my car had been in service countless times, all very inconvenient but not immediate safety issues, until the door handles. The door handles have been recalled twice before this last incident. My car was in there for over two weeks again back and forth. They broke my actual handles and had to go back in again, they claimed they were fixed. Now, almost 6monthankater I go to buy this lemon pre certified through the dealer and they tell me they can’t because it has two open recalls. They failed to say that the open recalls have been since May and are only now informing id4 owners that their doors may unlatch any any moment while driving and kill your babies and someone else’s on the road. Yet, they want me to either extend my lease, turn in the car and pay over mileage (even though I thought I was leasing to buy) or buy out the car not certified through a third party with two open recalls. I am being bullied into keeping a lemon. This car is a lemon and I want Volkswagen to take it off my hands waiving any over mileage and either giving me a new id4 that is safe or my 21,000 dollars I have paid into it. I am not the only one legally bound to these lemons. I demand a resolution for my consumer rights. I will speak to every news station out there until I seek justice for me and so many others.
Vehicle had a complete failure due to electrical issues and was brought to dealership. It was apparently due to recall issues which were repaired. The vehicle was returned 2 weeks ago. Today, shortly after exiting a highway, while traveling approx. 15-20mph then vehicle completely shut down. It stopped suddenly and unexpectedly and went into neutral. I could not put the car back into drive or park. The dash indicated electrical issues, airbag issues, collision sensors, brake issues and said “vehicle must not be towed”. Vehicle is currently at dealership.
The first time I was stopped at an intersection. Luckily there was no one in front of me as the car, without warning, accelerated at full throttle. Although my foot was on the brake, and I was braking as hard as I could, the car continued to lunge forward. It finally stopped and I backed up to my original position in the intersection. The second time it happened I was pulling into a parking spot in a busy shopping center. Without warning, the car accelerated out of control, and, although I was braking as hard as I could the car continued to accelerate forward. It jumped the curb, crossed the sidewalk, and hit a large commercial postal mailbox knocking it off of its base in the concrete. There was significant damage to the vehicle but luckily in both cases no one was injured. Had anyone been on the sidewalk in that shopping center they would have been killed. It is a miracle no one was injured or killed.
I drove an ID-4 down south and preparing for right turn. Suddenly, the car was accelerating to a very high speed with the accelerator not being pressed (spontaneous acceleration). I tried hard to press the brake, but no effectiveness. Instead of turning a 90-degree angle to the west direction, the car only turned 45 degrees toward southwest, hitting the safety island and jump over the island, then crossing the eastbound road, climbing up the curb and the left side of the car hit the street tree. The car then snaked along the sidewalk and grass toward west before it stopped. The car then is pulled to the body shop (Caliber in San Jose). 1) Accelerator and brake are both failed. The car spontaneously accelerates itself and cannot be stopped even pressing the brake paddle 2) In the collision, my left shoulder and neck got hurts. 3) Not yet. The car is in the body shop. 4) The car is in the body shop. Police has seen the car. 5) No. It happened suddenly.
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, there was an abnormal odor of smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was determined that the smoke and burning odor were coming from the rear passenger’s side wheel well. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer who stated that the rear passenger’s side drum brake was faulty. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that earlier while driving the "low tire pressure" warning had been displayed. The failure mileage was 22,000.
1. The brake pedal freezes intermittently when I step on the brake. 2. The sensor is faulty - it flashes red and warns me that the brake isn't working. 3. In autonomous driving mode, it did not detect the vehicle in front of me and didn't slow down. 4. After driving in the rain, the front brakes seized up. VW of Wellesley in MA said they fixed these issues, but I continue to experience 1 and 2. It hasn't rained so I couldn't test #4. My car was in the shop from [XXX] to [XXX] this last time. Previously, it was there twice for shorter time. #2 first happened when my car was new. I mentioned it to the sales guy and he said the sensor was probably blocked. It kept happened but when my car stopped detecting the car in front on the highway, I knew something was wrong. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The car was stuck in the garage; the electronic parking brake failed to disengage. I couldn't shift to the Drive mode. The vehicle had to be dragged out from the garage and is presently at the dealer. The dealer was able to reproduce and confirm the issue. Many errors popped up on the Dashboard when turning on the start button - Electrical System Not working correctly, Drive System Error, Auto Hold Error, TPMS Error. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem before the failure. The vehicle is a risk as it may not brake at high speed or fail to move after coming to a complete stop. The vehicle is at the dealer, and I have opened up a case with Volkswagen today and am awaiting to hear from them. Its UNKNOWN if the manufacturer had inspected the vehicle.
While traveling at highway speeds I suddenly got multiple warnings of the parking brake becoming inoperative, Auto Hold Error, and Travel Assist and Cruise Control no longer available. When trying to park the vehicle's parking brake would not engage and a loud warning sound and red warning message with "Do not park vehicle on an incline" came up on the dash. The vehicle was not able to be parked on any surface without it potentially rolling away. When trying to take the car into the dealership on Monday, 9/11/2023 the vehicle would not move out of "Park" and had be dragged out of the garage it was parked in.
This car was marketed as an easy transition from gasoline powered engines, meaning its braking maneuvers should not have been largely different. However the 2021 electric did not come with auto hold which VW later determined should be added for brake safety reasons. In 2022 VW had a software upgrade and as of Sept. 2023 it has yet to be installed for me. However any update was already too late for me. In Nov. 2021 this scenario happened: I pulled up to my garage and realized the car was not aligned with the garage door so (after braking and bringing the car to a full stop) I chose "R" to proceed with the slight correction. I did not touch the accelerator but the car careened backwards down driveway and impaled itself on a large landscape rock (which stopped the descent). I just missed hitting a telephone pole and/or landing crosswise in the street at the bottom of my driveway. The incline was not steep but the backward momentum was great. I could have been severely injured but luckily only the car sustained heavy damage!
