Volkswagen is preparing an action plan for several ID series models. Charging will stop at 80%.
Volkswagen is preparing a service campaign in Europe for electric vehicles with potentially defective battery cells. In the cars affected, the maximum charging level is set to be remotely limited to 80%, and owners will receive further instructions in the coming days.
The issue may affect selected models produced between 2023 and 2025. “Handelsblatt” mentions the Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, and ID. Buzz, as well as several thousand units of the Cupra Born. According to the newspaper, Skoda vehicles are not covered by this campaign. Volkswagen itself has confirmed preparations but has not yet provided a full list of models or the number of vehicles affected.
Individual cells may overheat
Internal quality controls revealed that some high-voltage battery cells do not meet requirements due to manufacturing defects on the part of suppliers. The manufacturer admits that overheating may occur in rare cases, and in extreme situations, fires could also happen.
The first response will be an OTA update, meaning it will be sent without a visit to a service center. The software will limit charging to 80%. This should not be confused with the existing Battery Care mode, which is designed to limit daily charging to protect the battery. This time, the limit serves as a safety measure.
As of this publication, Germany’s KBA has not yet included this action in its database. It is also unclear what the final repair process will entail. Service centers will check the battery or individual modules, and the list of vehicles affected will be narrowed down based on production date, supplier, and battery cell batch.
Between 2023 and 2025, around 660,000 new ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, and ID. Buzz vehicles were registered in Europe, including about 210,000 in Germany. However, this is not the number of vehicles with defects. The actual scale is believed to be much smaller.
The campaign has already started in the UK
Volkswagen’s British branch has identified the ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, ID. Buzz, and the commercial ID. Buzz Cargo models. The issue concerns batteries from a specific supplier manufactured between 2022 and 2025. A 80% charge limit also applies until repairs are completed.
A separate campaign is underway in the US, affecting 22,524 ID.4 models from model years 2023 to 2026. Volkswagen has pointed to SK Battery America’s cells as the problem. According to the manufacturer, certain charging profiles above 80% may contribute to thermal runaway,即 uncontrolled temperature rise in the cells.
This is another issue, but not necessarily technically related. The two previous U.S. actions at the beginning of 2026 covered a total of 44,551 ID.4 vehicles from the Chattanooga factory, partly due to improperly installed electrodes. European cars from Zwickau and Emden used different cells and were not affected by those actions. The documents do not determine whether the current defect in Europe has the same mechanism.
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