2023 Volkswagen ID.4: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Acceleration · CO

I have experienced this situation two times this past week in a parking lot. I pulled out of a space and was only going 2 to 3 miles an hour and the car lunged forward quickly and then stopped. Luckily nothing was in front of me.

Filed Jul 27, 2026 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · MI · crash

Sudden acceleration while parking in my garage. Very low speed,then sudden “explosive “ acceleration smashing the front end and garage contents

Filed Jul 14, 2026 · Acceleration, Airbags · CA · crash

7/14/26 my wife attempted to park our 2023 VW ID.4 Pro S AWD. She pulled into the spot with two hands on the steering wheel, her foot off of the accelerator, with the car being slowed by regenerative braking, and the car suddenly accelerated and crashed through a fence and hit a cement barrier. The air bags did not deploy. After the accident that most likely totaled the car, my wife's foot was on the brake. The two challenges we noted were 1. The car should have not accelerated on its own and 2. The air bags should have deployed given the violence of this crash.

Filed Jun 16, 2026 · Driver assistance · FL · crash

While driving very slow in a subdivision to enter a driveway my car suddenly accelerated and the peal went down. I steered to the right to avoid hitting the garage door and the car crashed against the wall at the side of the garage door. The distance between the curve and the house in very short. The friend I was visiting was by the door and the neighbor right in front of the house witnessed all. My wife was in the passenger side. By coincidence the lady across the street that saw the incident came running towards us point at the car and screaming :"those cars have a sensor problem". I made the claim to insurance and open a case with VW USA. VW USA sent a technician to the shop and concluded that the pedal was pushed all the way down and therefore it was my fault. My take is it was the adaptive cruise control that was triggered the cruise control (which by the way I NEVER USE) when I was turning right to enter the driveway at very low speed. There was no lights indicating malfunction prior to the incident. I was very concerned that I could have hit either my friend or any other person near the house. When I came back home I googled by "VW ID.4 sudden acceleration" and saw many many incidents with ID.4 and other models using adaptative cruise control.

Filed May 17, 2026 · Driver assistance · DC · crash

While entering a parking lot at a low speed, with my foot already firmly applied to the brake due to the close proximity of a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own unexpectedly. Despite continuous pressure on the brake pedal, the vehicle proceeded forward, struck another parked vehicle, and continued moving for approximately two additional seconds before coming to a stop on its own. Additionally, no forward collision/crash warning alert was activated prior to impact, and the airbags did not deploy during the collision.

Filed May 12, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · FL · crash

On the day of the incident, I was driving my vehicle at a very low speed while approaching a red traffic light. I applied the brakes normally behind another vehicle that was already stopped. It should be noted that it had rained earlier and the road surface was wet. After stopping, the vehicle’s “Auto Hold” or automatic brake hold system activated properly, as it normally does when the vehicle comes to a complete stop. However, unexpectedly, the vehicle accelerated on its own. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes in order to avoid a collision, but I was unable to stop the vehicle in time, resulting in a minor impact with the vehicle in front of me. I believe there may have been a mechanical or electronic malfunction related to the vehicle’s acceleration, braking, or automatic assistance system. I cannot identify with certainty the exact component that failed; therefore, the specific cause is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request. The situation placed both my safety and the safety of the other driver at risk, as the vehicle moved unexpectedly despite previously being stopped with the brake hold system engaged. At this time, the issue has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealership or independent repair shop. I am also not aware of any technical inspection performed by the manufacturer. However, the incident was reported to the appropriate insurance company. Before the incident, I did not observe any warning lights, dashboard messages, or obvious signs of a mechanical or electronic problem. The sudden acceleration occurred unexpectedly and without prior warning. The collision was minor. The airbags did not deploy, and neither I nor the other driver suffered physical injuries. However, both vehicles sustained property damage, especially my vehicle, which suffered visible front-end damage because several exterior components are made of low-resistance plastic material.

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Driver assistance · WA · crash

UNKNOWN -- I was turning 90 deg from the street into my 30' driveway, going very slow as usual with foot on brake pedal to slow further before entering the garage (the door had just finished lifting). But as I was straightening the steering coming out of turn, the car suddenly accelerated, brakes and steering both were unresponsive and the car smashed into the garage. Slowed further by the impact, the car caromed into the garage stairs smashing them to pieces before coming to rest against the rear garage wall after I hit the OFF button (it's an EV). There was no alert from the onboard systems of a pending crash and the air bags did NOT deploy. I was uninjured. Posting my accident on a social media owners group, other owners have had similar experience of the electronics going out while driving. The car remains at a 45 deg angle inside the garage now 6 days later awaiting the insurance company to come and extricate it for their assessment of the damage to the car.

