NHTSA Complaint #11713226 — 2023 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4

Problem Description The core issue stems from a production fault in the battery cells that can cause increased self-discharge. In a high-voltage battery pack, which operates like a chain of interconnected modules, a single faulty module with elevated self-discharge becomes the “weakest link.” This leads to: • Degradation of the overall usable capacity. • Reduced driving range and power limitations. • Potential cascading failures affecting additional modules over time. • Warning indicators, such as a yellow electrical system fault in the instrument cluster (fault code P0BBD00: Hybrid Battery Pack Voltage Variation Exceeded Limit). • Infotainment messages like “Electronic system does not work correctly. Please go to workshop.” • In severe cases, unexpected shutdowns or failure to pass technical inspections, potentially rendering the vehicle non-roadworthy under local regulations. The fault is linked to specific battery module part numbers from LG, including: • 0Z1.915.592.G/H/J • 0Z1.915.599.G/H/J/P These were produced through the end of 2023 (up to December 4, 2023) and include configurations like 12S2P (small capacity) and 8S3P (large capacity), meaning all MEB battery setups could be impacted. Volkswagen does not publicly disclose full VIN ranges, exact affected counts, or the precise technical cause of the manufacturing fault, but internal escalation procedures exist to identify additional defective batches.