2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 Engine Problems

14 NHTSA complaints on file

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Engine Issues in the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4

14 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4. Of these, 1 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 0 resulted in injury.

14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

All Engine Complaints

#11717983 |
The vehicle has been in to the dealer multiple times for electrical system failures. The car is not safe to drive and has stalled multiple times while driving. The system has errors that light up stating there is an electrical system failure. The car has stopped driving in the middle of a trip, I have been stuck with my family multiple times while on short trips and long trips. The vehicle has been repaired multiple times for the same issue and it just came back again after several months being repaired. Each time the repairs occur, I end up renting a car and the time it sits at the dealer or repair shop has varied from 45 days to several days. This car needs to go. The issue first occurred a little over a year ago and has happened 3-7 times since and at random times. The issue has been...
#11674190 |
After charging with my home charger, the electrical system has been one unusable or shown electrical error codes. In March 2025, the engine battery cells had a significant failure that required towing to the service center as it was completely unable to drive. This repair took 5 weeks to complete. The car had regular service and inspection 7/19/25 and issues with the navigation system and the charging port door were indicated. On 7/22/25 a warning light for electrical issues please service now came on. It was drivable to the service center but it is still not diagnosed due to another ID4 being serviced at the same time and they’re unable to work on 2. Of course with all of these downtimes we are still paying for a loan on a car we are not able to drive due to it being unsafe.
#11643551 |
This vehicle has had multiple electrical system failures that minimally disable driver assist safety features. An error message is received that the vehicle is experiencing electrical system failure. This is the third such message recieved since July 2024. I have had the vehicle serviced to resolve the prior two instances, after which the message is produced again. Given the high number of recalls for the model and the stop sale order last year, I don’t believe the manufacturer is honestly addressing the safety defects for this model. I have reported the issue to VW of America and they closed my case pending evidence. The VW dealership who serviced the vehicle purged my service records. When I produced the evidence I had of the system failures, VW of America is unresponsive.
#11598425 | Crash
On [XXX] approximately [XXX], I was in the drive-up line for Starbucks. The drive-up line was very slow so we waited for about 1/2 hour and I ended turning off my engine. I had plenty of room at least between 2-3 feet between myself and the car in the front. Then the line moved so, I put the car in Drive and covered the brake. I tapped the Gas/electric pedal and the car accelerated from 0 to 30 and lunged forward and I hit the car in front of me and they were pushed into the car in front of them. No one was seriously hurt, but police were called and ambulance arrived and found no injury - so there wasn't a police report. I was completely shocked that this happened so fast and I wasn't able to stop my car. So, when I hit the people in front of...
#11595938 |
Car stopped without warning on six lane road in busy traffic. Display indicated electrical system failure. Vehicle would not re-start. Fortunately I was able to exit the vehicle and make it to the edge of the road but this was a very dangerous situation. Car was traveling between 30-40 mph at time. All active recall work had been performed per the dealership.
#11569253 |
Manufacturer and dealership in my area have been unable to schedule me for getting Safety Recall for High Voltage Battery Management Control Module Software (97ZZ) done to my vehicle. I have been in the waitlist for dealership to do this recall since May 2023. Several times the dealership has said that the battery modules are backordered with no ETA.
#11550177 |
The car was inoperative because it would not allow the driver to shift from neutral to drive or reverse. There was an error code with the emergency break and the auto hold break.
#11504411 |
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming into the cabin of the vehicle through the air vents. No medical attention was received for smoke inhalation. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
#11500615 |
Car displayed error while driving and immediately began to lose speed. Stopped in the middle of a 6 lane road with a posted speed limit of 35mph. Car would not go into drive. Turned car off and attempted to restart and put it back into drive, but did not work. Turned car off and waited 1 minute and tried again, turned car off a second time and waited 3 minutes. Car restarted with errors but was able to be put into drive and driven. The car was blocking a driving lane in the road for approximately five minutes with hazard lights on. If this has happened on a highway it would have been extremely dangerous.
#11494098 |
Car 12V battery drained. Car "dead". AAA jump-started and I drove home. Kept all unnecessary items off (heat, radio, etc). Put car on trickle charge overnight; charged to 90+%. After driving car for awhile, "12v battery low" message came on. 3 local dealers can't service until December. Known defect that battery is under-powered. VW has offered replacement sometime in early 2023. Meanwhile car sits in garage inoperable.
#11472996 |
Driving on the highway and with no warning got an “error” message and a message that the electrical system was shutting down. Also popped up some reference about the 12 volt battery. Car went into a neutral type mode and started to slow due to complete loss of power. Luckily we were able to get to the emergency lane from the middle highway lane and coast to a stop. Extremely dangerous for a complete loss of power to occur with no warning. Car turned itself off while we were calling VW roadside assistance. It then was able to be turned back on and driven as normal. Based on VW id4 blogs, this is happening too often and dealerships are not able to determine it through diagnostics.
#11456294 |
While backing out of the drive way, electronic console of the car went black, we lost control over steering and accelerator functions and potentially brakes (unsure) while car was still moving. This happened at low speed (5-10 MPH). The instrument panel showed message to call service immediately. To regain control, we pressed the start engine button, which allowed us to again control the car. The call service message disappeared.
#11453460 |
On multiple occasions, my brand new ID.4 has shut down while driving giving various error messages relating to the electrical system and safety features--including with the electrical system generally, with the "12 Volt electrical system", with the auto assist braking, with lane assist, etc.
#11431878 |
It will not stop, can not stop!

Other 2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 Problem Areas

Electrical System 155 complaints Unknown Or Other 54 complaints Service Brakes 31 complaints Vehicle Speed Control 26 complaints Fuelpropulsion System 21 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control 19 complaints Power Train 16 complaints Steering 16 complaints Structure 16 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking 14 complaints Structurebody 13 complaints Back Over Prevention 10 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings 10 complaints Air Bags 9 complaints Exterior Lighting 8 complaints Equipment 7 complaints Lane Departure Assist 6 complaints Tires 6 complaints Wheels 6 complaints Back Over Prevention Warnings 4 complaints Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection 4 complaints Visibilitywiper 4 complaints Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking 3 complaints Lane Departure Warning 3 complaints Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemradiator Assembly 2 complaints Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch 2 complaints Service Brakes Hydraulic 2 complaints Suspension 2 complaints Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel 1 complaint Electrical Systembody Control Modulebcm 1 complaint Electrical Systempropulsion System 1 complaint Electrical Systempropulsion Systemtraction Battery 1 complaint Electrical Systempropulsion Systemtraction Batterymanagement Systemenergy Control Module Bmsbecmsoftware 1 complaint Electrical Systemsoftware 1 complaint Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System 1 complaint Equipmentelectricalinfotainment 1 complaint Equipmentmechanicalintegrated Jacklevelerstabilizer 1 complaint Hybrid Propulsion System 1 complaint Lane Departure Lane Keep Steering Assist 1 complaint Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslock 1 complaint Latcheslockslinkagestailgatelatch 1 complaint Seat Belts 1 complaint Service Brakes Airdisc 1 complaint Structurebodydoorhandleexterior 1 complaint Structurebodydoorhandleinterior 1 complaint Tiresbead 1 complaint Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems 1 complaint
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