Volkswagen recalled 22,524 ID.4s from 2023 to 2026 after discovering that charging above 80% battery capacity could trigger thermal propagation in the high-voltage battery, potentially causing fire. Audi is recalling 2,008 Q4 Sportback E-Trons and 7,040 Q4 E-Trons from 2024 to 2025 for the same reason.
Volkswagen deployed an over-the-air update that remotely limited affected ID.4s to 80% maximum charge, though owners had about a week to opt out. Audi has not applied a forced limitation to Q4 E-Tron owners. Volkswagen is aware of 22 incident claims related to the defect between January 2024 and August 2026. Audi reports no fires linked to this issue.
Neither automaker recommends parking cars outside or issued a "do not drive" warning. Both companies suspect only 0.1% of recalled vehicles contain the actual defect. The root cause remains unknown, and no permanent fix has been issued yet.
Volkswagen will send stickers to owners as a reminder not to exceed 80% charge. ID.4 owners should receive notification by November 27, while Q4 E-Tron owners may not be notified until December 18. Owners can search their VINs on the NHTSA website to check if their vehicle is affected.