Volkswagen recalls over 35,000 ID.4 EVs as faulty doors might open while driving

German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen (VW) has confirmed that it is recalling thousands of units of the ID.4 battery electric crossover SUV to fix a technical glitch that could make its doors to open unexpectedly while driving at low speeds. The recall affects a total of 35,325 units of the ID.4 electric SUVs that were produced at the company’s Zwickau, Germany-based production plant for the U.S. market between December 2020 and December 2022. In short, the recall affects a large number of EVs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also confirmed the recall of the ID.4 electric SUVs. The federal agency explained that the vehicle manufacturer issued the recall because the EVs in question may have been produced with door handles that failed to meet the factory specifications for safety against water ingress. Due to failure of that factory specification, water can get to the handles’ circuit board, which can lead to malfunctions triggering an “open command” to the door lock.

Consequently, a door could open when the vehicle becomes subject to high lateral forces at speeds of below 9 miles per hour (approx. 15 km per hour). Obviously, opening of a door while the vehicle is moving can lead to serious accidents, increasing the risk of injury both for the driver/passengers as well as the people outside who may get hit by the opened door.

The defective door handles in question were produced and supplied by Czech manufacturer WITTE Automotive. Confirming the recall, the NHTSA also noted, “The recalled products differ from products that were not included in the recall because they contain non-affected supplier parts.”

In July of last year, Volkswagen shifted its production for US-bound ID.4s to its Chattanooga, Tennessee-based plant after making an investment of $800 million in the electrification of the aforementioned facility that is also responsible for assembling the ICE Atlas model. Of course, the shifting of the production was encouraged by the U.S. federal government’s new rule that only locally produced EVs will be eligible for its $7,500 tax credit.

In the U.S. market, the VW ID.4 (Standard trim) is available with a starting price of $38,995. This version features 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, a single, 201-hp rear electric motor, a 62-kWh battery pack capable of offering an EPA estimated range of 209 miles (roughly 336 km). The most expensive ID.4 AWD Pro S Plus variant, which offers a range of 255-mile (410 km), starts at $55,245.