2021 Volkswagen ID.4: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: 11 recalls, 336 owner complaints and up to 99 mpg combined.
Recalls
11 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #21V413000 · 2021 · 3,240 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 id.4 vehicles. Caps were installed on the headlight vertical aim instead of the horizontal aim, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing visibility for the driver and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will remove the caps from the vertical aim and install them on the horizontal aim, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2021.
Seat belts, Seat belts Vehicle recall #21V607000 · 2021 · 12,060 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 id4 vehicles. Incorrect rear outboard seat belt assemblies without an automatic locking retractor (alr) function May have been installed, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "occupant crash…
Why it matters: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021.
Seat belts, Seat belts Vehicle recall #21V606000 · 2021 · 45,496 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen id4, Audi a4 allroad, a4 sedan, a5 cabriolet, a5 coupe, a5 sportback, a6 allroad, a6 sedan, a7, a8, e-tron quattro, e-tron sportback quattro, q3, q5, q5 sportback, q7, q8, rs5 sportback, rs5 coupe, rs6 avant, rs7, rsq8, s4 sedan, s5 cabriolet, s5 coupe, s5 sportback, s6 sedan, s7, s8, sq5, sq5 sportback, sq7, sq8, and 2021-2022 s3…
Why it matters: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021.
Steering Vehicle recall #21V852000 · 2021 · 1 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of american, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling one 2021 id.4 vehicle. The steering gear May have an incorrectly assembled or missing drive bushing.
Why it matters: An incorrectly assembled or missing drive bushing May cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: A dealer will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 5, 2021.
Electrical Vehicle recall #22V162000 · 2022 · 356 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 id4 vehicles. Incorrect soldering of the flexible printed circuit assembled (fpca), inside the high voltage (hv) battery, May cause an unreliable connection.
Why it matters: An unreliable battery connection May cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the battery cell modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 6, 2022.
Airbags Vehicle recall #22V858000 · 2022 · 55 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 id4 vehicles. The passenger air bag May be incorrectly folded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "occupant crash protection."
Why it matters: An incorrectly folded air bag May not protect the occupant as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Volkswagen will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 14, 2023.
Electrical Vehicle recall #23V040000 · 2023 · 20,904 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 id.4 vehicles. Software programing May cause the high voltage (hv) battery management control module to restart or the pulse inverter to deactivate.
Why it matters: A reset or deactivation May cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the hv battery management control unit and the pulse inverter control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 31, 2023.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #23V312000 · 2023 · 35,325 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 id.4 vehicles. The affected vehicles May have been manufactured with door handles that allow water to enter the circuit board assembly, which can cause the doors to open unexpectedly when the vehicle is subject to high lateral forces at speeds below 9 mph/15 kmh.
Why it matters: A vehicle door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the vehicle software, and inspect the door handles as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 19, 2023.
Equipment, Backup camera Vehicle recall #24V344000 · 2024 · 79,965 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (vw) is recalling certain 2021-2023 id.4 vehicles. Due to a software issue, affected vehicles May experience center displays and instrument panel displays that do not boot, or that sporadically reset. This can result in loss of speedometer information or loss of rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
Why it matters: Displays that do not show critical information, such as vehicle speed or the rearview camera image, increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 20, 2024.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #24V651000 · 2024 · 99,064 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 id.4 vehicles. The door handles May allow water to enter the circuit board assembly, which can cause the doors to open unexpectedly.
Why it matters: A vehicle door that opens unexpectedly while driving increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Volkswagen dealers will inspect and replace the door handles as necessary, and update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 27, 2024.
Transmission & drivetrain, Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #25V120000 · 2025 · 60,490 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 id.4, 2022-2023 Audi q4 e-tron, and q4 e-tron sportback vehicles. The instrument panel May not properly display the transmission gear lever indicator. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission…
Why it matters: Failure to display the gear position May result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the brake control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 14, 2025.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 24 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (179): the most common themes are electrical failure (103), warning light on (23), door / lock issues (22).
- Other / unknown (59): the most common themes are electrical failure (12).
- Forward collision avoidance (40): the most common themes are electrical failure (9).
- Speed control / throttle (35): the most common themes are sudden acceleration (6).
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 has 336 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 6 ID.4 model years for complaints (2.0× the average ID.4 year). Complaints peaked in 2023 (99 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 2 years old, at a median of 27,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2022 (137 complaints, 7 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric (150 kW AC 3-Phase) | Automatic (A1) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 107e | 91e | 99e | Electricity |
| Electric (150 kW AC 3-Phase) | Automatic (A1) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 104e | 89e | 97e | Electricity |
| Electric (80 and 150 kW AC 3-Phase) | Automatic (A1) | All-Wheel Drive | 102e | 90e | 97e | Electricity |
| Electric (80 and 150 kW AC 3-Phase) | Automatic (A1) | All-Wheel Drive | 98e | 88e | 93e | Electricity |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4.
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Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
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FAQ
Does the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 vehicle recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 problems?
Owners have filed 336 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (179), other / unknown (59), forward collision avoidance (40).
What gas mileage does the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 get?
EPA ratings run up to 99 mpg combined, across 4 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.