2022 Volkswagen ID.4: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Sep 14, 2025 · Acceleration, Brakes · CA · crash · 1 injury

[XXX] [XXX] September 14, 2025 the federal safety agency Office of Defects Investigation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Formal Complaint – Safety Defect in 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 (Power Steering and Brake Failure) Dear Sir or Madam, I am submitting this formal complaint regarding a serious safety defect in my 2022 Volkswagen ID.4, which resulted in a crash and a minor injury to my wife. This defect poses a substantial risk of death or serious injury to the driving public. On [XXX], my wife experienced sudden unintended acceleration, followed immediately by complete loss of braking and steering control. She was unable to avoid leaving the roadway and entered a ditch, sustaining a minor injury. The vehicle suffered fender damage. The vehicle was towed to our authorized Volkswagen dealership. The dealership’s technician documented that the power steering module failed. However, Volkswagen of America subsequently dispatched an engineer, who instructed the dealer not to communicate further with us. Volkswagen headquarters later claimed the power steering module failed only because the vehicle entered the ditch—an explanation directly at odds with the technician’s report and a witness account. Volkswagen has refused to accept responsibility, declined to cover medical or repair costs, and denied replacement of the failed power steering module. Our insurance provider also declined coverage, determining that the accident was caused by a mechanical failure. Legal and Regulatory References 1.49 U.S.C. § 30118 – Motor Vehicle Safety Act Requires manufacturers to notify the federal safety agency and vehicle owners when they determine a motor vehicle contains a defect related to motor vehicle safety. The failure of the power steering and braking systems clearly qualifies as a “safety-related defect” because it directly compromises steering and stopping ability. 2.49 C.F.R. Part 573 – Defect a INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 6, 2025 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · VA · crash

I was turning into a parking spot in front of the entry doors to a Sheetz convenience store. I was slowing down, and had gotten halfway into the space. All of a sudden, the car surged forward, went over the curb and hit the bollard in front of the parking space. It was hit with such force that the bollard bent and went under our car. My memory is that I was pressing on the brake very hard, once the acceleration started. My husband was in the car with me and can attest to all that I have stated. If that bollard had not been there, and stopped my car, I feel certain that my car would have crashed into the store, seriously injuring (or killing) us and those inside the store. We are planning to report the accident to Volkswagen, and to request that they test the "black box" inside the car, to see if they can find out what went wrong. I have spoken to someone in the Sheetz corporate office , and she told me that they have a video recording of the event. She said she observed my car entering the parking space very slowly, and that the car suddenly accelerated. She is planning to provide that video to State Farm Insurance, our insurance company. Unfortunately, I did not take pictures, myself, of the damage to the front of the car. But we will be requesting that the collision repair shop take pictures before the car gets dismantled for repair. We do not recall hearing any warning signals of the impending crash, and certainly did not experience any emergency braking. The airbags did not deploy.

Filed Feb 18, 2025 · Driver assistance · OH · crash

I was parking the car in a parking lot. I turned left into the lot and then turned right into a spot and then decided to switch to the adjacent spot (also requiring me to turn right) to provide me with more room to park and leave the car. As I turned into the spot the car suddenly accelerated forward. I tried pushing the brakes and the car continued to accelerate and hit two fences. No indication of a collision by car, no engagement of the automatic emergency braking. No recognition of the car that there was a fence in front. No automatic braking/warning lamps. The vehicle was inspected only by the insurance agent and body shop for repair.

Filed Jul 28, 2024 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CA

Vehicle suffers from unintended and sudden acceleration when the "resume' capacitive touch button is accidentally brushed against. The vehicle is subject to injure or kill the vehicles occupants or others struck by the vehicle. Vehicle advised there is "no issue" with the vehicle but they did acknowledge the problem with the design of the steering wheel. The issue is intermittent and has occurred while driving at slow speeds in parking lots when the steering wheel is frequently turned more than 90 degrees and a body part can unintentionally touch the 'Resume" button.

Filed Jul 26, 2024 · Driver assistance · AZ · crash · 2 injuries

On 5/13/2023, I drove using adaptive cruise control (ACC). I traveled approximately 9 miles without issues and turned left into a parking lot. Upon turning, the break was engaged and which canceled the cruise control. I do not recall the exact speed it was set but it was over 50mph. I drive my VW ID.4 in B mode which is brake energy recuperation mode and brakes the car as soon as the foot is lifted from the accelerator. In the parking lot, I was driving at a slow rate of speed because it was a Saturday morning and there were lots of kids going to the Jui Jitsu gym and dance studio which was my destination. While navigating at this slow speed, I typical lift my foot off of the accelerator rather than tapping the brakes as it is an effective method in the B driving mode. I was turning right into a spot, my foot was on the accelerator because there is not coasting in this mode to turn into the spot. As I was turning the wheel hard to the right, my hand grazed the capacitive controls of the ACC and resumed the cruise control causing my car to suddenly accelerate at the previously set speed into the curbing. As mentioned, my foot was on the accelerator as I was pulling into the spot. When the car crashed into the sidewalk the impact caused my foot to depress further on the accelerator which caused a secondary impact into a support pillar further on the sidewalk. Fortunately, the pillar was there, otherwise, I would have crashed through the yoga studio directly behind the pillar which had a full class going. I also narrowly missed a father and son walking on the sidewalk to Jui Jitsu. I notifed VW and they analyzed the black box but claimed the accident to be my fault since the accelerator pedal was engaged, and I did not break until after impact. I do not dispute that.

Filed Jan 14, 2024 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · TN

While driving to work at 6:45AM, on a secondary road with the vehicle in "B" mode and the main cruise control switch active, but not on, I approached an intersection and was attempting to use the vehicle's regenerative braking. My right foot was off the gas and gently resting on the brake peddle. This is when I felt the car suddenly accelerate. I immediately pressed the break peddle which slowed the car appropriately, but not to a complete stop. I released the break at which point the car re-accelerated. I immediately reapplied the break and came to a complete stop. There was a car in front of me and if I had not reacted so quickly it's possible I would have run into that vehicle. After these two episodes I immediately pulled off the road into a parking lot and got out of the car to do a visual inspection. After seeing nothing wrong I proceeded to drive to work without incident making sure the cruise control main switch was deactivated. The car is waiting inspection by the local dealership and available for inspection. The problem has never reoccured. No warning lamps nor messages present prior to or during the incident.

Filed Sep 15, 2023 · Acceleration · AZ · crash

Two days ago I was pulling into a parking spot in a shopping center. The car suddenly accelerated forward and I hit a concrete parking block. This is the third time over the past 7 months that this has occurred, where the car suddenly accelerates when in a low speed. After the first time it happened, I called the dealership to ask if any other customers had this issue, but they said no. For them to run a diagnostic on it, they would have to recreate what had occurred. We all know that is impossible. So I ignored it, as it did not happen again until three months later. Then once again two days ago.

Filed Dec 19, 2022 · Engine, Fuel system · GA

Got in car, put foot on the brake and put it in gear. The car jumped forward and I had to press brakes with all my strength to keep it from accelerating to full “throttle”. It did the exact same when I put it in reverse. I turned the car off, got out, gave it a couple of minutes and tried two more times. It did the same thing every time. It is like the accelerator is pressed to the floor as soon as you put it in gear without you touching it. I almost hit my house due to the wheels being turned before the first try. I called a tow truck to take it to the dealer. I have only had the car for two weeks. The consumer stated that they discovered what the issue was and that they would like to cancel their complaint.