Volkswagen recalls more than 22,500 ID.4 EVs and tells owners to charge to just 80%

This isn't about home energy upgrades, but it's worth knowing if you own one of these cars. Volkswagen is recalling more than 22,500 ID.4 electric SUVs from model years 2023 to 2026 over a battery fire risk. The company says charging the battery above 80% in certain affected vehicles could trigger "thermal propagation," which is a fire that starts inside the battery and spreads. The root cause is still unknown.

Until Volkswagen has a permanent fix, it's telling owners of affected vehicles to charge only up to 80%. This follows an earlier, larger recall this year that covered nearly 100,000 Volkswagen EVs worldwide, including close to 44,000 ID.4s in the US, for a similar battery issue. Volkswagen says it is still working with its battery cell supplier, SK Battery America, to figure out the cause and timeline for a repair.

Owners of affected vehicles should expect a notification letter from Volkswagen by November 27, 2026, explaining the risk, with a follow-up letter once an actual fix is ready. If you have an ID.4 from these model years, you can call Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and reference recall number 93EX, or contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 (campaign number 26V630) for more details.