Volkswagen Group is recalling tens of thousands of electric vehicles built on its MEB platform after authorities identified potential defects in battery modules, according to Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority.
The recall affects 74,579 Volkswagen-branded vehicles worldwide, including the Volkswagen ID.3, Volkswagen ID.4, Volkswagen ID.5, Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo. An additional 19,452 units of the Cupra Born are also included.
According to the KBA, the affected vehicles were manufactured between February 7, 2022 and August 23, 2024. Production took place at Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant in Germany for the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and Cupra Born, while the ID. Buzz models were assembled in Hanover. Of the total, 22,182 Volkswagen vehicles and 5,976 Cupra units are located in Germany.
The regulator said certain high-voltage battery modules in the affected vehicles may not meet specifications. This could lead to reduced driving range and trigger warning alerts, with a potential risk of fire. No incidents involving property damage or personal injury have been reported, suggesting the issue was identified during internal checks.
As part of the recall, Volkswagen will deploy a software update and carry out inspections of the battery modules. Any components found to be non-compliant will be replaced.
The vehicles involved use battery cells sourced from external suppliers, with module assembly carried out in-house. The exact cause of the defect has not been disclosed.
The recall also highlights inconsistencies in affected production periods across models. For example, the Cupra Born is impacted across a broader manufacturing window than the ID.3, despite both models being produced on the same assembly line. Similarly, while the ID.4 and ID.5 share production lines with Audi’s Q4 e-tron models, those vehicles are not included in the recall.
The KBA has assigned reference number 16271R to the Volkswagen recall, with the automaker internally designating the action as code 93MI. A separate recall for the Cupra Born carries KBA reference number 16269R and internal code 93S4.