Volkswagen Recalls 28,000 ID.4s in Canada Over Battery Fire Risk

Volkswagen has issued a safety recall for approximately 28,000 ID.4 electric SUVs in Canada and the United States, citing a risk of high-voltage battery fires. The recall covers model years 2023 through 2026, with 22,524 vehicles affected in the U.S. and a comparable number in Canada.

What the recall covers

Transport Canada recall 2026-517 and NHTSA campaign 26V630 both target 2023-2026 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles equipped with specific high-voltage battery packs supplied by SK Battery America. The defect determination date was September 23, 2026, following a field study ordered by Volkswagen's Product Safety Committee in June.

The issue: certain charging profiles combined with a state of charge above 80% may trigger thermal propagation within the high-voltage battery, which can result in a vehicle fire. Volkswagen says the root cause is still unknown.

Immediate owner guidance

Until a permanent repair is developed, Volkswagen advises all affected owners to:

• Limit maximum charging to 80% state of charge
• Watch for a warning sticker to be mailed for placement on the vehicle
• Expect some vehicles to receive an over-the-air software update that caps charging at 80%

Dealer and owner notifications are expected on or before November 27, 2026. The final remedy remains under development, and Volkswagen has indicated this will be a phased recall.

Canada-specific details

While the NHTSA report specifies 22,524 U.S. vehicles, Transport Canada's filing covers the Canadian portion of the same global recall population. The affected vehicles were produced between January 1, 2023 and February 1, 2025.

Transport Canada's notice states that approximately 0.1% of the affected population is estimated to contain the defect. No Canadian incident counts have been publicly released, but the U.S. filing identifies 23 thermal event claims between January 2024 and August 2026.

What owners should do

ID.4 owners in Canada can check their VIN at Volkswagen Canada's recall lookup or Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

Volkswagen says a reimbursement plan will not be offered because the affected vehicles are within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period.

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