Volkswagen is initiating a recall campaign for every German-made ID.4 it sold in the U.S. over an issue that will likely already be familiar to the electric vehicle’s owners. Yet again, the automaker is attempting to solve an issue that could see the vehicle’s doors open unexpectedly.
Last month, we reported that VW was recalling a total of 16,207 ID.4s built at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant over an issue with its door handles. Now, the automaker will have to inspect a further 35,325 ID.4s in the U.S. over what appears to be an identical problem.
The latest recall affects ID.4s made between December 15, 2020, and December 12, 2022, whose door handles may not meet specifications set by the company for water tightness. That can allow droplets to find their way onto the printed circuit board, causing a malfunction.
Read: VW ID.4 EV’s Doors May Open Unexpectedly Due To Quality Issues
Back in April, VW blamed the supplier for its U.S. plant, U-Shin, for the flaw. Now it says that the door handle from WITTE Automotive CZECHIA, the supplier for its plant in Zwickau, Germany, had the same issue.
The consequences of the fault are that, if water gets into the printed circuit board, it could allow the door to open when the vehicle is traveling at low speeds (below 9mph/15 km/h) without any input from a human occupant. That’s dangerous both to people inside and outside of the vehicle.
Volkswagen is aware of 28 alleged door openings between June 2021 and April 2023. That’s on top of the 10 cases in vehicles that were built at its Chattanooga plant. In order to remedy the situation, it has launched a recall campaign.
Volkswagen will start reaching out to ID.4 owners on June 30, and they will be asked to return their vehicle to an authorized dealer. There, the doors handles will be inspected and replaced, where necessary. The work will completed at no cost to the owner.
