2021 Volkswagen ID.4
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 177 of 332 complaints (53%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (16) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | vs. 2021 electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 750–800 | 700–800 | 700–750 | |
| Combined MPGe | 93–99 | 95–107 | 99–107 | |
| City / Highway MPGe | 98–107 / 88–91 | 100–116 / 90–98 | 104–115 / 93–99 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Complaints filed | 332 | 135 | 454 | |
| Recalls issued | 11 | 7 | 14 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 27 | 15 | 53 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| Injuries reported | 22 | 10 | 32 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 5 | 2 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 have?
11 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4?
Electrical: 177 of 332 NHTSA complaints (53%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 get?
EPA rates it 93–99 MPGe combined across 5 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4?
EPA estimates $750–$800 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Rear-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 104 MPGe | 89 MPGe | 97 MPGe | $800 (high) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Rear-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 104 MPGe | 89 MPGe | 97 MPGe | $800 (high) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Rear-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 107 MPGe (high) | 91 MPGe (high) | 99 MPGe (high) | $750 (low) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | All-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 102 MPGe | 90 MPGe | 97 MPGe | $800 (high) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | All-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 98 MPGe (low) | 88 MPGe (low) | 93 MPGe (low) | $800 (high) | 0 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 25 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical | 177 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Brakes | 37 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Steering | 17 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 82 | 23 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 68 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (11)
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) · Campaign 25V120000 · Feb 27, 2025
Defect: 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 Braking Effect."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Dealers will update the brake control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 14, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97H3. Audi's number for this recall is 454R.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR · Campaign 24V651000 · Sep 5, 2024
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A vehicle door that opens unexpectedly while driving increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 57J9. This recall expands previous recall numbers 23V-312 and 23V-213. Vehicles previously repaired under 23V-312 and 23V-213 will need to have the new remedy completed.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER; BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE · Campaign 24V344000 · May 16, 2024
Defect: 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 Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: Displays that do not show critical information, such as vehicle speed or the rearview camera image, increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 20, 2024. Owners may contact VW customer service at 1-800-893-5298. VW's number for this recall is 919A.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR · Campaign 23V312000 · May 4, 2023
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A vehicle door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, and inspect the door handles as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 19, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall are 57J5 and 57J8. This recall was replaced by recall number 24V-651
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE · Campaign 23V040000 · Feb 2, 2023
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A reset or deactivation may cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97ZZ.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · Campaign 22V858000 · Nov 21, 2022
Defect: 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."
Consequence: An incorrectly folded air bag may not protect the occupant as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 14, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number to this recall is 69EH.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY · Campaign 22V162000 · Mar 17, 2022
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An unreliable battery connection may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery cell modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 9302.
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) · Campaign 21V852000 · Nov 3, 2021
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An incorrectly assembled or missing drive bushing may cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: A dealer will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 5, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 48Q7.
SEAT BELTS; SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR · Campaign 21V606000 · Aug 5, 2021
Defect: 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 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, 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 Protection."
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
SEAT BELTS; SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR · Campaign 21V607000 · Aug 5, 2021
Defect: 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 Protection."
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CQ.
Show 1 earlier campaign
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS · Campaign 21V413000 · Jun 3, 2021
Defect: 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."
Consequence: Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing visibility for the driver and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 9406.