VW Recalls Nearly 100,000 EVs Over Battery Fire Risk

Battery Trouble Goes Global

Volkswagen is recalling nearly 100,000 electric vehicles due to potential issues with their high-voltage battery modules. According to Automotive News, citing Germany’s motor vehicle authority (KBA), the defect can lead to reduced driving range and may pose a fire risk.

While recalls in the U.S. are typically handled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this particular safety campaign covers nearly 75,000 Volkswagen ID. vehicles worldwide – including the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID. Buzz Cargo, and ID. Buzz – as well as nearly 20,000 Cupra Borns, a compact EV based on the VW Group’s MEB platform, built between February 2022 and August 2024. About 28,000 of the affected vehicles are in Germany.

How Volkswagen Plans to Fix It

The remedy involves inspecting the high-voltage battery in affected vehicles for potentially faulty modules. The vehicles will also receive a software update, and if necessary, individual battery modules will be replaced.

In the U.S., only the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID. Buzz are sold from the affected ID. lineup. The ID.4 is built at VW’s Chattanooga plant in Tennessee, while the ID. Buzz is imported from Germany. Whether either model is affected in the U.S. would depend on a separate NHTSA filing or confirmation from the automaker.

Even without a confirmed NHTSA recall, the campaign could still be relevant, particularly for current owners and prospective buyers. Developments in overseas markets often serve as an early indicator of potential actions in the U.S.

The Situation So Far

What the NHTSA records show are two separate recalls involving certain Volkswagen ID.4 units, one tied to missing Self-Discharge Detection (SDD) software and the other to potentially faulty high-voltage battery cell modules. The software-related recall affects 43,881 model-year 2023–2025 ID.4s, while the hardware-related campaign covers 670 units built between November 3, 2022, and September 22, 2024. The company was scheduled to notify owners on Friday, March 20.

The ID. Buzz, meanwhile, has not been listed in a new NHTSA recall this year. It is worth noting, though, that Volkswagen is skipping the 2026 model year for the ID. Buzz in the U.S., a pause the automaker has said will help it manage inventory ahead of the electric minivan’s planned return as a 2027 model.