NHTSA complaint #11769409

Owner complaint summary

Vehicle Information: Year / Make / Model: 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: ~58,000 miles Affected Component(s): Electrical System, Power Steering, Structure: Door Assembly (NHTSA Recall 24V-651 / VW Recall 57J9) Incident Description: Immediately following a car wash, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic electrical and CAN bus network failure. A cascade of sensor and system failure warnings illuminated on the dashboard, total loss of power steering occurred, and the vehicle entered a restricted limp mode limiting speed to under 1 mph, rendering the vehicle completely inoperable. This issue is identical to the safety defect described in NHTSA Campaign 24V-651 (VW Recall 57J9), wherein water intrudes past exterior door handle seals and shorts out the vehicle's electronic control network. Door handles became inoperable. Safety Hazard: Sudden, complete loss of power steering and propulsion creates an immediate crash hazard and leaves vehicle occupants stranded in potentially dangerous locations without critical vehicle control functions. Dealer / Manufacturer Refusal to Repair: Upon delivering the vehicle to an authorized Volkswagen dealership, both dealership staff and Volkswagen of America refused to perform the recall repair or waive diagnostic fees. They claimed the recall remedy had already been performed over 12 months prior and argued that any warranty on the recall repair had lapsed. Volkswagen corporate is actively refusing to remedy an unresolved, recurring federal safety defect that renders the vehicle unsafe to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)