Yesterday, April 26th, 2023 the above vehicle was involved in a serious accident, possibly related to the safety recall for the high voltage cell module. My wife was driving the vehicle on her way to work, as she did for the past 2 years. Sometimes she gets coffee for herself and a coworker, so that day she turned into a parking lot of the last MacDonalds before her job. She pulled up to the drive thru lane as she did many times before. She was not distracted by the phone, and her radio was turned off. There was nobody else in her vehicle, and her thought was on the coffee order. As she was pulling up to the 2 vehicles in front of her, something horrible happened in the next 3 or 4 seconds. Her vehicle accelerated suddenly, hit the car in front of her, bounced off to the right, and kept accelerating for the next 50 feet before hitting a semi truck with such a force that the front end of her vehicle is completely obliterated and the semi truck frame was broken. Thankfully, nobody got hurt seriously, and there was no fire. The first question from the Police officer was whether she hit the accelerator pedal by mistake. She responded that she did not hit the accelerator pedal, and does not understand what happened. She was shocked by the sudden fury of her vehicle, and stated that she was unable to stop it. I believe what she is saying, because there was no reason for her to stomp hard on either pedal as she was coasting slowly, and with the vehicle's regenerative braking you only have to tap the brakes gently. If she tapped the wrong pedal by mistake, the acceleration would not be so violent. To do what the vehicle did in such a short distance, the driver would have to stomp forcefully on the pedal and keep it floored all the time. There was no need to do that, and she never even attempted to do such violent acceleration anywhere. There is a real possibility that the vehicle did an unintended full force acceleration caused by defect in the recalled module. GEICO has it
My vehicle was in Travel Assist mode (i.e. Adaptive Cruise Control) traveling at around 65 MPH. A vehicle has cut into my lane and I felt that the car wouldn't slow quick enough to avoid a collision. I have applied breaks effectively taking the vehicle into my control and taking the vehicle off Travel Assist mode. When driver takes over by applying the breaks in this scenario, irrespective of how hard the breaks are applied, vehicle suddenly moves faster than expected for first few seconds. I had to apply the break harder than I would have applied if I was driving the car in manual mode to get the car to slow down.The expectation was that the vehicle slows down while applying the breaks. This would have caused a collision if I was not quick to react. There were no warning lights or messages on the dashboard prior to or during this incident. This could be a software issue which probably is conflicting between the breaks travel assist is applying and the breaking that the driver is applying. This has happened multiple time to me and on date mentioned on this my wife had same experience confirming that this is in deed an issue that needs some investigating into before it cause any accident(s).
We’ve been leasing a Volkswagen EV car ID4. And after a recent software update, we got problems as in the following. Intermittently when coming to stop, The vehicle is difficult to stop and Pedal pressure seems low. When we experience concern, the accelerator does not seem to react in the same way. As a result, the car failed to stop at short of stop line. Volkswagen sent us a recall notice of High voltage sudden reset error what promote acceleration failure. But our car has not only acceleration but brake issues more than dozen times in 3weeks. We believe we are in very delicate and dangerous situation. But VW doesn’t provide a substitute vehicle, as Volkswagen view problems as vehicle to be still drivable. I strongly disagree with their view, since we will be in serious danger without secure brake and acceleration.
When driving using adaptive cruise control and my car decelerating using the regenerative braking, applying the brakes turns off the regenerative braking leaving only the friction brakes to slow/stop the car. I have demonstrated this situation to a VW dealer technician, who has confirmed that another 2021 VW ID4 that was in the shop duplicated this behavior. I have experienced this behavior multiple times over the last year. Because one of the systems for decelerating the vehicle is not available during a potentially emergency situation, I believe this is a safety risk. No warning lights or messages are displayed when this occurs. This has not been reported to my insurance company or the police.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activated over a dozen time un-necessarily on a recent road trip. The activation caused the brake pedal to collapse and caused braking action to be un-even and nearly un-controlled on a windy mountain road. There was no slippage to cause stability control to intervene.
Dealer replaced infotainment unit but it continues to blank out, freeze and or restart. Very unsafe as you have to take eyes off road to force a restart, also if front windshield is foggy if infotainment system froze or restarting you are now driving with a fogged up windshield which you can’t see out off. Infotainment buttons do not work properly as they do not react to touch again take eyes off road to see whats happening. Infotainment screen and the other screen in front of driving wheel get very very hot. Only after showing dealer videos and recordings of all these occurrences with screen do they decide to do something about it such as change unit but problems persist. Vehicle rolls back on inclines when on a slight incline. Front end squeaks, VW dealer says is coming from the brakes and it’s normal operation. Stopping distances is increased in cold weather, in cold weather braking distances are longer. Side mirror buttons do not always control/adjust mirrors. Dynamic cornering headlight error/malfunction warning on screen constantly, safety risk. Vehicle cannot charge error (s) pop on screen and charging stops. After multiple tries and after changing to another charging stall, charging is able to resume. Factory celular connectivity drops for days and you have to pull fuse #17 or #19 to reset LTE connection. Vehicle has a lot of shortcomings which render it very very very unsafe.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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