Parking your electric SUV in the garage just became dangerous territory. Volkswagen has recalled 44,000 ID.4 vehicles from model years 2023-2025 due to high-voltage battery defects that can cause thermal propagation and vehicle fires. If you own an affected vehicle, you need to change how you charge and park immediately.
Manufacturing Flaws Create Internal Short Circuits
SK Battery America’s electrode misalignment issues have caused at least three confirmed thermal events.
The core problem lies in shifted electrodes within battery cell modules produced by SK Battery America at its Georgia facility. These misaligned components create internal short circuits that can trigger thermal propagation—industry speak for batteries getting hot enough to ignite your car.
At least three ID.4s have already experienced thermal events, with multiple vehicles catching fire. One Colorado incident during DC fast charging proved particularly revealing when investigators discovered the shifted electrode condition that prompted this massive recall.
Immediate Safety Restrictions Until Repairs Begin
No DC fast charging, outdoor parking only, and 80% charge limits become the new reality for affected owners.
Until repairs begin in March 2026, you must follow strict usage guidelines. Avoid DC fast charging entirely—that means no Electrify America stops on road trips. Limit charging to 80% maximum capacity and never leave your vehicle charging overnight in enclosed spaces.
Most critically, park outside after charging. Your garage isn’t safe until the battery gets replaced. For 1,299 particularly high-risk vehicles manufactured between November 2022 and September 2024, even AC charging requires outdoor parking.
Progressive Discovery Reveals Expanding Problem Scope
Multiple staggered recalls suggest Volkswagen initially underestimated the defect’s reach.
This isn’t a single recall but multiple coordinated actions as new manufacturing defects surfaced throughout late 2025. SK Battery’s tear-down analysis in September 2025 revealed the shifted electrode issue, but additional problems kept emerging.
The recall timeline reads like a slow-motion disaster:
- First 43,881 vehicles
- Additional 670 in January 2026
- Another 311 in December 2025
The defect affects only US-manufactured ID.4s with SK batteries—European models using different suppliers remain unaffected.
Volkswagen will provide free battery health inspections, software updates, and complete battery replacements where necessary. Owner notification letters arrive in March 2026, but the charging restrictions start now. This recall exposes the growing pains of EV mass production, where battery supplier quality control can literally become a matter of life and death.
