Volkswagen has issued a stop-sale order to its dealers in the US and Canada for its ID.4 electric SUVs due to potential door safety issues.
Water seeping into the door handles of approximately 18,000 vehicles built at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee factory could cause the doors to open unexpectedly at low speeds, according to a notice dated April 3, reports Bloomberg.
Volkswagen has reported that 10 ID.4s have experienced this issue and has identified the cause as water damage. The company has informed the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and has initiated a recall. A fix for the problem is not yet available, and Volkswagen has requested that dealers temporarily halt the sale of affected vehicles until further notice.
Volkswagen has big plans to increase its market share in the US with a focus on SUVs and electric vehicles. The company plans to launch over 25 new electric models in the US by 2030, with a new factory in South Carolina to produce electric trucks and SUVs under the Scout brand. The company has also announced plans to build its first battery plant outside of Europe in Canada.
In January 2023, the first field reports of alleged door self-opening on Chattanooga-produced Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles emerged. From January 19 to February 22, failed parts were requested to be shipped to Chattanooga for discussion with the supplier, and analysis at the supplier started.
Between February 22 and March 09, the supplier root cause analysis from field parts of January was finished. On February 28, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requested a meeting to discuss the field performance of the ID.4 door handles.
From March 10 to March 15, the parts in stock at the supplier and in production were checked to identify the scope and characteristics of good parts versus bad parts. On March 15, the topic was presented at the Volkswagen Product Safety Committee, and the determination of the affected vehicle population began.
On March 22, the topic was presented again at the Volkswagen Product Safety Committee, and a recall was decided. The total known cases of ID.4 produced in the Chattanooga plant were 10.
Having your door potentially open while driving is a serious issue, particularly if you drive with a furry friend on your lap.
Last month, Volkswagen increased the price of the ID.4 in Canada by $2,500 for new and existing orders, citing higher than expected production costs.