Filed Feb 2, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · CA · crash · 3 injuries

Date/Time of Incident: 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM Location: Small school parking lot Vehicle: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 On 1/29/36 at approximately 5:44 PM, I was pulling out of a parking space at low speed in a small school parking lot in my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. As I began to move, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, the steering would not turn left, and the car did not respond to braking, moving at an abnormal rate of speed over a very short distance. Prior to this, there had been no warning messages or alerts, except a routine notification to service the car in 1,000 miles. The collision involved three vehicles: my VW, the main car I hit, and a rental car. My car spun and veered sideways, the parked SUV on the right was pushed sideways, forming a rough “H” pattern, and the rental car went up onto a rail ramp where children walk. My grandson observed the car’s tires spinning at impact, and he hit the seat behind me. Without the parked cars, the vehicle would have continued directly toward the school building, creating a very serious risk of fatal injuries to parents, staff, and children. Injuries: Myself — pain and emotional trauma; grandson — soft cast on foot/leg, crutches, pain; his mother — pain. The vehicle is awaiting Volkswagen guidance for inspection. Likely involved systems include Speed Control, Fuel/Propulsion System, and Electrical, but the exact cause is UNKNOWN. The incident has been reported to State Farm (claim #0596B819B), Volkswagen (Case #07294060), and police.

Filed Oct 16, 2025 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · WA · crash

On October 04/2025 The vehicle was parked and stationary when it suddenly accelerated forward on its own. The brakes were completely unresponsive. I had a passenger in the front seat, and both she and I are certain that I was pressing the brake, but the car did not slow down at all. Within a few seconds, the vehicle gained speed, and I lost control. There was no space to maneuver, and I could do nothing but brace myself against the seat and watch my rear passengers. The vehicle continued forward and crashed into a tree directly in front, causing damage to the right side of the bumper, and a large rock in front also received the impact. The airbags did not deploy. The two rear passengers struck their heads during the impact and sustained bumps, and my dog was also affected in the collision.This accident occurred despite the car having a recent annual inspection and software update. The sudden acceleration is not the only issue I have experienced with this vehicle. I have had additional safety concerns. The doors would lock, unlock and open by themselves while driving on the freeway. On May 2024, my dog was trapped inside when the doors locked automatically with my keys inside the car. I had to ask a police official in my neighborhood for a phone to call roadside assistance, and it took several hours to get my dog out of the vehicle.

Filed Sep 9, 2025 · Acceleration · 14,000 miles · UT · crash

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen ID4. The contact stated that while driving into his driveway at 20 MPH, his jacket brushed against the resume button for the cruise control, and the vehicle launched forward, causing him to crash into the curb on two occasions. While at a car wash, the contact brushed against the resume button, and the vehicle lunged forward, startling the car wash worker. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who dismissed his concerns and informed him that the type of failure was not possible. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.

Filed Dec 26, 2024 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CT

For the second time in this car, I experienced sudden acceleration while parking (turning right). I had to slam the brakes to prevent hitting a parked vehicle, causing whiplash. No warning or safety features engaged. See the federal safety agency crash incident report 11593929. There are sufficient similar reports to warrant an investigation and hold VW accountable.

Filed Oct 10, 2024 · Engine · MD

Sudden unintended acceleration I was pulling next to a curb as I was parking. My speed was approximately two or three miles per hour. My right foot was on the brake slowing the vehicle. My right hand was at the two o'clock position on the steering wheel. My left hand was not on the steering wheel. The cruise control was not engaged and had not been engaged for at least ten or fifteen miles. We had just traveled about 45 miles. The weather was clear and the roads were dry. The temperature was in the upper 40s. As we were slowing, the car suddenly accelerated as if I had fully depressed the accelerator. Since my foot was already on the brake I jammed it on and the car stopped. I’m estimating that we traveled no more than ten feet before coming to a stop. There was a car parked in front of us. The acceleration was not initiated by me, it was sudden, and it was strong. It was impossible for me to have accidentally pressed the accelerator as my right foot was on the brake. It also was impossible that I could have accidentally pressed the cruise control resume switch as my left hand was not even on the steering wheel. To me this represents a serious situation. Had we been in traffic at the time, or if there had not been sufficient room in front of the car, this could have resulted in an accident. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.