Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 454 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4, and it carries 13 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 72 | 16% |
| Unknown or other | 45 | 10% |
| Structure | 28 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 22 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 12 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 8 | 2% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 8 | 2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that the vehicle failed to charge with chargers more than 220 Volts, and th
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My car spontaneously accelerated out of control, onto my neighbor's lawn. I had to brake hard to stop the car from crashing into their house. This could have injured myself and my neighbors, if the car did not stop.
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
This is a follow-up to my previous complaint #XXX regarding my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 (VIN [XXX]). The defect remains unresolved. My vehicle received Recall 93EA (high-voltage battery) on XXX, during which only 3 of 12 ba
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The J949 Telematics/OCU Gateway Module on my 2023 VW ID.4 (VIN: [XXX]) has suffered a critical software lockup, causing a perpetual boot and local user login loop. This defect has completely frozen and locked out the Use
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I have experienced braking issues with my 2023 ID.4. It would randomly require me to put press the brake pedal all the way to the floor and would still roll past stop lines, and near miss with cars in front of me. It hap
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I received a factory recall notice from Volkswagen regarding the high-voltage battery in my ID.4 (Recall 93EA). I brought the vehicle to Volkswagen South Coast ([XXX]) for the recall repair on XXX completed XXX where the
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Sudden acceleration while parking in my garage. Very low speed,then sudden “explosive “ acceleration smashing the front end and garage contents
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
I am driving home from work and I’m right around the corner from my house. As soon as I try to make a turn, the car begins beeping and the faults “Electrical system malfunction” and “12V power supply” show up. My car doe
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Golf R A8, Audi S3, RS3 Sedan, Q4 E-Tron SUV, A3 Sedan, and 2022-2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI, and ID4 vehicles. The rearview camera image may be blank or unresponsive when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear or when the park fu
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners February 14, 2023. Volkswagen owners will receive an owner notification letter once re
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 ID4 vehicles. The electric motor sealing ring was improperly assembled, which may allow coolant to leak into the high-voltage system and interfere with the CAN communication and power supply.
Risk: Coolant that leaks into the high-voltage system may impact safety-critical systems and warning lights, causing a loss of vehicle control or unintended air bag deployment, and increasing the risk of a
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the electric motor, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 6, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer serv
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 ID4 rear-wheel drive vehicles. The 12-Volt battery charging cable may contact the steering column shaft and cause the cable insulation to wear, possibly resulting in a short circuit.
Risk: A short circuit may cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. A short circuit also increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will inspect the 12-Volt battery charging cable and repair or replace it, as necessary, free o
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. The interior sunshade for the panoramic glass roof may be insufficiently fire retardant. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 302, "F
Risk: In a fire, fabric that is not fire retardant may further fuel a fire, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will apply flame retardant to the sunshade fabric, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-529
| Reliability raw | 65 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 29 | below average |
| Performance | 85 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 86 | excellent |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 454 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 72 of them (16%). There are 13 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 65/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2023 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.